What Are: The 5 Scrum Values?

FOCUS

Well-functioning Scrum Teams, and this is not unique to them, tend to focus on very few things at any given time. This does not mean that they only elect to bring into the Sprint the few things they can focus on at the beginning of the sprint. It means they have learned that focusing on fewer things at once, helps them deliver higher quality work quicker than if they worked on many things at once, splitting their time throughout each day.

OPENNESS

We stress the need for safety, in Agile environments, because we need to know that sharing our opinions and beliefs about our individual and collective work will not be met with negative responses. We encourage Openness so we can discover, early, where our flaws, inconsistencies, impediments, and concerns lie. It’s not all about fixing problems, though. We also should be free to point out when things are going well and the team is doing its best.

RESPECT

We call out Respect as a Value, because common decency in how people interact with one another is crucial for communication and team work. The Golden Rule really comes to mind when talking about interactions on teams – treat others how you would like them to treat you. Be respectful to others in order to encourage respectful acts in the future.

COURAGE

Courage takes many forms, and it is called for in many circumstances. Too often, in organizations of all sizes and shapes, being courageous is not valued. In Scrum, we value the courage to take on new challenges, and call out problems of all kinds and at all levels. These displays of courage are what make breakout innovative companies and people who they are.

COMMITMENT

We are looking for commitment to success, dedication to controlling our own destinies, and the ability to take responsibility for our actions.  Though many coaches and trainers will say the Commitment value is specific to the team and the team’s goals, there are also many who believe that commitment goes beyond the team.  If you are truly an Agile-minded person, your commitment probably includes certain personal, professional, and philosophical values.  We believe that the Scrum value of Commitment encapsulates all of these.