How does a Scrum Master handle a team that is consistently missing Sprint goals?

All answers to this question.

Focus on the Retrospective. If you aren't identifying the "Why" behind the misses, you'll never fix the "How" for the next sprint.

   Answered 2024-05-13 by Jennifer Lopez

• Spot on, Jennifer. I like to use the "5 Whys" technique in Retros. It helps the team get past surface-level excuses and find the actual root cause of the missed goals.

     Commented 2024-05-14 by Michael Stevens

Do you think the team is over-committing during Planning just to please stakeholders, rather than being realistic?

   Answered 2024-05-15 by Robert Hughes

• Robert, that’s almost always the case. In my experience, "Yesterday’s Weather" is the best metric. If the team averaged 30 points for three sprints, don't let them pull in 50 just because the PO is stressed. As a Scrum Master, your job is to be the "Shield" that protects the team from unrealistic external pressure, ensuring they have the space to produce quality work.

     Commented 2024-05-17 by Christopher Adams

This is a classic "Capacity vs. Velocity" issue. In 2023, I managed a team in a similar spot. We realized our "Definition of Done" was too weak, leading to bugs that ate the next Sprint's time. I suggested a "Buffer" for technical debt—about 20% of our capacity. I also coached the Product Owner on the cost of mid-sprint changes. By visualizing the "Sprint Burndown" chart daily, the team saw the impact of distractions in real-time. It’s not micromanaging to show the data; it’s being a mirror for the team so they can self-correct.

   Answered 2024-11-14 by Deborah Miller