The Scrum Values – Respect

We’re working our way through the Scrum Values, the second value I want to talk about is Respect.

Last week I shared Steve Trapp’s blog post. In it he asked Scrum Team Members

• I listen with equal intensity regardless of who is talking.
• When listening to people I never talk over them.
• I value everyone’s opinion equally.
• I am never concerned who works on what item in the backlog.
• I feel that my opinion is respected and that I have an equal say in the team.

Respect is key in a Scrum Team. A good team is diverse and brings together different people with a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. People can only work effectively if they feel safe to share their own points of view. If you haven’t already I strongly recommend reading 5 Dysfunctions of a Team as a great fable about why this is so important.

If we want to work well as a team it’s important we can engage in constructive conflict without making people feel vulnerable and worried that their ideas will be ridiculed. We all need to take responsibility for creating a team where respect for each other is paramount.

Of all the Scrum Values this is the one I believe is the most important. Great teams can adapt and rise to meet challenges, however a great team cannot exist without mutual respect between the team members and between the team and it’s stakeholders. Reinforce respect and you’ll build a strong team who can achieve great things.

How do you nurture respect in your team? What do you feel when working in a respectful environment? Let me know in the comments below.