How a Scrum Master Talks to a Low-Performing Team Member

Alice, an experienced Scrum Master, knew her team's dynamics well. However, over the past few Sprints, she'd noticed a distinct change in Bob, a senior developer. Bob, once energetic and solution-focused in Daily Scrums, was now quieter, sometimes even late for meetings. He seemed to struggle with completing his tasks, and his progress on Product Backlog Items (PBIs) appeared to slow.

Tension was also palpable within the team. Other Developers found themselves picking up Bob's unfinished work, making it harder to achieve the Sprint Goal. Carol, the Product Owner, had started asking Alice about Bob's performance dip and its impact on Sprint Reviews. Alice knew she needed to talk to Bob but hesitated on how to approach it. She didn't want to be judgmental, yet she couldn't ignore the situation. This was one of the most delicate 'difficult conversations' a Scrum Master might face.

Often, when a dip in a team member's performance is noticed, the initial reactions might include:

Direct Judgment or Accusation: 'Bob, you're not pulling your weight this Sprint.' This approach leads to defensiveness and shuts down communication. The person feels misunderstood and becomes reluctant to share the real issue.

Ignoring the Situation: 'Maybe it's temporary; it'll sort itself out.' This allows the problem to fester and leads to resentment among the rest of the team. It contradicts servant leadership, as it risks the team's well-being.

Stepping into a Managerial Role: 'I'm going to tell you what you need to do.' The Scrum Master's role is to facilitate the team's self-management and problem-solving. Giving direct instructions undermines the team's autonomy and goes against Scrum principles.

These approaches typically address symptoms rather than root causes, erode trust, and negatively impact the team's long-term health. The Scrum Master's goal isn't to 'fix' a person but to unlock the potential of an individual and the team.

When talking to a low-performing team member, the Scrum Master needs a set of sensitive Agile coaching skills and a solid stance of servant leadership. This requires understanding not just 'what to say,' but 'how to listen' and 'how to create an environment' for open dialogue.

Non-Judgmental Observation: Noticing concrete behaviors and their impact without personalizing them. Instead of saying, 'Bob is lazy,' say, 'Bob has been late for the last three Daily Scrums, and his completed PBI count is lower this Sprint.' This is fundamental to effective Scrum Master skills.

Active Listening and Empathy: Trying to understand the feelings and needs behind what the person is saying. Not just the words, but also body language and tone. This is key to building trust in difficult conversations.

Coaching Questions: Asking open-ended questions that help the person find their own solution, rather than offering it directly. Instead of 'What should you do?', ask 'What are your thoughts on this situation? What challenges are you facing? How can the team support you?' Such questions are critical for team conflict in Scrum and individual growth.

Feedback Skills: Providing feedback that is based on observations, constructive, and forward-looking. This is a direct application of retrospective facilitation skills.

These capabilities demonstrate that a Scrum Master is not just a process manager but also a people leader and a facilitator who supports the team's development. This type of conversation is an excellent opportunity to deepen a Scrum Master's capabilities.

This framework guides the Scrum Master to conduct a challenging conversation in a structured and empathetic manner:

1. Observe:

Start the conversation with concrete, objective observations. Avoid judgmental statements. Simply state what you've noticed and its impact on the team.

2. Reflect:

Share your feelings or the general sentiment of the team (again, without judgment). This prevents the other person from taking the situation personally and fosters a collaborative environment.

3. Inquire:

Ask open-ended, curious questions. Your goal is to understand the situation and help the person find their own solution. This is where your active listening skills will shine the most.

4. Support:

Help the person find solutions, but don't provide the solution yourself. Discuss how the team and the Scrum Master can offer support. Emphasize team accountability and the culture of working together.

Alice's conversation with Bob might proceed as follows:

Alice (SM): 'Hi Bob, do you have a few minutes to chat?'

Bob: 'Yes, sure, Alice.'

Alice (SM - Observe): 'I've noticed over the last few Sprints that you've been late for Daily Scrums, and the number of PBIs you've completed has decreased. For example, last Sprint you couldn't complete two PBIs, and your progress this Sprint also seems slow.'

Alice (SM - Reflect): 'This situation is creating some pressure within the team regarding achieving our Sprint Goal, and Carol (Product Owner) has also started asking questions about it. I'm also concerned about you.'

Alice (SM - Inquire): 'What are your thoughts on these observations? What challenges are you facing? Perhaps there's something I'm not aware of?'

Listen carefully to Bob's answer. Perhaps it's a personal issue, a technical blocker, or a lack of clarity in the Product Backlog. Depending on his response, ask deeper questions: 'How is this affecting you?', 'What do you need regarding this?', 'How can the team support you?'

Alice (SM - Support): 'I'd like to think with you on how we can resolve this situation. How can the team support you? Perhaps pair programming, some mentoring, or rebalancing the workload could be options. Remember, we are a team, and we can overcome this together.'

This conversation helps Bob feel safe to openly share his challenges. Alice, as a Scrum Master, takes on the role of an observer and facilitator, encouraging Bob to find his own solutions and ensuring the team is involved in the process.