How Great Product Owners Encourage Experimentation and Openness | Hassan Butt

Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches

Hassan Butt: How Great Product Owners Encourage Experimentation and Openness

Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes.

The Great Product Owner: Balancing Pressure and Transparency

Hassan describes a great Product Owner (PO) as someone who can handle the pressures from stakeholders while maintaining transparency with the team. A great PO is open about the challenges but ensures that team members are not overwhelmed. They create space for experimentation, facilitate two-way communication, and know how to protect the team by saying “no” when needed.

The Bad Product Owner: Bringing Pressure to the Team

On the other hand, Hassan highlights an anti-pattern where a Product Owner brings external pressures into the team, causing stress and blame. A bad PO passes down the pressure they feel, which can create a toxic environment. Hassan advises using 3-amigo sessions to support the PO and suggests promoting open conversations that avoid blame and foster transparency.

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About Hassan Butt Hassan builds high-performing teams and unlocks their full potential in his current role as a Scrum Master for a UK FTSE100 Telco. He also serves as an Agile Coach and mentor, supporting others in their professional growth. Hassan is well-known on LinkedIn for sharing valuable content and insights with the Agile community.

You can link with Hassan Butt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nohassagile/