Scrum Meeting Strategies

Here are some strategies that a Scrum Master can use to facilitate meetings:

The Scrum Meetings:

• Facilitate Daily Stand-Up Meetings: The Daily Scrum is a daily stand-up meeting where the team members share what they did yesterday, what they plan to do today, and any obstacles they face. As a scrum master, you are responsible for leading this meeting and ensuring it runs efficiently and effectively.
• Facilitate Sprint Planning Meetings: Sprint planning is an important meeting where the team sets the goals for the upcoming sprint and decides on the tasks that need to be completed. A scrum master should facilitate this meeting, ensuring that the goals are clear and achievable and that all team members understand their roles and responsibilities.
• Facilitate Sprint Review Meetings: The Sprint Review is a meeting where the team presents their completed work to the stakeholders and receives feedback. A scrum master should facilitate this meeting, ensuring that the presentation runs smoothly and that feedback is solicited and incorporated.
• Facilitate Sprint Retrospective Meetings: The Sprint Retrospective is a meeting where the team reflects on their performance during the sprint and identifies ways to improve. A scrum master should facilitate this meeting, making sure that all team members have the opportunity to share their thoughts and that any issues are addressed.

Facilitate a Meeting Effectively:

• Prepare in advance: Before the meeting, review the agenda and any relevant materials, and make sure you understand the goals and objectives of the meeting. Identify potential issues or areas of concern that may arise, and devise a plan to address them.

Start on time: Begin the meeting promptly and set the tone for a productive and efficient session.

• Introduce the agenda: Review the agenda and the goals of the meeting, and make sure that everyone is clear on what will be discussed and the desired outcomes.
• Ensure the process is followed: The Scrum Master ensures that the team follows the Scrum process and that all meetings are conducted according to the Scrum guidelines.
• Keep meetings on track: The Scrum Master keeps meetings on track and focused and addresses any issues or concerns arising during the meeting.
• Encourage participation: The Scrum Master encourages participation from all team members and ensures that everyone has an opportunity to share their thoughts and ideas.
• Be a coach and a mentor: The Scrum Master acts as a coach and a mentor to the team, helping them to understand and follow the Scrum process and providing guidance and support when needed.
• Support the team in removing obstacles: The Scrum Master helps the team identify and remove any obstacles preventing them from completing their work.
• Lead by example: The Scrum Master leads by example, following the scrum values and principles. This will help create a positive and productive working environment where everyone feels heard and respected.
  
• Summarize and close: The Scrum Master summarizes the key points and decisions made during the meeting and ensures that everyone is clear on the next steps and follow-up actions.
  
• Follow-up: The Scrum Master follows up with any assigned action items after the meeting and sends meeting notes to all attendees. This will help ensure that progress is made and everyone is on the same page.
  
• Evaluate: After the meeting, the Scrum Master evaluates how well the meeting went and what could be improved for next time.
  
• Be Flexible: The Scrum Master is ready to adapt as the meeting progresses and will change plans if necessary to meet the group's needs.
  
• Have a Positive Attitude: The Scrum Master should always have a positive attitude and be approachable and helpful to all attendees.
  
• Mediate and resolve conflicts: The Scrum Master should be able to identify and resolve conflicts within the team. They should be able to facilitate discussions, help team members understand each other's perspectives, and come up with a solution acceptable to all parties.
• Be a coach: The Scrum Master acts as a coach to the team, helping them improve their skills and encouraging them to take ownership of their work.
• Be a servant leader: The Scrum Master acts as a servant leader, putting the team's needs above the Scrum Master's needs and helping the team achieve its goals.
• Be unbiased and neutral: The Scrum Master should remain impartial and unbiased throughout the meetings and not promote their views or opinions.
  

Dealing with Participants who Dominate the Discussion

Dealing with participants who dominate the discussion can be challenging for a facilitator. Still, there are several strategies you can use to manage this behavior:

• Encourage equal participation: Make a point of actively encouraging all attendees to participate in the discussion. Use techniques such as "round-robin" or "popcorn" speaking to ensure everyone has a chance to speak.
  
• Use positive reinforcement: Recognize and praise participants who actively listen and contribute to the discussion without dominating it.
  
• Address the behavior directly: If a participant dominates the discussion, address it directly but in a non-confrontational manner. You can say something like, "I appreciate your input, and I know that everyone in the group has valuable contributions to make. Can we please make sure that everyone has an opportunity to speak?"
  
