info Direct Answer

There is no single
Manager in Scrum.

In a Scrum Team, the traditional responsibilities of a manager are distributed among three specific accountabilities. The team is self-managing, meaning they decide internally who does what, when, and how.

"Scrum Teams are self-managing, meaning they internally decide who does what, when, and how."

— The Scrum Guide (2020)

Scrum Team Collaboration

How Management is Distributed

Click on a role card below to see exactly what they "manage."

Product Owner

strategy

Manages the Value

Scrum Master

shield

Manages the Process

Developers

code

Manages the Work

strategy

Product Owner

The Value Maximizer

The Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum Team. They are the voice of the customer.

check_circle Key Accountabilities

  • Developing and explicitly communicating the Product Goal.
  • Creating and clearly communicating Product Backlog items.
  • Ordering Product Backlog items to achieve goals (Prioritization).
  • Ensuring the Product Backlog is transparent and understood.

Wait, aren't they the manager?

They do NOT manage the people. They manage the 'What' and 'Why'.

Who Manages This?

Test your knowledge. In a traditional company, a Project Manager might do all of these. In Scrum, they are split.

help Deciding "What" to build next
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help Assigning specific tasks to individuals
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help Facilitating events and removing blockers
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help Hiring, Salary, and Promotions
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Common Misconceptions

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"The Scrum Master is the Project Manager."

Reality: A Project Manager controls scope, budget, and timeline. A Scrum Master has no authority over these. They are a "Leader who serves," ensuring the team understands Scrum and grows in effectiveness. They manage the process, not the project.

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"Self-managing means no management."

Reality: Self-managing means the management is internalized. The team manages itself. The Developers manage their daily plan. The PO manages the product vision. It requires more active responsibility from everyone, not less.

Based on the Scrum Guide (2020).