Your First 90 Days as a Scrum Master: What to Do and What to Avoid

The first 90 days set the foundation for everything that follows. The relationships you build, the credibility you establish, and the patterns you set in those early weeks will shape your effectiveness for months to come.

The most common mistake? Trying to fix things too quickly. Before you can change a system, you have to understand it. Here is a framework for your first three months on the job.

Days 1–30: Listen More Than You Speak

Your primary goal in the first month is to understand the system you have joined. You are an observer and a student of the team's current culture.

What to do:

• Observe every Scrum event without changing it: Take detailed notes. Notice how the team interacts. Do not suggest changes yet.
• Have 1:1 conversations with every team member: Ask open-ended questions: What is working well? What gets in your way? What do you think the team needs most right now?
• Map the organizational context: Who are the key stakeholders? What is the history of Agile at this company? Where are the friction points between the team and the broader organization?

What to avoid:

• ❌ Suggesting process changes before you understand the "why" behind current habits.
• ❌ Taking sides in existing team conflicts or office politics.
• ❌ Skipping 1:1 sessions because you feel "too busy" with administrative tasks.

Days 31–60: Start Facilitating With Intention

By the second month, you have enough context to begin making small, deliberate improvements.

What to do:

• Refresh the Retrospective: Introduce one new format to shake up the routine and surface deeper insights.
• Refine the Events: Bring a specific, focused question to Sprint Planning. Gently redirect the Daily Scrum if it starts to drift into technical problem-solving. Practice our 15-minute facilitation framework in How to Facilitate a Daily Standup: A Practical Guide for Scrum Masters.
• Identify Major Impediments: Pinpoint the 2–3 most significant blockers the team faces. Start working on them immediately, even if you know a full resolution will take months.

Days 61–90: Build Bridges Outside the Team

In your third month, turn your attention outward. A Scrum Master's role extends beyond the immediate squad and into the rest of the organization.

What to do:

• Build Stakeholder Relationships: Ensure the Product Owner and external stakeholders are aligned and communicating effectively.
• Sync with Leadership: Meet with the managers of your team members to discuss team health and resource needs.
• Join the Community: Connect with other Scrum Masters in the company to share best practices and learnings.
• Address Systemic Issues: Identify obstacles that exist at the organizational level - such as slow procurement or rigid HR policies - and start advocating for change.

The Goal at 90 Days

By the end of your first 90 days, you should have achieved the following:

• ✅ Trust: You have established psychological safety and a solid rapport with your team.
• ✅ Visibility: You have a clear list of the most critical impediments.
• ✅ Momentum: You've implemented small but visible improvements to the team's Scrum practice.
• ✅ Alignment: You have the beginnings of productive relationships with key stakeholders.

This foundation allows you to move from being a "new hire" to a truly influential servant leader.

Avoid These Common Mistakes

See 7 Common Scrum Master Mistakes for a full breakdown of what to watch out for. Michael Watkins' The First 90 Days is the classic reference on new role transitions. Book a free consultation if you want a personalized onboarding plan.