Scrum Masters often limit themselves to the team and product owner, missing the organizational level, which hampers agile adoption and cross-departmental impact.
Scrum Masters are expected to serve three levels - the Product Owner, the Development Team, and the Organization - but many stay focused only on the team. The article shows that most Scrum Masters serve the Development Team, some add the Product Owner, and only a few reach the organizational level. This gap leaves a large part of agile transformation untapped.
The author points to several reasons: organizations hire Agile Coaches for the org level, myths that the Scrum Master is a secretary or metric keeper, hierarchical structures that silence the role, and a lack of clear accountabilities. When Scrum Masters are confined to the team, they miss opportunities to influence leadership, remove cross-departmental impediments, and spread Scrum practice beyond the immediate crew.
Practical advice includes teaching the organization the Scrum framework, acting as a change agent, removing organizational impediments, and building communities of practice. By making the Scrum Master role visible and aligning it with business agility, leaders can expand impact, improve communication across functions, and drive sustainable agile adoption.
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