Let me start by saying I am not the perfect Scrum Master, nor have I ever met one. I do however have the ideal in my head and I think that ideal is worthy of pursuit. For myself, this ideal is what I aim to be, how I measure myself as an enterprise Agile Coach and Scrum Master when I am filling that role.

The perfect Scrum Master:

·        Knows the Scrum Guide, backwards and forwards because they know that this is what Scrum is and maybe even more importantly for many companies, what Scrum is not.

·        Lives the Agile Manifesto values and principles. Can quote them to a team when they are following them and when they are not. Internalizes the values and principles and demonstrates them constantly in their thinking and behavior.

·        Is a true servant leader according to Greenleaf’s seminal essay “The Servant As Leader”. Embodying the principles they espouse.

·        Is technical enough to understand trade-offs and to have the respect of the team that their work is understood at a fundamental level at least.

·        Has enough business sense that they can communicate effectively with all stakeholders in the team’s success.

And that is about it. Not that much to ask is it (sarcasm)? If you know anyone who fits this bill please send them my way because I need them in my network, I hire a lot of Scrum Masters and have yet to find the perfect one, but anyone on the path described is close enough to merit hiring.