Two Lessons for better facilitation

Lesson 1 :

Sprint Retrospectives explore what really went well and what needs improvement during the Sprint.

It is expected that Developers might become disengaged, frustrated, or uncomfortable, particularly when discussing problems or things that did not settle well.

Experiencing those emotions throughout the arc of a facilitated discussion is not necessarily an indicator that the facilitation or facilitator is poor.

The more important aspect is the outcome or helpful changes that are identified during the Sprint Retrospective.

Hence it doesn’t make sense always when a Scrum Team raises a concern that participants are quiet, feeling frustrated and confused due to poor facilitation in the Sprint Retrospective.

Lesson 2 :

Is Facilitation considered to be effective always only when the entire agenda covered within the timebox?

Measuring the effectiveness of facilitation is not based on ensuring a meeting ended on time or the agenda was covered in full.

The effectiveness of facilitation should be measured by the outcomes that are achieved.

Sometimes decision making might take longer, become a little more contentious, and not everyone present might always has something to offer.

Remember, strong facilitation leads to better problem-solving, more effective Scrum events, and greater team alignment — all leading to better outcomes.

Hence never worry if you could achieve the outcomes, at the same time not covering everything part of the agenda.