🤝 Helping the team to agree

We often discuss something with the team. It can be a discussion about the technology, trying to align on how to fix an issue, a process adjustment, or even an open one. One where it seems that nobody knows what is being discussed and how shall it be ended. I bet you often observed something like this and thought "I wish I can stop it and we can move on". Good news: you can. Let's see how.

Often, when such discussions are taking place, this happens because the scope of the initial topic grows and nobody has noticed this. For example, you tried to figure out if you could shift a "Stand up" from 09:30 to 10:00, and in five minutes you realise, that the team discusses if you need to have a retrospective this week.

Be the one who notices it 👀. Noticing is the key. As soon as you notice that the scope got bigger, quickly reflect on what is being discussed right now and split it into the different topics.

For example:
1. Can we shift a stand up?
2. Which Agile rituals shall we practice?
3. Do we need a retrospective this week?

Interrupt your group and share your observation, that you are now trying to solve three topics instead of one. Suggest to align on answering the first one and taking another action on the others (for example, schedule a separate meeting). Voilà, you got your answer, and your group is grounded.

⬛️ By dividing the uncontrolled discussion flow into the different questions, we help a group to agree. Because it's much easier to agree on a simple topic, than to agree on something as a whole.