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Respect for People

5 minutes 5 Questions

Respect for People is a fundamental core value of Lean. It suggests that every team member, from senior management to the junior staff, should respect each other's roles and inputs. The success of Lean Software Development heavily relies on the people executing the process, hence giving due respect to their ideas, skills, efforts and areas of expertise fosters a culture of continuous improvement. It means acknowledging everyone’s contribution, treating each other with dignity and creating an environment where everyone feels encouraged to share their ideas and concerns.

Guide: Respect for People in Lean Software Development; PMI-ACP

Definition:
'Respect for People' is a principle of Lean Software Development, considered essential for understanding and implementing Lean principals and promoting a productive work culture. It revolves around treating individuals with dignity and fully considering their ideas, skills, and perspectives.

Why it is Important:
It fosters an environment where everyone feels valued and hence improves morale, productivity and quality. It also supports the lean principle of 'continuous improvement' as it encourages employees to share their suggestions for improvement.

How it Works:
The principle works by educating leaders and teammates about the importance of respect, implementing practices that reflect this respect, like collaborative decision making, feedback, appreciation etc. Also, it promotes the eradication of blame culture and encourages learning from mistakes.

Exam Tips:
In the PMI-ACP exam, you may encounter questions around the 'Respect for People' principle. Here are few tips:
1. Understand the principle thoroughly.
2. Expect scenarios that test your practical application of this principle.
3. Pay attention to questions that deal with team dynamics and handling conflicts.
4. Always select answers that promote equality, dialogue, fairness, and learning opportunities.

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PMI-ACP - Lean Software Development Example Questions

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Question 1

In your scrum team, there is a member who consistently fails to complete their tasks on time which is impacting the team's ability to deliver. As a professional scrum master, how would you approach this situation

Correct Answer: Arrange a private meeting with the team member to discuss the issue in a respectful and constructive manner, focusing on the impact, not the person.

The best approach in such a situation is to arrange a private meeting with the team member and discuss the issue in a respectful and constructive manner (as the first answer suggests). This allows for direct and respectful communication and helps the person understand how their behavior is impacting the team, leading to potential solutions. The second response, which suggests publicly criticizing the individual, could demoralize the individual and harm team morale. Ignoring the issue (third answer) won't solve the problem and could in fact make it worse, letting issues escalate rather than dealing with them. Lastly, talking behind a team member's back about their poor performance (fourth response) can lead to a toxic environment that is destructive to team unity and trust.

Question 2

You notice that a team member frequently interrupts others during daily stand-ups, leaving several members feeling disrespected. What should your immediate action be as a Scrum Master?

Correct Answer: Introduce a speaking token during the stand-ups that must be held by whoever is speaking, to promote orderly and respectful dialogue.

The correct approach for a Scrum Master dealing with interruptions during daily stand-ups is to foster an environment where everyone has an equal opportunity to speak. Introducing a speaking token encourages respect and active listening by ensuring only one person speaks at a time, addressing the issue directly without singling anyone out or assigning blame. The wrong answers, though related to teamwork and communication, either avoid dealing directly with the problem, misapply Scrum roles, or potentially create a negative team dynamic.

Question 3

In your agile team, one member is noticeably uncomfortable when working on tasks assigned to areas outside of his specialty. As an Agile Practitioner, how can you facilitate his exploration outside of his comfort zone to contribute to team goals?

Correct Answer: Encourage him by acknowledging that it's okay to make mistakes when learning something new and involved the team to support him during this process

The best approach in this situation is to foster a positive growth mindset in the agile team member. This can be achieved by encouraging him that it's okay to make mistakes when learning something new and ensuring that the entire team is supportive during this learning process. This approach promotes a safe and learning-friendly environment, which is critical in the agile methodology. The other answers aren't the best choices: Assigning him more tasks outside his comfort zone without proper support may lead to increased anxiety and possible failure. The answer suggesting to do nothing contradicts the proactive and intentional learning culture in agile. And suggesting that he should look for another team does not promote growth and team cohesion.

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