Greetings everyone, I am Roger Chou, also known as Dr. Roger Chou, the first Certified Scrum Trainer (CST) from Scrum Alliance in Taiwan. I’ve always held a profound interest and passion in the applications of Agile and Scrum. Today, I would like to share with you the journey I have taken while conducting my first-ever CEO CSM training class. In this post, I will reflect on this journey and the enthusiasm ignited in my students through learning about CSM. Let’s start by discussing my vision and product roadmap: do you still remember my previous blog post about my CST vision? (Taiwan’s First CST: A Ten-Year Journey and Reflections https://bit.ly/3qasay8 )
Past Connection
- Vision: Within the next decade, I aim to assist more than 100 Enterprises in implementing Agile transformations. I hope to adopt Agile mindset into non-IT industries and promote the adoption of the Scrum framework among Taiwanese enterprises. To achieve this vision, I have set several important product goals.
- Product Goal 1: I plan to train 100 CEOs to become CSMs in the next two years. These CEOs will act as advocates of Agile practices, helping enterprises discover new competitive edges and achieve success in an era of uncertainty.
- Product Goal 2: Once again, I aim to cultivate 1000 competitive Agile practitioners who are CSMs and support the company’s management level in driving Agile.
- Product Goal 3: To train 1000 highly combat-ready Scrum Masters (SM). I believe that thro
Unfolding the Roadmap of the CST Mission
Starting with Product Goal 1, I began conducting this CEO CSM training class, hoping to infuse Agile thinking and Scrum framework into the leadership levels of Taiwanese companies. This helps them achieve more efficient and innovative work methods. The CSM training class filled me with anticipation. I personally invited CEOs and senior executives from various fields. The first class had a total of 26 participants, among which 15 were CEOs or senior executives. They participated fully in this professional training course over the course of two days. They came from different companies and organizations, but their common goal was to learn the core concepts of Scrum and apply them within their own fields.
Sharing the passion and expertise of Scrum
In the class, I passionately imparted my love for Scrum and professional knowledge, stimulating the students’ enthusiasm for learning. Among them, Mr. Li Anzhong, a 70-year-old chairman from the Young Lions Expanded Industrial Park Factory Association, expressed his gratitude and positive emotions towards the course. He said, “Scrum’s concept of slicing and delivering in batches subverts the traditional waterfall process, and I believe it will bring about an industrial revolution-like change in the business ecosystem. Hence, instilling Scrum’s DNA into his team of 5 successors will be a key focus in the future.”
Ms. Zhou Chunru, the chairwoman of the Professional Secretarial Administration Association, said she deeply felt that Dr. Roger Chou’s passion for education is just like her passion for teaching. She thanked Dr. Roger Chou for his hands-on instruction, which allowed her to pass the certification from a low score in the simulated exam. She made a vow to teach the Scrum framework to a group of secretarial administrative customer service instructors within a year, allowing the application of Scrum to yield greater benefits in administrative affairs.
Mr. Chen Weizhou, the general manager of Yimei Chemicals in the beauty care industry, said, “This is my first exposure to Scrum, which makes me further think about how to apply it in my personal beauty care and ESG industries.”
These students felt the power of Agile in the class and were full of confidence in the future application of Scrum. Their enthusiasm and positive attitude deeply gratified and satisfied me and inspired me to continue my dedication to the promotion and education of Agile.
Authorized CSM Corporate Training Materials
I presented the students with the Scrum corporate training course that I designed, which played a crucial role in their promotion of Scrum. The teaching content lasts about 1 to 2 hours and includes the most basic principles of Scrum and the 33355 framework. It also features three practical cases, including those related to enterprises, non-information industries, and government-related cases. Moreover, it designs workshops for them to experience what Agile is and to show them how to implement large-scale Agile strategies. In addition, the teaching materials provide many tools for future reference, such as recommending which books to read and which communities to join to strengthen their future Scrum capabilities. I believe this will help them better understand and apply Scrum and create an effective collaborative working environment within their own organizations.
With Great Power, Comes the Great Responsibilities
Before the end of the course, the CSM candidates wrote their own declarations. These declarations represent their commitment to learning and growth, as well as their expectations for the future. These declarations are filled with positivity and determination, and they deeply moved me. I witnessed their growth during this period and feel proud of the impact they will make in the future.
This is just the beginning of the CEO CSM training program, and there will be more waves to come. I believe that by the end of the year, I can train 100 CEOs in Taiwan to become CSMs, marking the first step towards the “transformation” of Agile in Taiwan.
In the future, I will gather all the CSMs together to create a new force. I have already established two communities. The first one is the CEO CSM community, where 100 CEOs are connected. They can share their successful experiences, lessons learned, and challenges in implementing Scrum. They can also connect with other Agile executives. The second community is the PM-ABC CSM alumni community, where all CSMs are invited to join. The main purpose of this community is to facilitate communication, help each other find the experiences and connections they need, and provide them with more Scrum learning resources. In the future, we can recommend these Scrum talents to enterprises.
These two communities will become the vanguards of Scrum in Taiwan, and I believe they will bring about a new transformation for Agile in Taiwan, especially in non-IT industries. Let’s work together for the development of Agile in Taiwan!
