Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I)Scrum Master StancesHard
During a Sprint Retrospective, the Development Team expresses frustration about a new mandatory time-tracking system that is complex and burdensome, consuming significant time each day. They feel it detracts from their ability to focus on development work. The Scrum Master should primary adopt which stance?
- AServant Leader, by taking on the time-tracking tasks himself to alleviate the team's burden.
- BChange Agent, by escalating the issue to management and advocating for a simpler, less intrusive system.
- CTeacher, by explaining the organizational necessity of time-tracking to the team.
- DFacilitator, by helping the team voice their concerns clearly to management.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Change Agent, by escalating the issue to management and advocating for a simpler, less intrusive system.
The time-tracking system is an organizational impediment, not a team-level problem. As a Change Agent, the Scrum Master works to improve the organizational environment by addressing policies and systems that hinder the team's effectiveness, often by influencing stakeholders and management.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Taking on the task is not sustainable and prevents the team from addressing the root cause; it's not a lasting solution.
- C. Explaining the necessity might help understanding but doesn't resolve the burden or improve the system, which is the team's core frustration.
- D. Facilitating the team's voice is part of the process, but the primary stance for driving organizational-level change is 'Change Agent'.
Scrum Master as Change Agent
The Scrum Master acts as a Change Agent by helping the organization understand and enact Scrum, and by planning and guiding Scrum implementations within the organization.
- Identifies and addresses systemic organizational impediments.
- Advocates for changes in policies, processes, or tools.
- Works with leadership to foster an agile culture.
Memory trick: Change Agents Adapt and Advocate for Agile Advancement.