Answering: “A Scrum Master colleague of yours wants some guidance on what to do in the following situation. During the Daily Scrum, one Scrum Team member, who is a key central figure in the organization, drags on and on about things which actually are interesting but not relevant for the Daily Scrum, day after day. What are two suggestions you offer the Scrum Master?”

Suggest coaching the Developers to solve the problem themselves, and coaching the person one-on-one on what the Daily Scrum is for. Escalating to a manager or adding mechanical rules removes ownership from the team.

Exam Question

A Scrum Master colleague of yours wants some guidance on what to do in the following situation. During the Daily Scrum, one Scrum Team member, who is a key central figure in the organization, drags on and on about things which actually are interesting but not relevant for the Daily Scrum, day after day. What are two suggestions you offer the Scrum Master? (choose the best two answers)

• A. You suggest coaching the Developers to help them find a way to solve the problem, and own the solution.
• B. You contact the team member’s Line Manager and raise this as an impediment to the Manager, and ask that they resolve this matter.
• C. You suggest using a timer, to limit the time each person can speak at the Daily Scrum.
• D. You suggest passing a token around. The person holding the token has the floor to speak for an allotted amount of time.
• E. You suggest taking the person aside and asking them what they believe the key outcomes are for the Daily Scrum. Effectively coaching them to help create focus during the Daily Scrum.

Correct Answer

A and E.

Why This Is the Correct Answer

The Developers own their Daily Scrum, so they are best placed to agree how to keep it focused. The Scrum Master serves them by coaching the team members in self-management, which means helping them notice the problem and choose a response they will stick with. A private conversation with the talkative team member respects their standing and helps them see the outcome the event needs: progress toward the Sprint Goal and a plan for the next day. Together these address both the individual and the team. Tools like timers or tokens might appear later, but only if the team chooses them.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

B. Raise it with the person’s line manager as an impediment. This escalates a team issue to someone outside the team and bypasses self-management. It can also damage trust.

C. Impose a timer on each speaker. A timer chosen by the Scrum Master treats the symptom. The team may still not understand the event’s purpose.

D. Pass a token to control who speaks. This is another mechanical fix imposed from outside. It manages turns, not focus on the Sprint Goal.

Exam Tip

In PSM II coaching scenarios, prefer answers that build understanding and team ownership over rules or escalation. Techniques are fine only when the team chooses them.

Key Takeaways

• The Developers own the Daily Scrum and its problems.
• One-on-one coaching can address a single person’s behavior.
• Escalating to line managers undermines self-management.