Coaching and mentoring
The Scrum Guide states explicitly that the Scrum Master serves the Scrum Team by coaching the team members in self-management and cross-functionality. They also serve the organization by leading, training, and coaching the organization in its Scrum adoption. Coaching and mentoring are clearly important assets in a Scrum Master’s skillset. But what is the difference between them?
Mentoring is about sharing our knowledge, experience, and skills to help others develop and grow. Mentors offer guidance and advice on professional behavior and technical skills. They encourage others to emulate them and follow in their footsteps. For the Scrum Master, mentoring is an opportunity to pass on their experience in various aspects of the Sprint cycle. For example, a Scrum Master may mentor the Developers on estimation methods when Sprint Planning, or time management techniques they have successfully used in the past.
Mentoring is instructive; that is, the mentor...
