Explains how true self-management in Scrum requires active, disciplined effort from Product Owners, Scrum Masters, and Developers, not chaos or lack of structure.
We hear “self-managing teams” so often it’s become a cliché.
But here’s what gets missed:
Self-management applies to all Scrum roles.
Product Owners must self-manage how they engage with stakeholders, order the backlog, and shape the product vision.
Scrum Masters must self-manage how they serve the team, coach the organisation, and create the conditions for success.
Developers must self-manage how they plan, execute, and deliver the Increment.
This isn’t a passive concept.
It’s active, adaptive, disciplined work.
Scrum isn’t designed to be a loose, anything-goes framework.
It’s a social technology to deliver adaptive solutions — and that requires disciplined self-management across roles, grounded in clear alignment.
Where are you mistaking “self-management” for chaos or neglect?
If you've made it this far, it's worth connecting with our principal consultant and coach, Martin Hinshelwood, for a 30-minute 'ask me anything' call.
We partner with businesses across diverse industries, including finance, insurance, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, technology, engineering, transportation, hospitality, entertainment, legal, government, and military sectors.
Brandes Investment Partners L.P.
Cognizant Microsoft Business Group (MBG)
Genus Breeding Ltd
Kongsberg Maritime
Qualco
DFDS
Jack Links
Lean SA
Bistech
Ericson
Higher Education Statistics Agency
Trayport
MacDonald Humfrey (Automation) Ltd.
Big Data for Humans
Capita Secure Information Solutions Ltd
Slicedbread
Xceptor - Process and Data Automation
Alignment Healthcare
Nottingham County Council
Ghana Police Service
New Hampshire Supreme Court
Washington Department of Transport
Royal Air Force
Department of Work and Pensions (UK)
Workday
Healthgrades
Deliotte
Epic Games
MacDonald Humfrey (Automation) Ltd.
Hubtel Ghana