• Redirect the conversation: If a participant continues dominating the discussion, gently redirect the conversation back to the agenda or main topic.
  
• Establish ground rules: At the beginning of the meeting, establish ground rules that encourage active listening and discourage monopolizing the conversation.
  
• Use techniques like the "parking lot": This technique allows topics that take too much time or are not productive to be "parked" and return to it later.
• Use techniques like "round robin" speaking: This technique allows each attendees an opportunity to speak once before anyone may speak a second time, commonly by calling on the members around the table in turn. 
• Use body language: Use body language to indicate when it's time for the participant to stop speaking or to indicate that you want to move on to the next topic.
  
• Use breakout groups: If possible, divide the group into smaller groups and assign a facilitator for each breakout group to discuss a specific topic. This helps ensure that everyone has an opportunity to speak and that the conversation is more evenly distributed.

Remember that as a facilitator, your role is to create an environment conducive to open and honest communication and ensure that all attendees can participate and contribute.

Dealing with Participants who Do Not Participate

Dealing with participants who do not participate can be challenging as a facilitator. Still, there are several strategies you can use to manage this behavior:

• Encourage participation: Make a point of actively encouraging all attendees to participate in the discussion. Use techniques such as "round-robin" or "popcorn" speaking to ensure everyone has a chance to speak.
• Check for understanding: Make sure that all attendees understand the discussion and the objectives of the meeting. If someone is not participating, ask if they have any questions or concerns.
  
• Address the behavior directly: If someone is not participating, address it directly but in a non-confrontational manner. You can say something like, "I want to ensure everyone has a chance to contribute. Are you able to share your thoughts on this topic?"
  
• Create an inclusive environment: Ensure that all attendees feel comfortable and safe to speak up. Encourage diversity and different perspectives, so everyone feels like they have a place in the discussion.
  
• Use icebreakers: At the beginning of the meeting, use icebreakers to help break the ice and get everyone to participate.
  
• Assign roles: Assign specific roles or responsibilities to attendees that will give them a sense of ownership and encourage them to participate.
  
• Use breakout groups: If possible, divide the group into smaller groups and assign a facilitator for each breakout group to discuss a specific topic. This can help ensure that everyone can speak and that the conversation is more evenly distributed.
  
• Follow up: After the meeting, if you notice that specific individuals did not participate, reach out to them privately to understand the reason and see if there is anything that can be done to help them to participate more effectively in the future.
  

Remember that as a facilitator, your role is to create an environment that is conducive to open and honest communication and to ensure that all attendees have the opportunity to participate and contribute.

Steering or Focusing the Conversation

As a facilitator, steering or focusing the conversation can be challenging. Still, there are several strategies you can use to manage and direct the discussion:

• Use an agenda: Before the meeting, create an agenda and ensure all attendees are aware of it. Use the agenda to guide the discussion and keep the meeting on track.
  
• Encourage active listening: Encourage all attendees to actively listen to others and avoid interrupting or talking over others. This will help to create an environment where everyone feels heard and valued.
• Use open-ended questions: Encourage discussion by asking open-ended questions rather than closed-ended questions. This will allow attendees to share their thoughts and ideas more freely.
• Summarize and clarify: Periodically summarize the main points of the discussion and ask attendees to explain any confusion issues. This will help to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that the discussion is focused.
  
• Take note of side conversations: If a side conversation starts, politely redirect the participants back to the main discussion.
  
• Use the "parking lot" technique: Use the "parking lot" technique to set aside any discussions or topics that are taking too much time or are not directly related to the agenda or main topic at hand. These parked discussions can be revisited later in the meeting or in a separate session.
• Use body language: Use body language to indicate when it's time for a participant to stop speaking or to indicate that you want to move on to the next topic.
• Use breakout groups: If possible, divide the group into smaller groups and assign a facilitator for each breakout group to discuss a specific topic. This can help ensure that everyone can speak and that the conversation is more evenly distributed.
  
• Be flexible: Be ready to adapt as the meeting progresses, and be willing to change plans if necessary to meet the group's needs.
  

Remember that as a facilitator, your role is to create an environment that is conducive to open and honest communication and to ensure that all attendees have the opportunity to participate and contribute.

