Traits required for a successful Scrum Master

I am sure many of us would agree that getting certified as "Scrum Master" is not that difficult task. 

However, looking at the roles and responsibilities that Scrum Master needs to carry in a typical Agile setup, I must say  wearing Scrum Master's "hat" is something that requires some unique skills and traits.

Following are some personal traits that I think every Scrum Master should possess...

• Collaborative
• Must posses excellent collaboration skills to work with all the stakeholders to work towards the objective.
• Brings together the team and helps in streamlining the process


• Transparent
• Always showcase transparency in all form of communications
• No hidden agenda – what you see is what you get


• Protective
• Must guard team from outside influence that would divert team from the objective
• Scrum Master should posses acute sensitivity towards both team protection and business needs and should maintain healthy balance


• Knowledgeable
• Scrum Master must be very knowledgeable about Agile processes
• Must understand the technical and business issue team needs to address. 
• ScrumMaster need not be tech-savvy or business domain expert, however working knowledge in these areas would be very helpful


• Questioning
• Scrum Master uses his technical, business and process skills to ask logical questions.
• Asking questions in a way that would help team find their own answers.


• A good listener / Patient
• ScrumMaster is a good listener and welcome thoughts and suggestions from all.
• ScrumMaster doesn’t gives out solutions to a problem, rather patiently hears and help team to arrive at solutions by their own.