Why The 'Why' Matters—Product Owner Communication Lessons | Simina Fodor Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile Storytelling From The Trenches podcast

Content provided by Vasco Duarte, Agile Coach, Certified Scrum Master, and Certified Product Owner. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Vasco Duarte, Agile Coach, Certified Scrum Master, and Certified Product Owner or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://player.fm/legal.

Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches »
Why the 'Why' Matters—Product Owner Communication Lessons | Simina Fodor

1d ago 18:18

MP3•Episode home

Simina Fodor: Why the 'Why' Matters—Product Owner Communication Lessons

Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes.

The Great Product Owner: Transparency and Customer Focus

This exemplary Product Owner shaped Simina's entire view of product management and even inspired her to consider a future transition to that role. Despite not having a traditional product background (coming instead from support), this PO demonstrated exceptional openness to both giving and receiving feedback. They consistently explained the logic behind decisions, sharing the "why" that motivated their priorities. What truly set them apart was bringing customer perspectives and use cases directly to the team, helping developers understand the features through the lens of personas and user scenarios. The PO's transparency extended to their own professional journey, openly sharing how they grew into the role, which created an atmosphere of continuous learning and development.

The Bad Product Owner: The Ghost Commander

This experienced Product Owner approached the role with a command-and-control mindset carried over from previous Project Management experience, believing that backlog grooming was "beneath them." Essentially a ghost to the team, they avoided retrospectives while issuing constantly shifting priorities with little explanation or logic. The PO would issue commands and demand immediate responses without considering consequences, creating a toxic environment that threatened to destroy team morale. Simina recommends coaching such Product Owners on agile mindset principles and seeking leadership support when necessary to prevent team deterioration.

Self-reflection Question: How can you effectively bridge the gap between command-and-control Product Owners and teams seeking more transparency and collaboration?

[Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

🚀 Global Agile Summit 2025

Join us in Tallinn, Estonia, from May 18th – 20th, 2025, for an event that will inspire, challenge, and equip you with real-world Agile success stories.

🌍 Connect with global Agile leaders.

💡 Learn practical strategies for impact.

🔥 Break free from Agile fatigue and become a Pragmatic Innovator

Check Full Program

[Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

About Simina Fodor

Simina is a career rebel with a passion for bold moves. From HR to Agile delivery, she's ditched the rulebook to inspire others to build careers that ignite passion. No apologies, no detours—just fearless pivots and real talk about creating work that truly fires you up.

You can link with Simina Fodor on LinkedIn.

201 episodes

#Tech #News #Tech News #Vasco Duarte #Agile Coach #Certified Product Owner #Certified Scrum Master #Scrum #Agile #Kanban #Lean #Oikosofy #Scrummaster #Team #Teamdynamics #Projectmanagement