Parking Lot Technique

"Parking lot" is a technique used by meeting facilitators to manage discussions and keep the meeting on track. The idea behind the parking lot is to "park" or set aside any discussions or topics that take too much time or are not directly related to the agenda or main topic. These parked discussions can be revisited later in the meeting or in a separate session.

When using the parking lot technique, the facilitator can create a physical parking lot, such as a whiteboard or flipchart, where topics are written down as they are parked. Or they can verbally acknowledge the topic and that it will be discussed later.

The parking lot technique is especially useful when the meeting is running out of time, and important agenda items need to be covered. It is also useful when a discussion is unproductive and does not move the meeting forward. It helps to keep the meeting focused and ensures that all important topics are discussed and that the meeting's objectives are met. It also allows coming back to the parked topics at a more appropriate time or in a separate session rather than letting them hold up progress in the current meeting.

The "Round-Robin" or "Popcorn" Technique

The "round-robin" or "popcorn" technique is a way to facilitate open conversation and participation in a team meeting. It works by having each team member speak in turn, without interruption or discussion, until everyone has had a chance to share their thoughts on a given topic.

To use this technique in a team meeting:

1. Clearly state the topic of discussion and the goal of the round-robin.

2. Invite each team member to share their thoughts on the topic, one at a time, in a round-robin fashion.

3. Encourage team members to speak openly and honestly without interruption or discussion.

4. As the facilitator, it's your job to keep the conversation moving and make sure everyone has a chance to speak.

5. Once everyone has a chance to speak, you can open the conversation for discussion, debate, or action on the topic discussed.

It's important to note that even though the round-robin technique encourages everyone to speak, it's also important to be mindful of the time and not to make the meeting too long. Also, it is important to create a safe and comfortable environment for everyone to express their thoughts and ideas.

Typical Roles that can be Assigned in a Team Meeting

Several roles can be assigned to team members to help keep the meeting organized and productive. Some roles include:

• Facilitator: The person who leads the meeting and keeps it on track. It can be the Scrum Master, or the Scrum Master can assign it to another team member. The facilitator sets the agenda, manages the time, and ensures that everyone has a chance to participate.

Scribe or Recorder: The person who takes notes during the meeting and records any action items or decisions made. While minutes are not generally kept in Agile meetings, notes can be kept, issues logged, and things like assumptions, questions, and facts recorded as a reminder.

Timekeeper: The person who keeps an eye on the time and ensures the meeting stays on schedule.

Decision-maker: The person responsible for making final decisions or assigning tasks. In Agile, this role can be assigned to a junior or reserved member to build psychological safety, but it should not be given to the most senior member as it will undermine the team's openness and feeling of psychological safety.

Problem-solver: The person who is responsible for identifying and resolving any issues that arise during the meeting.

Devil's Advocate: The person responsible for playing the role of the skeptic and questioning the assumptions or ideas presented during the meeting. Great for retrospective problem-solving activities.

Subject Matter Expert: The expert on the specific topic discussed during the meeting can provide valuable insights.

Encourager: The person responsible for keeping the team motivated and engaged during the meeting.

It's important to note that in Agile meetings such as Scrum or Kanban, the framework usually defines and assigns roles. Still, special roles can be assigned to help keep the team and the meeting running effectively. 

Psychological Safety

Psychological safety is the belief that one will not be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes. It is a key principle in Agile methodology, particularly in Scrum and Kanban. It enables a team to work together effectively by creating an environment where all team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas without fear of negative consequences.

In Agile teams, psychological safety is vital for fostering creativity, learning, problem-solving, and open communication. Teams with high psychological safety are more likely to surface issues early, have open and honest conversations, and work together to find solutions. This leads to a more productive, efficient, and innovative team, which results in better outcomes.

Creating psychological safety within an Agile team can be challenging, but it is essential for success. Some ways to promote psychological safety within an Agile team include:

• Encourage open communication and actively listen to all team members.
• Create a culture of trust and respect.
  
• Lead by example and be transparent in your actions and decisions.
  
• Foster a culture of learning and experimentation.
  
• Recognize and celebrate successes and failures.
  
• Create an open-door policy for feedback and suggestions.
  
• Establish ground rules for respectful communication.
  
• Identify and address any issues impacting psychological safety in the team.

Servant Leader

In agile methodology, a servant leader is a leadership style that focuses on serving the team's needs and helping them achieve their goals. The main idea behind servant leadership is that the leader's primary role is to serve the team and help them become more effective and successful.

