Align on Goals Before Defining Roles

When working as a pair (Product Owner / Scrum Master being the example here), being aligned on your common goal is the absolute priority. Your opinions on how to achieve this goal can differ and should be discussed of course. But this direction you're aiming for should be clear... and the same one for both parties. 🤝

That's why I'm so surprised to see that clarifying roles and responsibilities is sometimes the priority when you form a new pair. How can you do that before even aligning on that goal? 😯

The result is often that both parties are working on their side, with disagreements popping up during Team meetings. Not stepping on each other's toes becomes the priority at the expense of the team's evolution.

The best (PO/SM) pairs I've been working in are the ones where we could blur the lines and fill each other's shoes when needed. 👫

What have been your best pair-working experiences?