Protecting the Team

Correct Answer: Discuss the issue in a one-on-one meeting to understand the reasons and find a solution together.

The best action a Scrum Master can take is to discuss the issue in a one-on-one meeting to understand the reasons behind the overcommitment and collectively find a solution. This approach is direct, constructive, and focuses on solving the problem at its root by understanding the personal or external factors affecting the team member's performance. Assigning fewer tasks or allocating simpler tasks does not address the underlying issue and may not be feasible or fair in the long term. It could also signal to the team member that they are not capable of handling their original workload, potentially impacting their confidence and morale. Suggesting time management training sessions is a more indirect approach and presumes that time management is the core issue, which might not always be the case. It is crucial to first understand the specific challenges the team member is facing before proposing a solution. The direct and personalized approach of discussing the issue in depth ensures a tailored solution that could positively impact the team member's performance and the team's overall ability to meet sprint goals.

Correct Answer: Set a specific time for stakeholders' updates to protect the team's focus

The Scrum Master's primary role is to protect the team's progress and aid in maintaining their focus on the tasks to be achieved. In this case, setting a specific time for stakeholders' updates is the best solution as it allows the team to focus on their work without frequent interruptions, thus maintaining their productivity. While communication with stakeholders is crucial in Scrum, allowing them to interrupt the team anytime they want can lead to distractions and loss of focus. The answer suggesting that stakeholders should stop interacting with the team is not ideal, as stakeholder input and feedback are valuable in Scrum. Finally, asking the team to provide status updates whenever asked can also disrupt their workflow and distract them from the tasks at hand.

Correct Answer: Facilitate a discussion between the two teams to understand and resolve the issue.

The best approach for the Scrum Master in this scenario should be to facilitate a discussion between the two teams to understand and resolve the issue. This is because the Scrum Master's role is to remove impediments that the team is facing and facilitating communication is a key part of his job. Telling the other team to stop interacting with your team is not the right approach because it could lead to a communication gap and misunderstanding, while avoiding the other team doesn't solve the problem, and may even escalate it. Finally, allowing the interruptions to continue is not practical as it hinders productivity and does not necessarily promote cross-team collaboration.