Some of the key characteristics of a servant leader in an agile context are:

Empowerment: Servant leaders empower team members by giving them autonomy, trust, and support to make decisions, solve problems, and take ownership of their work.

Coaching and mentoring: Servant leaders act as coaches and mentors, helping team members to develop their skills and to reach their full potential.

Facilitation: Servant leaders help the team to work together effectively by facilitating communication, collaboration, and decision-making.

Servitude: Servant leaders put the needs of the team before their own and are committed to serving the team.

Visionary: Servant leaders inspire team members by creating a shared vision of success and helping the team to align their efforts to achieve it.

Authenticity: Servant leaders lead by example, being transparent, honest, and accountable for their actions.

Inclusivity: Servant leaders value diversity and create an environment where everyone feels heard and included.

Continuous improvement: Servant leaders are always looking for ways to improve the team's performance and create a continuous improvement culture. 

In Agile, the servant leader's role is to help the team to work together effectively, to remove any obstacle that might be preventing them from achieving their goal, and to support their self-organization.

38 Agile Meeting Icebreakers

Icebreakers are activities or exercises used to help team members get to know each other, build trust, and create a comfortable and relaxed environment for a meeting. Here are some excellent icebreakers for agile meetings:

• "Speed Sharing": Have each team member share a quick update on what they've been working on, what they're currently working on, and what they plan to work on next. This helps the team stay up-to-date on what everyone is working on.
• "What are you looking forward to this week": where each team member share what they are looking forward to this week.
• "Throwback Agile": Have each team member share a memorable moment from their Agile life. It can be how they did it before Agile and how Agile has changed things.
• "Reverse Introductions": Have each team member introduce themselves by sharing their name, role, and something they hope to learn from the team. This helps team members understand each other's goals and how they can support each other.
• "What's on Your Mind?": Have each person share something currently on their mind, whether it's related to the project. This can help team members connect on a personal level.
• "What did you learn this week?": Have each team member share something new relating to the Agile journey they learned in the past couple of weeks. It's a great way to keep everyone on the same page and learn from each other.
• "Stand-up Trivia": Ask a trivia question related to the project or agile and have team members stand up if they know the answer. It's a fun way to get people moving and sharing their knowledge.
• "Speed networking": Have team members pair off and spend a few minutes getting to know each other and their experience with Agile, then rotate partners.
• "Reflection": Take a few minutes to reflect on the last sprint or project. What went well? What could have been improved? What are we going to do differently next time?

Agile Values and Principles: Have team members share how they interpret one of the Agile values or principles and apply it in their work.

• Team-Building Scenarios: Have team members work together to solve a scenario related to an Agile concept or practice.
• Three Questions: Have each team member answer three questions about themselves, such as their favorite Agile practice, the most challenging aspect of Agile, or something they're currently working on.
• Agile Bumper Stickers: Divide the team members into groups of 2 or 3. Then, have them select one or two Agile Principles and create a Bumper Sticker on a post-it note. Have them limit the bumper sticker to 10 words or less.
• Agile Puzzle Challenge: Divide the team into small groups and give each group an Agile-related puzzle or challenge to solve.
• Agile Scavenger Hunt: Create a scavenger hunt that includes Agile-related items or information the team members have to find and bring back to the meeting.
• Agile Mind Map: Have team members create a mind map of their current understanding of Agile and its practices.
• Agile Retrospective Game: Use a game or an activity to review past sprints and identify areas for improvement
• Agile Prioritization Game: Use a game or an activity to prioritize a backlog of user stories
• Agile Scrum Master Challenge: Have the team come up with challenges for the scrum master to complete in the next sprint.
• "What's in Your Toolbox?": Have team members bring in an item representing a tool or technique they find helpful in their agile practice and explain why they find it valuable.
• "Agile Jeopardy": Create a jeopardy game with categories related to Agile methodologies, principles, ceremonies, and practices.
• Stand-Up Mixer: Have team members stand up and move around the room, mingling with each other and answering a question related to the current sprint or project.
• Agile Word Association: Write an Agile-related word or phrase on a whiteboard or flipchart. Have each team member share the first word or phrase that comes to mind when they see it.
• "Two Truths and a Lie": Have each team member share two truths about their experience with Agile and one lie. The rest of the team must try to guess the lie.
• "What's in Your Backlog?": Have team members share an item from their backlog and explain why it's important to them.
• "What's Your Definition of Done?": Have team members share their personal definition of "done" and how they use it in their work.
• The Human Scavenger Hunt: Divide the team into small groups and give them a list of Agile experiences and roles. Have them talk with other participants to find a participant that has served in the role or had Agile experiences. While a participant may meet the requirements for multiple listed items, they may only sign for one item. The first group to find all the things wins.
• "What's Your Favorite Agile Game?": Have team members share their favorite game or activity they use to teach or reinforce Agile concepts.
• "What's Your Agile Superpower?": Have team members share an area of expertise or skill they bring to the team in an Agile context.
• "What's Your Agile Mantra?": Have team members share a quote, phrase, or personal belief they use as a guide in their Agile practices.
• "What did you do last weekend?": Have each team member share something they did over the weekend. This helps team members get to know each other personally and can lead to interesting and fun conversations.
  
