Culture: Stand Up Etiquette

[actionjack]

Disrupted stand ups:

• When the person talking is being constantly interrupted
• Nobody is listening to you
• People are distracted on their phones.
• People are late and drift in derailing everything asking questions
• Solutionizing during stand ups

[actionjack]

https://techbeacon.com/app-dev-testing/6-basic-things-you-shouldnt-be-doing-during-daily-stand

[actionjack]

https://sprint.ly/blog/scrum-meeting-best-practices/

[actionjack]

Standing Up for Better Stand-ups: Combating Bad Habits in Daily Scrums

Daily stand-ups are meant to be the heartbeat of agile teams, but too often, they become exercises in frustration. Let's explore some common pitfalls and how to overcome them:

1. The Constant Interrupter

When team members are constantly interrupted, it disrupts the flow of information and discourages open communication. Solution: Implement a "talking token" or enforce a strict no-interruption policy.

2. The Tuned-Out Team

A room full of disengaged team members defeats the purpose of the stand-up. Combat this by:

• Keeping the meeting standing-only (yes, literally!)
• Having your project management tool visible to all
• Enforcing the rule: "Everything you say should be valuable to everyone in the room."

3. The Smartphone Addicts

Distracted team members on their phones can derail the meeting's focus. Set a clear expectation that this is a device-free time, barring urgent matters.

4. The Late Arrivals

Latecomers who derail the meeting with questions about what they've missed are a common frustration. The solution? Start on time, every time. Those who are late will quickly learn to prioritize punctuality.

5. The Problem Solvers

While diving into solutions during stand-ups is tempting, this can turn a quick sync into a lengthy debate. Remind the team that stand-ups are for updates, not problem-solving sessions.

Best Practices to Implement:

1. Stick to the 3-question agenda:

   • What have you accomplished since the last meeting?
   • What are you working on until the next meeting?
   • What is getting in your way or keeping you from doing your job?

2. Keep it collaborative: Avoid turning it into a series of 1:1 conversations with the project manager.

3. Plan the meeting around your team's schedule: Consistency is critical, but flexibility in timing can improve attendance and engagement.

4. Have a visible project management tool: This keeps everyone aligned and reduces time spent on status updates.

5. Set a time limit: This keeps things moving, whether per person or for the entire meeting.

Remember, the goal of a stand-up is to align the team quickly and identify any obstacles. By avoiding these bad habits and implementing best practices, you can transform your stand-ups from time-wasters to productivity boosters.

What strategies have you found effective in your stand-ups? Share your experiences in the comments!

Agile #ScrumMeetings #TeamProductivity #ProjectManagement