Scrum Success: Top 10 No-Gos for Stakeholders and How to Avoid These Pitfalls!"

Stakeholders play a critical role in the success of Scrum teams. But, transitioning from traditional project management to an Agile mindset can be challenging. Here are the top 10 no-gos for stakeholders that can hinder Scrum team performance. By avoiding these pitfalls, stakeholders can foster a more collaborative, effective relationship with Scrum teams and help drive better product outcomes.
Oct 25 / Alex Apenberg

1. Undermining the Scrum Framework

No-go: Not respecting the Scrum framework or treating it as just another project management method.

Why it’s a problem: Scrum is a distinct framework with principles centered on collaboration, transparency, and adaptability. When stakeholders try to apply old Waterfall or command-and-control practices, it can lead to frustration and undermine the agility of the team.

What to do instead: Understand and respect the Scrum process. Attend training or Scrum events like Sprint Reviews to get familiar with how you can add value within the framework.

2. Not Involving Yourself in the Product Vision

No-go: Focusing on short-term gains without fully understanding or supporting the long-term product vision.

Why it’s a problem: A strong Product Vision is the foundation of Scrum, guiding all product development efforts. When stakeholders don’t engage with or contribute to the vision, they risk pushing priorities that don’t align with long-term goals.

What to do instead: Collaborate with the Product Owner to co-create and support a clear vision. This helps ensure that the product remains customer-centric and aligned with business objectives.

3. Skipping the Reprioritization Process for New Priorities

No-go: Requesting last-minute changes to priorities without going through the Product Owner or following the proper backlog reprioritization process.

Why it’s a problem: The Product Backlog is ordered to maximize value, and sudden, unvetted changes can disrupt the team's focus. If new priorities are injected without proper discussion and alignment, the Scrum team may be left juggling conflicting tasks.

What to do instead: New requests should always go through the Product Owner, who will evaluate them, reprioritize the backlog if needed, and ensure that the changes align with the product vision and goals. Respect the reprioritization process and allow the team to focus on the highest-value work.

4. Demanding Fixed Scope, Time, and Cost

No-go: Insisting on delivering a fixed scope within a predetermined time and budget, regardless of how it affects value delivery.

Why it’s a problem: Scrum is designed for flexibility, enabling teams to adapt to changing needs. Forcing a rigid scope leads to a compromised product and potentially lowers the value delivered to customers.

What to do instead: Shift your mindset from scope to value. Agile roadmaps provide a directional view of where the product is heading, but they are scenario-based, not fixed. Expect change, and understand that roadmaps in Agile are meant to guide decision-making rather than impose a strict timeline or scope. Collaborate with the Product Owner to continuously reassess and adapt priorities to ensure maximum value is delivered.

5. Using Scrum Events as Control Mechanisms Instead of Collaborative Opportunities

No-go: Treating Scrum events, such as Sprint Reviews or Daily Scrums, like status meetings to check up on the team’s progress.

Why it’s a problem: Scrum events are not about reporting to higher-ups; they are designed to foster transparency, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Misusing these events for micromanagement damages team autonomy and trust, leading to disengagement.

What to do instead: Use Scrum events as an opportunity to actively collaborate with the team. In Sprint Reviews, for example, you should engage with the team and offer feedback based on what has been delivered so far. Be an active participant, ask questions, share market insights, and help guide product direction through constructive discussions. Your role in these events should be to enhance the conversation and bring strategic input that aligns with the product vision. Focus on understanding what’s being delivered and why, rather than controlling how the work is done.

6. Ignoring the Product Owner's Role

No-go: Sidestepping the Product Owner and going directly to Developers with requests or changes.

Why it’s a problem: The Product Owner is the single point of accountability for managing the backlog and prioritizing work. Bypassing them undermines their role and disrupts the team’s flow.

What to do instead: Always channel requests and feedback through the Product Owner. They are responsible for ensuring that stakeholder input is considered while maintaining a clear focus on product priorities.

7. Expecting Immediate Results Without Iteration

No-go: Assuming that Scrum will deliver full product functionality in just a few sprints without understanding the iterative nature of Agile.

Why it’s a problem: Scrum delivers value incrementally. Expecting immediate results can lead to disappointment or pressure on the team to deliver rushed, unfinished work.

What to do instead: Understand that Scrum is designed to deliver continuous, small increments of value. Be patient and focus on long-term success rather than short-term deliverables.

8. Ignoring Technical Debt and Quality

No-go: Pressuring the team to deliver new features rapidly while disregarding the need to address technical debt or code quality.

Why it’s a problem: Ignoring technical debt may accelerate short-term delivery but slows down future progress. It can also increase the risk of defects and create costly long-term maintenance issues.

What to do instead: Collaborate with the Scrum team to ensure that time is allocated for refactoring and addressing technical debt, ensuring a sustainable pace of development.

9. Failing to Empower the Team to Make Decisions

No-go: Overriding team decisions or not giving them the authority to solve problems independently.

Why it’s a problem: Scrum teams are self-managing and should have the freedom to determine how best to complete their work. Constantly overriding their decisions demotivates the team and limits creativity.

What to do instead: Provide the team with clear goals and constraints, but trust them to decide how to achieve those goals. Step in only when absolutely necessary.

10. Not Embracing Continuous Feedback and Improvement

No-go: Failing to participate in, or dismissing, retrospectives and opportunities for improvement.

Why it’s a problem: Scrum thrives on continuous learning and adaptation. When stakeholders aren’t engaged in this process, valuable insights are lost, and opportunities for improvement are missed.

What to do instead: Be an active participant in the process of continuous improvement. Offer constructive feedback and be open to changes that can improve collaboration and delivery.

Conclusion

Stakeholders must align themselves with the Agile mindset in order to fully support the Scrum team’s efforts. By avoiding these key no-gos, they can help maximize value delivery and foster a collaborative, adaptive environment. Embrace the flexibility of Agile, empower your teams, and stay engaged in a way that supports long-term success. 
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