--- title: "Time to fire your Scrum Master? 10 questions to expose whether your Agile still delivers value. | Team productivity audit" description: "Discover how continuous improvement, value flow, and strategic alignment can transform your Agile practices and lead your teams to real results." url: "https://www.marian.coach/blog/agile-isnt-dead-unlock-more-value-from-scrum-masters/" lang: "en" image: "https://www.marian.coach/images/blog-covers/agile-isnt-dead-unlock-more-value-from-scrum-masters.jpg" --- ![Time to fire your Scrum Master? 10 questions to expose whether your Agile is actually delivering value.](https://www.marian.coach/images/blog-covers/agile-isnt-dead-unlock-more-value-from-scrum-masters.jpg) Agile isn’t dead. It’s just time to rethink how we use it. If your Scrum Master is focused more on checking boxes than delivering value, it’s time for a change. **If your top metric is velocity and your ceremonies lack strategy or continuous value flow, your Scrum Master certificate won’t save you. You’ll eventually be replaced.** This isn’t a critique. It’s a challenge to rethink Agile in your organization. Are your Agile practices _really_ delivering value? At our 20th [Engineering Leaders Community](https://www.engineeringleaders.io/) meetup [_Agile is dead: what can you do about it for your teams?_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrwh3JtLATQ&t=2380s) we faced this question head-on. With popcorn in hand and no shortage of strong opinions, we tackled the future of Agile: **it’s time to move beyond the status quo**. --- ### PRO TIP: Do you need to fire your Scrum Master? Let’s cut to the chase: Is your Scrum Master delivering value, or just checking boxes? Before we jump into the details, ask yourself these ten questions: ![Scrum Master compatability checklist 1](https://www.marian.coach/images/blog-archive/2025/01/Scrum-Master-compatability-checklist-1-1024x354.png) In other words: > Are they actually _delivering value_ or just running endless ceremonies? > Do they _challenge_ the status quo, or just go with the flow? > Are they _removing obstacles_ or creating new ones? > Do they _align team efforts_ with business goals, or are they just following the process? > Are they _building an Agile mindset_ and pushing for continuous learning, or stuck in their comfort zone? If you can’t answer **YES** to most of these, it’s time for a change. Don’t settle for a Scrum Master who’s just there to follow the process. They should be driving real value, or they’re not worth your time. --- ## Agile: method or mindset? My part of the talk began after a simple but powerful statement from our co-speaker [Jany Koščo](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jankosco/), Senior Staff Engineer at [ProductBoard](https://www.linkedin.com/company/productboard/): > _“I don’t care about methodologies; what I care about is whether we deliver value or not.”_ While delivering value is central to Agile methods, how many companies truly live by this principle? Too often, Agile devolves into rigid ceremonies and metrics, disconnected from meaningful outcomes. In this post, I’ll share a story that completely changed how I view one of Agile’s cornerstone roles: the Scrum Master. ![Speaking at the 'Agile is Dead' Engineering Leaders Community meetup](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/2400/1*79GnXrMdRiEzwqKcdTbdqA.jpeg)Sharing my story at the #20th Engineering Leaders Community meetup --- ## From Scrum Masters → Agile Coaches In many companies, Scrum Masters feel like puppets, owning processes instead of driving real progress. They’re stuck running ceremonies, tracking velocity, and keeping the value delivery lifecycle moving. ![Marian Kamenistak at the Engineering Leaders Community conference 2026.](https://www.marian.coach/_astro/talk-40.C42wvuNe_ZytfyN.webp) Talking Agile coaches and value flow at an Engineering Leaders Community event. While this can boost efficiency from 1/5 to 3/5, it always hits a ceiling. Why? Because process adherence becomes the focus, leaving little room for experimentation or growth. At [Mews](https://www.linkedin.com/company/mewssystems/), we decided to break this cycle. Inspired by our peers at Productboard, we transitioned from traditional Scrum Masters to **Agile Coaches: ambassadors of continuous improvement**. This aligns with the Agile Manifesto but moves beyond it. We wanted Agile Coaches to **experiment, improve systems, and help us deliver true value**. For more on building a culture of continuous learning in your teams, check out [Learn or Die: 11 Steps to Create a Strong Learning and Growth Culture in Your Company](https://www.marian.coach/blog/11-steps-to-transform-your-learning-culture/). --- ## What makes an Agile Coach different? > Agile Coaches are change ambassadors, not process owners. Take [Rasheed Raya](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rasheed-raya-5717b9105/), my first Agile Coach. What started as an experiment, leading a single tribe of six people at Mews, evolved over three years into a key role that showed the tangible benefits of Agile coaching. His job description wasn’t just words on paper, it was brought to life through his work. This led us to develop a model based on two streams: ### 1\. Value flow - Experimenting and improving team processes, from ceremonies to ticket flow. - Owning the method, metrics, and sustainable improvements. - Fine-tuning approaches for individual teams, helping them adjust and override guidelines when needed. ### 2\. Agility evangelism - Collaborating with other coaches to embed Agile principles across the company. - Educating engineers, managers, and others in Agile processes through talks, meetups, and blog posts. - Actively sharing knowledge to build a learning and Agile mindset. **Agile Coaches** evolve from 1:1 coaches (one coach per