We’ve been implementing (and iterating on) scrum at Far Reach for more than four years now. It all started with a book we read in our Far Reads book club book, “Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time” by Jeff Sutherland.
Part of the reason scrum works so well for our team is because our core values as a company align with the tenets of scrum. If there were misalignment, chances are we wouldn’t have been able to implement it effectively no matter how hard we tried.
Thankfully, the scrum core values and our Far Reach core values line up really well.
Scrum Core Values
The core values of the scrum framework center around what’s best for the team and the work they’re trying to accomplish.
Here are the scrum core values, from the Scrum Alliance:
- Courage: Scrum team members have courage to do the right thing and work on tough problems.
- Focus: Everyone focuses on the work of the sprint and the goals of the scrum team.
- Commitment: People personally commit to achieving the goals of the scrum team.
- Respect: Scrum team members respect each other to be capable, independent people.
- Openness: The scrum team and its stakeholders agree to be open about all the work and the challenges with performing the work.
Now let’s look at these scrum values next to Far Reach’s.
Courage
- 4: Embrace Change
- 9: Balance
Being on a scrum team means working on tough problems and stepping outside our comfort zones. It requires standing up for our values and knowing when to say yes or no.
Focus
- 5: Simplicity & Quality
- 8: Work Smarter
We spend a lot of time and effort refining how we work to give our team the focus and clarity required to build great software. We constantly work to remove barriers, improve efficiency, and maintain high standards of quality in everything we do.
Commitment
- 1: Make a Difference
- 6: Learn & Grow
- 10: Have Fun
Our team is made up of people who are all-in on making a difference. We work together to get where we want to be, even when the going gets tough or when unexpected things happen. This means always being open to new ways of doing things—we learn
a lot around here every day! And we usually have some fun along the way, too.
Respect
- 2: Be Positive
- 7: We’re a Team
- 11: Be Humble
Treating each other with respect is non-negotiable at Far Reach. It’s the only way we work, whether it’s with team members, clients, or the community.
Openness
Everything we do, we do with transparency. Everyone’s work is visible, and we encourage each other to have the tough conversations, even though it’s hard.
However you accomplish your work, make sure you don’t compromise your values. And if possible, find a way of working that lifts those values up and brings them front and center.