Podcast Summary:

Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches
Episode: When Your Technical Expertise Becomes Your Biggest Scrum Master Weakness
Guest: Natalia Curusi
Host: Vasco Duarte
Date: December 15, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode delves into a common struggle faced by many Scrum Masters with a technical background: transitioning from hands-on technical roles to empowering and enabling teams without overstepping. Vasco Duarte and guest Natalia Curusi share candid stories about learning when to guide and when to step back, highlighting the importance of team ownership, the temptation to "save the day" with your expertise, and the personal growth required to lead effectively in Agile environments.

Natalia’s Journey to Scrum Mastery

• Background:

  • Over 20 years in software delivery
  • Originally from Moldova; currently in Brisbane, Australia
  • Experience spans programming (.NET), aspiration to be a software architect, and eventually stepping into Scrum Master and leadership roles

• Unexpected Path:

  • Natalia never planned to work in IT, aiming for economics before circumstances led to programming
  • “My dream was … to become the first human software architect in Republic of Moldova, because I’m coming from Republic of Moldova. But the thing changed. My son appeared. Then the priorities changed. Then actually I understood that I have it enough.” (03:30)
  • Pivoted toward Scrum Mastery out of a desire to support and positively impact people and teams

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Double-Edged Sword of Technical Expertise

• Natalia’s Early Mistake:

  • In her first dual role as Team Lead and Scrum Master, she leaned heavily into her technical background, offering direct solutions during standups
  • Team members implemented her suggestions – and failed
  • Realized this approach undermined team learning, ownership, and collaboration

• Critical Lesson:

  • Quote: “I thought that my biggest strength … was my biggest weakness. This is my technical background. … I don’t need to suggest technical solutions.” (06:52)
  • Made a conscious choice to step back and allow another team member to assume technical authority, focusing fully on the Scrum Master role

2. The Temptation to Intervene and the Power of Restraint

• Challenge:

  • Even as an experienced Scrum Master, the urge to provide solutions remains strong, especially when you care about the team’s success
  • Quote: “It takes me a lot of time and effort to shut up and listen … I try to keep myself on this kind of boundaries. Yeah, but it’s very complicated.” (09:40)

• Host Reflection:

  • Vasco acknowledges this struggle is widespread: "It’s the people who care that want to intervene… when they intervene, they take ownership away from the team. … we prevent their learning and their ownership by us taking the ownership." (10:42)

3. The Importance of Team Ownership

• Collaborative Solutions:

  • Teams must collectively buy into solutions for them to work
  • Quote (Natalia): “It doesn’t matter how good the solution is. It’s very important if everybody is on the same page, if everybody understands how it should work.” (11:35)

• Facilitation over Direction:

  • Best outcomes arise when the Scrum Master enables discovery and decision-making, rather than directing it

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Career Transformation:

  • “So I did a lot of software delivery already. I know everything about software delivery, about programming, and I decided to do something else … I understood that the biggest thing that motivates me this is the impact of the help, the support that I can bring to people.” (04:20)

• When Expertise Becomes an Obstacle:

  • “They [the team] failed because I, I was a former leader. They need to listen to me.” (07:32)

• On Stepping Back:

  • “I have chosen the most technical person in the team. So that person became technical authority. And I just took the Scrum Master role and I never stepped in on his feeds anymore.” (08:00)

• Self-Challenge as a Scrum Master:

  • “Active listening and active understanding what is happening in the room without trying to suggest anything is the biggest challenge that I have right now.” (09:47)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:52] Natalia’s journey from programmer to Scrum Master
• [06:09] Story of failure: technical mindset undermining team autonomy
• [07:35] Turning point: relinquishing technical leadership
• [09:40] The ongoing challenge of active listening and letting go
• [10:42] Vasco’s reflection on ownership and intervention
• [11:35] Necessity for team buy-in and understanding

Conclusion

Natalia Curusi’s experience resonates with anyone transitioning from technical work to facilitating Agile teams. The desire to help can inadvertently undermine team growth and ownership. The episode is a candid exploration of how true leadership often requires restraint, active listening, and the courage to let others fail, learn, and ultimately thrive.

Takeaway:
Scrum Masters with technical backgrounds must be vigilant in not letting expertise overshadow facilitation, and instead focus on fostering an environment where teams own their solutions.