A Scrum Master once told me, ‘Our daily stand-up finishes in 10 minutes…but nothing changes after that.’
Everyone shares what they did yesterday, what they will do today, and if there is any impediment.
Not much energy and No collaboration.
I asked her, ‘Who are they talking to? – you or each other”
She paused, that silence said it all.
Many Scrum Masters are unknowingly running status updates instead of stand-ups that drive team alignment.
These are the top 5 problems SM’s face in stand-ups
1) Team members talk to the Scrum Master instead of the team.
2) Updates sound like task reports, not team synchronization.
3) Silence when blockers are mentioned. No one offers help to other team member.
4) No connection between stand-up result and sprint goals.
5) Remote stand-ups turn passive. Cameras off and engagement zero.
These best practices can transform the stand-ups:
1. Shift focus to goals, not tasks: Ask, ‘Are we moving closer to the sprint goal?’
2. Coach them to talk to each other: Step back, let the team drive the conversation.
3. Highlight collaboration opportunities: Encourage pairing when someone is blocked.
4. Keep it crisp and meaningful: Limit to 15 minutes, but make every minute count.
5. Set the tone early: This is not about reporting. It’s about realigning as a team.
- Daily stand-ups are the pulse check of a learning team
- When teams stop ‘reporting’ and start ‘connecting’, agility comes alive
Have you faced this challenge in your teams? Comment if this resonates.
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