team) to **1:N influencers**, guiding 2 to 6 teams and driving systemic improvements across tribes. Reporting to second-level managers allows them to address larger organizational challenges, including: - Delivering value over rigid adherence to methods. - Driving continuous improvement through measurable goals. - Cultivating agility as a mindset, not just a process. --- ## A framework for continuous improvement > If it’s not measurable, it’s not improvement. ![Agile continuous improvement framework](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/2400/1*eXVODmOv9GTZQowhe58vWg.png)Agile continuous improvement framework To bring this vision to life, we developed a structured framework. Here’s how it works: ### Defined focus Each Agile Coach targets one specific improvement per team to ensure a clear focus and avoid spreading efforts too thin. ### Specific and measurable goals Improvements are tied to clear KPIs. For example, instead of vague goals like “better retrospectives,” we aim for outcomes like “reduced cycle time by 15% within three months.” ### Durability check After making changes, we track whether they stick. Only lasting improvements are considered a success. --- ## Real-world use cases > Real agility starts when we stop accepting mediocrity. Here’s how this approach delivered real results: ### 1\. Aligning with strategy One team [struggled with roadmap delivery](https://www.marian.coach/engineering-teams-productivity-audit/) due to a lack of strategic alignment. The solution: Establishing a measurable goal → 60% of time spent on tasks [aligned with the roadmap and OKRs](https://www.marian.coach/blog/how-to-make-your-teams-beat-okrs/). Within months, delivery improved dramatically. ### 2\. Boosting collaboration in triads Collaboration between product and engineering managers often fell short. We set a clear objective: improve how product triads worked together within two months. The results? Better decision-making and faster execution. Encouraging communities of practice can significantly improve collaboration. Learn how to build one in [Stop Leading in Isolation: Build a Community of Practice for Engineering Managers](https://www.marian.coach/blog/community-of-practice-for-engineering-managers/). ### 3\. Limiting parallel work Teams often juggled too many initiatives, diluting their focus. By limiting work to two or three epics, one of which was always “business as usual”, we increased delivery speed and quality. ### 4\. Improving discovery processes When product managers handed off specs without engineering input, teams operated on assumptions. We introduced a discovery phase with measurable interaction goals, raising engineering involvement from 0% to 15% within two months. --- ## If You’re a Scrum Master or Agile Coach… > [Certificates are proof you attended a course](https://www.marian.coach/blog/11-signs-to-fire-your-consultant/), not that you deliver value. Your mission is **NOT** to run ceremonies or track velocity. It’s to deliver value and continuous improvement. If: - Your [top measure is velocity](https://www.marian.coach/blog/better-than-dora-metrics-team-productivity/), - You run ceremonies without questioning them, - You avoid strategic thinking, - Or you fail to continuously improve the value flow… Then keep your certificate. You’ll be replaced, and you deserve it. --- ## final thoughts: evolve or be replaced > Change starts at the top. Leaders who don’t model improvement can’t expect it from their teams. Agile isn’t dead, but its rituals often are. If you’re a leader, it’s time to model the change you want to see in your team members: - Challenge the status quo. - Focus on delivering real value. - Drive continuous improvement. Evolve Agile, or risk being replaced. Are you ready to stop following the process and start leading your teams to deliver true value? Watch the full episode of our 20th meetup [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrwh3JtLATQ&t=2380s), with two additional talks from [Jany Koščo](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jankosco/) and [Bob Marvan](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lukasmarvan/) not included in this post. ![Our COO introducing the 'Agile is dead' 20th Engineering Leaders Community meetup](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/2400/1*Fx_ko0qCKSMpr7EYK5PdCw.jpeg)Any introducing the meetup --- Team productivity audit ## Get sprint completion from 50% to 80%. In 3 months, or the money is on me. 3-month engagement, fixed scope, fixed price. Worth ~11M CZK/year for a 60-person org. [Request an audit brainstorm →](https://www.marian.coach/engineering-teams-productivity-audit/) ## Read next - [ ### Should I Become a Team Lead? A 6-Dimension Answer Six dimensions predict whether the team lead role will fit you, drawn from 3,400+ mentoring sessions. Take the 3-minute test, get a straight verdict. 22 July 2026 · By Marian Read → ](https://www.marian.coach/blog/should-i-become-a-team-lead/) - [ ### AI Agents Don't Shrink Engineering Teams. They Expose Weak Managers. What AI coding agents change about the first-line engineering manager job: not headcount first, but feedback loops, spans, and what the role is for. 21 July 2026 · By Marian Read → ](https://www.marian.coach/blog/ai-agents-first-line-engineering-manager/) - [ ### How to Become a VP of Engineering: The Three Gaps A VP of Engineering wrote me about his stuck senior EM. The email defines the EM-to-VPE gap better than any career guide. Three gaps, with fixes. 21 July 2026 · By Marian Read → ](https://www.marian.coach/blog/engineering-manager-to-vp-of-engineering/) ### New posts, straight to your inbox. Your emailSubscribe You're on it. Nothing hits your inbox today. First send goes out once the list is live, and you're already on it. 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