Have you ever walked into a new team and realized that their daily standups are, well, not so daily? I’m talking 40+ minutes of discussion, debate, and sometimes even arguments. Yeah, that’s what happened to me when I joined a new team after a year. I knew the team had a unique dynamic, but I didn’t expect it to be this challenging.
In my previous team, I was comfortable enough to politely interrupt and steer the conversation back on track. Our daily standups rarely exceeded 10-15 minutes. But this new team is a different story. It’s like they’re trying to break some sort of record for the longest daily standup ever.
The problem is, there are a few team members who have been on the team for 10-20 years, and they seem to dominate the conversation. The scrum master tries to intervene, but they just talk over him. Meanwhile, the rest of us are stuck waiting for the meeting to end, checking our phones, and wondering when we can get back to actual work.
So, what’s the solution? Should I try to take a more active role in keeping the conversation on track, or is it better to just let the team figure it out on their own? Has anyone else out there had to deal with a similar situation? I’d love to hear your thoughts and advice.
It’s not just about the time wasted in these meetings; it’s also about the impact it has on our productivity and morale. When daily standups turn into lengthy discussions, it can be frustrating and demotivating. So, let’s talk about how to keep our daily standups short, sweet, and effective.