Modeling Scrum Values

Correct Answer: Facilitate an activity that encourages psychological safety and open sharing, such as a anonymous retrospective format or a team-building exercise focused on trust.

Facilitating an activity that encourages psychological safety and open sharing, such as an anonymous retrospective format or a team-building exercise focused on trust, is the best approach. As a Scrum Master, it is important to create an environment where team members feel safe to share their concerns and challenges openly. By using techniques that promote anonymity or build trust, the Scrum Master can help the team overcome their hesitation and foster a culture of openness. Having private one-on-one conversations may help understand individual concerns but does not address the underlying issue of lack of openness within the team setting. Asking the team to submit concerns in writing prior to the retrospective may limit the depth and interactivity of the discussion. Reminding the team about the importance of open communication and suggesting that individuals work on building their confidence puts the onus on team members rather than addressing the team dynamics and environment that the Scrum Master should be actively shaping.

Correct Answer: Facilitate a discussion to objectively review the pros and cons of the practice and involve the team in deciding its future use.

The primary role of a Scrum Master is to facilitate team processes and discussions, guide the team, and ensure that Scrum values and principles are adhered to. In the context of this question, the Scrum master needs to address the disagreement over the newly introduced pair programming practice and uphold the Scrum value of 'Openness'. According to this principle, the team members should be open to considering and discussing different perspectives on work practices and changes to these. Therefore, the best approach is to 'facilitate a discussion to objectively review the pros and cons of the practice and involve the team in deciding its future use'. This approach does not only solve the immediate issue but also helps the team understand how to solve future similar disagreements. The other approaches of 'asking the team to continue with the practice without discussing it' or 'deciding to stop pair programming on your own' do not reflect the Scrum values or involve the team in decision-making. The approach to 'only listen to the team members who have positive feedback about the practice' is also wrong because it reduces transparency and does not consider all perspectives, which undermines the Scrum value of Openness.

Correct Answer: Have a one-on-one conversation with the team member to understand their challenges and encourage them to be more transparent in future meetings

The most effective approach is to have a one-on-one conversation with the team member to understand their challenges and encourage them to be more transparent in future meetings. This allows the Scrum Master to address the issue privately and directly with the individual, fostering a safe environment for open communication and growth. Calling out the team member's lack of openness during the Daily Scrum in front of the entire team may create a hostile atmosphere and discourage the individual from being more transparent. Waiting until the end of the sprint to address the issue during the retrospective may allow the problem to persist throughout the sprint, hindering the team's progress and collaboration. Escalating the issue to the team member's manager should be a last resort, as it undermines the self-organizing nature of the Scrum team and the Scrum Master's role in facilitating the team's growth and resolving impediments.