Do Scrum Teams need their own Heisman Trophy?

Yesterday, I listed the problems Scrum can solve for you.

I talked about the requirements for structuring a solid team, including the establishment of clear, prioritized goals, but I stopped short of discussing rewards for achieving those goals.

All teams get rewards. The title of this blog represents one of the most famous of collegiate football rewards.

Full disclosure: Since I am not a big football enthusiast, I did not even know what the Heisman Trophy was, until the auctioned off OJ Simpson's.

In our early days in Scrum, we treated developers and wives to dinner when a Sprint was successful; we provided pizza at planning meetings; and after meeting our biggest goal of last year, we gave everyone on the team an extra week's vacation—one they all took at the same time!

Awhile back, I became concerned that team goals would not continue to mean as much if we did not continue to provide such rewards.

I was right and wrong at the same time.

Rewards still need to exist, but I was wrong in believing that they did not.

As I said of some Scrum Masters yesterday, I did not really understand the problem that I was trying to solve.

In one of my monthly one-on-one's with staff, a trusted teammate—known as a tell-it-like-it-is guy, as opposed to a tell-it-like-you-wanna-hear-it guy.

He surprised me, explaining it this way...

"You've made this a great place to work, allowing us to solve the problems that have made our jobs painful for years. You are constantly looking out for us, motivating us to find ways to make our job easier and faster. Those are reasons enough."

He ended the explanation with the caveat...

"...but that doesn't mean we'll turn down steaks if you're buying!"