What to Watch, What to Learn and What to Definitely Not Fake
So, you’ve landed the role.
Badge unlocked. Zoom link received. Jira board… slightly terrifying.
Welcome to the dojo, Sensei-in-training.
The Scrum Master badge might be pinned to your chest, but the first 30 days? That’s when you start earning it.
You’re not here to swing a sword.
You’re here to observe the battlefield, learn the terrain and understand the villagers before suggesting how to build a better catapult.
So let’s talk about how to not mess it up.
🧠 Week 1: Watch First, Talk Later
You’re excited. You want to “bring Agile best practices.”
But here’s the truth: No one wants to be Agiled at.
✅ Your job this week:
- Join every team ceremony, keep your camera on and your mouth mostly shut.
- Take notes on team dynamics: who speaks, who doesn’t, who side-slacks mid-meeting.
- Resist the urge to optimize. You’re not Marie Kondo-ing their process just yet.
🔍 Things to quietly note:
- 30-minute standups that feel like hostage situations
- 6 people “reviewing” code but no one merging
- A Product Owner who’s also writing test cases (blink twice if you need help)
🧘 Think monk, not megaphone.
📚 Week 2: Decode the Tribe
Time to explore the jungle behind the Jira.
💬 Start 1:1s with devs, testers, PO, maybe even design. Ask:
- “What’s one thing slowing us down?”
- “What’s working well that we should protect?”
- “What’s one thing you’d change, if no one could say no?”
This is less about collecting complaints and more about spotting the invisible friction.
Also, if your team drops terms like CI/CD, UAT, or “this PR broke staging,” and you’re just nodding along?
Pause. Ask. Don’t fake fluency in dev-speak.
If you missed our breakdown of the essentials, start here 👉
🎓 You’re not here to code. You’re here to translate and support. But you can’t guide what you don’t understand.
🛠️ Week 3: Make One Meaningful Change
After listening and learning, pick one simple change. Just one.
🎯 Examples:
- Reframe the standup from status reports to blockers and flow.
- Add a visual WIP limit.
- Suggest timeboxing your planning meetings (because 3-hour planning sessions should be illegal).
Why only one?
Because change is a trust deposit, not a credit card you max out on Day 18.
Start small.
Win trust.
Prove you’re here to remove friction, not add process cosplay.
🚩 Week 4: Reflect, Report, Reset
As your 30-day mark hits, schedule a retro — not just for the team, but for yourself.
🧭 Ask yourself:
- What dysfunctions are visible?
- What sacred cows no one will touch?
- Where can I coach vs. where do I need to escalate?
- Am I helping people feel safe enough to be real?
And here’s what you should absolutely not fake:
- Tech fluency (again, read that article!)
- Confidence in facilitation (practice with a friend if needed)
- Being a servant-leader. That’s not a poster on the wall. It’s asking “What’s blocking you?” and then doing something about it.
Final Advice: You’re the Mirror, Not the Spotlight
Your team doesn’t need a superhero.
They need someone who sees the mess and says, “Cool. Let’s clean it up together.”
You’re not the showrunner.
You’re the script doctor, stage manager, and sometimes emotional support human.
That’s leadership.
So listen deeply.
Ask better questions.
Learn the ecosystem.
And whatever you do, don’t pretend you know what a container does if you don’t.
(Again… that article. Read it.)
Written by
Simina F. | howtobecomeapm.com – Author