I’ve been fortunate enough to have enjoyed a great Scrum career and, as I look back over the past two decades plus, I note that there is one thing, more than anything else, that took my career in Scrum to a whole new level. Not just a step change. I mean a massive leap forward!

The harder I worked, the luckier I got

Like most people I’ve met, I ended up finding Scrum by accident! My initial intention was to find a better way to estimate software projects. That led me to relative size estimation and in turn that took me to Scrum. Once I discovered Scrum, my whole world of work changed.

I was no longer a slave to the iron triangle. I didn’t have to predict the future and make a commitment to reaching it. Now, I could use empirical data to help me make forward looking forecasts. It was a monumental shift that changed my world of work for ever and I grabbed it with both hands.

As my Scrum world evolved, I learned more and more. It was gradual, it was doable, it was enjoyable.

Your Network is Everything!

When I decided upon Scrum, I researched everything about it that I could find. As well as learning about Scrum, I learned who the well known names were and I reached out to many of them. I was fortunate enough to have conversations with some incredible people. One of them introduced me to someone who was hiring agilists for a gig at asos.com

Here is the ONE Tip

Once again, I came across this by accident. But having identified it as one of the most important events in my Scrum career, I share it with you so it can benefit your Scrum career too.

Do whatever you can to get on a gig with awesome agilists, coaches and trainers

The asos gig introduced me to some of the best agile talent in the UK at the time. I learned more in that four month gig than I learned during any similar period of time either before or after. Many of my peer group went on to become standout agilists in their own right. They include Certified Scrum Trainers, Certified Scrum Coaches, Professional Scrum Trainers, Kanban Trainers and Certified Agilists.

To summarise: I learned more than I remember. I grew a fantastic network. My Scrum career went into overdrive. More importantly, yours can too. Find those gigs and do whaever it takes to get on them. Your future self will thank you.