by Veronika Smrčková
When I submitted my application for the Women in Agile (WiA) mentorship, I had very clear goals in mind. One of them was to improve my public speaking, but my primary objective was to become a better coach for my team—transforming them into a high-performing unit, discovering techniques to support this transformation, and finding ways to measure progress. However, as the saying goes, “The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.”
At the beginning of my mentoring journey, I described what my team looked like, the challenges I was facing, and the kind of support I needed. We discussed the importance of Sprint Goals and taking an individualized approach. My mentor, Kimberley, also recommended the book Crucial Conversations, which I started reading immediately and absolutely loved.
But then, things started falling apart. Instead of focusing on my team, I found myself dealing with external issues that demanded my attention. Kimberley was incredibly supportive during this time—first and foremost, she reassured me that I wasn’t crazy and that these challenges were genuinely difficult. But, of course, she didn’t stop there. Through coaching, she helped me step back, see the bigger picture, and figure out a way forward. She also equipped me with tools to handle similar situations in the future.
Embracing Change and Looking Ahead
Eventually, I felt ready to refocus on my team, and the urgency to do so became even greater when coaching and improving team performance became one of my key objectives for the year. But within two weeks, my team had shrunk significantly, meaning my original challenges were no longer relevant. I knew new obstacles would emerge, but I needed time to observe my newly shaped team and determine where they needed my support.
At that point, we had about two mentoring sessions left. We focused on finalizing my conference proposal—a goal I consider fully achieved, as I have started submitting proposals and hope to be accepted soon. Then came the big question: What’s next? Once again, Kimberley provided guidance. She explained that Scrum Masters often grow beyond their role. As teams become more self-managing, it’s time to look up and focus on inter-team communication and company-wide processes. While we didn’t have time to explore this in depth, she left me with plenty of inspiration, topics to reflect on, and valuable resources to study.
The intense phase of the mentorship may have ended, but I am not completely on my own. Kimberley and I built a strong relationship, and she has offered to stay in touch whenever I need help or want to share a success. The journey of a Scrum Master and Agile coach never truly ends—I’m only at the beginning, and it’s reassuring to know there’s someone out there I can turn to for guidance and celebration.
One last thing before I close: I applied for the mentorship twice. The first time, I wasn’t selected. So, if you’re considering applying, don’t hesitate to try multiple times, and don’t be discouraged if you aren’t chosen right away—just keep trying. And if you’re an experienced Agilist, please consider becoming a mentor. Your knowledge and support can help others grow and advance their careers.
Veronika’s Bio:
I studied computer science and then worked as a software developer for 10 years. A few years ago, I realized that I wanted to work more with people than code, and Scrum Master was a position I wanted to try first. I got the CSM certificate and started Scrum mastering in my company. At this point, I am SM of two teams and do just a little coding. My passion is to lead workshops and retrospectives when people can experience something new and then apply it directly in their work.
To learn more about our mentorship program, visit the our Mentorship page or email mentoring@womeninagile.org.