• "What's your favorite Agile practice?": Have team members share their favorite Agile practice and why they like it. This can lead to interesting discussions about different methodologies and techniques.
• "What's your favorite Agile tool?": Have team members share their favorite Agile tool and explain how they use it. This can lead to discussions about different tools and how they're used in different projects.
• "What's your favorite Agile quote?": Have team members share their favorite Agile quote and explain its meaning.
• "What's your favorite Agile game or simulation?": Have team members share their favorite Agile game or simulation and explain how it helps them to understand and apply Agile principles.
• "What's your favorite Agile metaphor?": Have team members share their favorite Agile metaphor and explain how it helps them to understand and apply Agile principles.
• "What's your favorite Agile principle?": Have team members share their favorite Agile principle and explain how it helps them to deliver value.
• "What's your favorite Agile retrospectives technique?": Have team members share their favorite Agile retrospectives technique and explain how it helps the team to improve.
• "What's your favorite Agile value?": Have team members share their favorite Agile value and explain how it helps them to deliver value.

These icebreakers are specific to Agile meetings and practices. They can help team members to understand Agile values and principles, to work better together, and to see the application of Agile in their work. Remember that the goal of an icebreaker is to create a comfortable and relaxed environment for the team, encouraging participation and communication among team members.

16 Team Icebreakers

Icebreakers are a great way to start a team meeting and help to create a positive and relaxed atmosphere. Here are some examples of icebreakers that can be used for team meetings:

• Two Truths and a Lie: Each team member shares three statements about themselves, two of which are true and one that is a lie. The rest of the team has to guess which statement is the lie.
• Word Association: One team member starts by saying a word, and then each member takes a turn saying a word associated with the previous word.
• Name Game: Team members go around in a circle and say their name and something they like or something interesting about themselves.
  
• Human Knot: Team members stand in a circle and hold hands with someone not next to them. The team's goal is to untangle themselves without letting go of their hands.
  
• Puzzle Challenge: Divide the team into small groups and give each group a puzzle to complete. The first group to finish the puzzle wins.
  
• What's in the Bag: Put a selection of random items in a bag and ask the team to guess what they are.
  
• Back-to-Back Drawing: Team members must work together to draw a simple image while sitting back-to-back.
• The Items Scavenger Hunt: Divide the team into small groups and give them a list of items to find within the office. The first group to find all the things wins.
• Scenario: Give the team a scenario and ask them to devise a solution. This can be a fun way to practice problem-solving skills.
• Speed Networking: Team members are paired up and given a set amount of time to introduce themselves and ask questions. After the time is up, they move on to the next partner.
• "Who am I?" game: Team members take turns describing a person, living or fictional, and the rest of the team has to guess who it is.
• "Two Truths and a Dream": Have team members share two true things about themselves and one dream or goal they have.
• "The M&M game": Team members take a bag of M&M's, and have to share something about themselves for each color they pick.
• "Throwback Thursday": Have each team member share a photo from their past or a memorable moment from their life. This helps the team get to know each other on a personal level.
• "Show and tell": Have each team member bring in an object from their work/home life that represents something they're working on or passionate about.
• "What are you currently reading?": Have team members share the title of a book or article they're currently reading and why they're interested in it.

Remember that the goal of an icebreaker is to create a relaxed and positive atmosphere, so it is essential to choose an activity that is appropriate for your team and that everyone will enjoy.