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Unique training strengthens key role in agile transformation

The second round of SEB’s internal training for Chief Scrum Masters has just started. The training, which is unique in the market, is customised to strengthen the participants’ key role in the agile transformation.

“It’s a relatively new role in SEB. Several individuals are new in the bank and have varying backgrounds and experience. We want to give everyone a shared base and strengthen their ability to drive change,” says Kimberly Lejonö, agile coach in the Lean Centre of Excellence.

Chief Scrum Master corresponds roughly to the Release Train Engineer role according to the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe).

The first training round, which started in March, gathers 24 CSMs from Sweden and the Baltic countries. The programme spans a half year and consists among other things of webinars every other week. It also includes pre-studies, and the participants are also assigned a challenge for the duration of the programme, the purpose of which is to increase the participants’ data drive. The course will conclude at the end of November with graduation party.

In parallel with this, a second round started in the beginning of September. The ambition is that all CSMs will participate in the training.

“There is no equivalent training available in the external market – definitely not to this extent,” says Kimberly. “Nor does any other company offer anything similar to the best of my knowledge.”

Johan Hultgren and Anna Larsen are two Chief Scrum Masters participating in the course.

“The strength of this course is that it is conducted within the context of SEB,” says Johan, who joined SEB in October last year following his previous job with Folksam. “When you attend an external course, everything is very general. Here it is SEB we’re talking about, and all experiences are taken from the bank.”

“Yes, when you attend an ordinary course it involves stuffing a lot into a short period,” concurs Anna, who joined SEB in August last year from the gaming company Netent. “You come home super-inspired, and then the day-to-day hustle-bustle takes over and not so much becomes of it. Since this programme is conducted over a longer period, you get time to reflect and internalise your experiences and exercises that you can use in your own organisation.”