Given the emphasis on teams, it can be easy to forget that agile has the value of individuals and interactions as a central principle. As much as an effective team dynamic is what makes Scrum work, teams are composed of individual people, and it’s important to acknowledge each person's role and to express appreciation.

There’s a big difference between simply saying "I feel your pain" and displaying evidence of empathy. When dealing with clients' complaints and issues, do more than try to understand what they're going through. Aim to communicate early, often, and with sincere concern. It will improve the situation for them—and you.

Most audiences will be courteous when you’re giving a presentation. But it can be a challenge to face customers, senior managers, or even coworkers who persistently disagree with you, constantly interrupt you, treat you rudely, or otherwise disrupt your presentation. Here are some ways to cope without losing your cool.