Appendix 1: CEO/ Senior Executive/ Principal’s CSM Declaration on Facebook Post, Setting the First Sprint Goal for Themselves
- Mr. Yu Bohan, CEO of Libre Systems: https://bit.ly/3NofZqv
- Ms. Zhou Chunru, President of the Professional Secretarial and Administrative Association: https://bit.ly/45UXIbE
- Mr. Li Anzhong, Chairman of the Yangmei Lion Industrial Park Association: https://bit.ly/3qu64Xq
- Mr. Chen Weizhou, General Manager of Yimei Chemical: https://bit.ly/3NmsdQz
- Ms. Ye Huijing, Chief Human Resources Officer of Zhonghua Precision Testing: https://bit.ly/3Cmy1TZ
- Mr. Huang Jianshu, Principal of Sheliao Junior High School, Nantou County: https://bit.ly/3qGilIz
- Ms. Cai Qiuju, Principal of Minhe Junior High School, Nantou County: https://bit.ly/42Dwtzm
- Mr. Lin Xinrong, Special Assistant to the General Manager of Shengtai Corporation: https://bit.ly/3N3PyF8
Appendix 2: Yahoo News Report: Dr. Roger Chou Devotes Himself to Taiwan’s Business Transformation, Unconditionally Cultivating 100 CEOs for a Year to Expand International Perspectives.
Yesterday (10th), the first-ever international Agile certification program for CEOs, called “CEO CSM Class,” successfully concluded at the Taipei IEAT Conference Center. The main lecturer for this program was Dr. Roger Chou, a prominent figure in the Agile community in Taiwan and the first Certified Scrum Trainer (CST). Fifteen CEOs and senior executives from various sectors including business, education, technology, and government attended the program: Wang Shengbo, Wu Mingzhang, Li Anzhong, Zhou Chunru, Lin Xinrong, Qiu Yilin, Yu Bohan, Ji Wensheng, Chen Weizhou, Huang Jianshu, Huang Meiling, Huang Tenglong, Ye Huijing, Ye Weiquan, and Cai Qiuju. They found themselves back in a student-like position, sitting in the audience, absorbing the essence of Agile. The gleam of enthusiasm in their eyes and their high level of competitiveness were evident.
Further coverage can be found on Line Today, PChome News, Yahoo, People’s News Network, Taiwan Life, and OwI News.
Appendix 3: Introduction to the Benefits of Learning CSM in the first-ever CEO CSM Class
Appendix 4: Highlights and Interactions from the first-ever CEO CSM Class
Appendix 5: Television Coverage – Taiwan’s First Scrum Trainer – Dr. Roger Chou
Appendix 6: CSM Declaration at the Graduation Ceremony of the Participants
- Li O Ling：Implementing and utilizing the Scrum framework, along with natural pronunciation teaching, to ensure that students can easily recite. Continual improvement and constant agility are pursued.
- Wu O Zhang：Integrating two major domains of Scrum (agile) and Cyber Resilience.
- Cai O Yan：Sharing the Agile mindset with at least 3 colleagues in the company, and applying it to at least one project in hand.
- Zhan O Chuang：Aiming to establish a second Scrum team within the coming year.
- Zhang O Yu：I aspire to refine my Socratic questioning skills to become a Certified Scrum Master (CSM) guru.
- Lin O Rong：By the end of the third quarter of 2023, successfully introduce the application of Scrum agility in the company I serve.
- Zhou O Kai：Aim to successfully implement Scrum in future work.
- Zheng O Xun：As a project worker, I intend to apply the Scrum concept to my next project, creating a quick win. This would help spread its implementation more quickly and broadly in the service.
- Qiu O Lin：１．Apply Scrum to personal online course project development (by 10/31).２．Initiate a successful case of promoting Agile mapping courses in a company (by 10/31).
- Ni O Jun：When teaching dance, set the course timing and understand Scrum better to facilitate smoother work with Roger.
- Zhou O Ru：Within a year, I aim to pass on CSM to 15 directors and members of the Secretarial Association, starting from me and my company tomorrow.
- Song O Zhen：I hope to uphold the spirit of Scrum, courageously face challenges, and execute projects with an open mindset.
- Wang O Bo：First influence three to five colleagues, change work patterns, and establish a change group.
- Gao O Rong：Allow the development of project products to truly follow the rhythm of iterative development as per Scrum.
- Huang O Ling：Break the frame of thinking, and introduce the team to Scrum!
- Li O Zhong：Embed the Scrum philosophy into the DNA of five successors in the company.
- Huang O Shu：A fresh start, change begins with me.
- Huang O Long：Change the influence of the industry in the world using Scrum!
- Jonas：I hope to apply this in my future work, not just in projects, but also in daily life or studies.
- Chen O Zhou：Apply Scrum in the fields of beauty makeup and ESG, and complete the first Sprint by the end of September!
- George Tsai：I aim to start applying what I’ve learned from CSM to my own project products!
- Ye O Jing：First Sprint: Lead the work team to produce a practical exercise result.
- Yu O Han：Within two months, promote the spirit and framework of Scrum to the internal senior management.
- Ji O Sheng：Implement the first successful case in 2023.
- George Li：Successfully implement Scrum in the next project.
- Cai O Ju：Integrate the Agile Scrum spirit into the school system, further subdividing areas needing improvement, and gradually enhancing them daily, weekly, monthly, and semester by semester.
Appendix 6: Grateful to the extensive project management platform, which, never resting, accompanies me in my pursuit of my career aspirations.
In the past decade, Vice President Ye has been a major driving force in the construction of a large project management system for private enterprises. He has chaired six project management standards of the National Standards Bureau. In the ten years before I became a CST, he was my strongest support. Although he has been retired for five years, when I decided to cultivate these 100 CEOs to become CSMs, he still accompanied me everywhere, hoping that the government could also understand and adopt the concept of Agile (Scrum). He is truly the most precious benefactor in my life.
