How I Use Reason Coaching to Answer 10 Common Agile Team Objections
Addressing common team objections in agile
👋 Hey, Carlos here! Welcome to “The Holistic Leader”, your weekly source of simple and honest leadership, Agile, Management & team insights.
As a Scrum Master or Agile Coach, one of the most important parts of your role is guiding your team through change. But let’s be real, it’s not always easy.
Teams often push back, not because they’re unwilling, but because they don’t see how new practices or ideas will help them.
👉 That’s where Reason Coaching comes in.
Reason Coaching isn’t about dismissing concerns.
It’s about reframing objections into opportunities for growth. Instead of shutting down resistance, you show how the very challenge they’re worried about is the reason to try something new.
Here’s how I have framed these questions and how you can apply it to common team objections:
1. The “No Time” Excuse
Team: “We don’t have time for a daily standup.”
You: “The reason we should have a daily standup is because we feel like we don’t have time. It helps us align quickly and avoid miscommunication.”
2. The “Everything’s Fine” Assumption
Team: “We don’t need a retrospective. Everything’s fine.”
You: “The fact that everything feels fine is the reason we should have a retrospective. It ensures we’re not missing hidden risks or opportunities to improve.”
3. The Incremental Delivery Challenge
Team: “We can’t deliver smaller increments.”
You: “The reason we should deliver smaller increments is because it feels hard. Smaller increments let us get faster feedback and reduce risks.”
4. The Shared Responsibility Doubt
Team: “Why do we need to help each other? Isn’t that extra work?”
You: “The reason we share responsibility is because it makes us better as a team. When we help each other, we can handle challenges more effectively.”
5. The Planning Avoidance
Team: “We don’t need to plan; we’ll just figure it out as we go.”
You: “The reason we need to plan is because we don’t want to waste time later. A clear plan now helps us avoid chaos during the sprint.”
6. The Feedback Discomfort
Team: “Why do we need to give feedback? It feels awkward.”
You: “The reason we give feedback is to help us get better at what we already do. Honest feedback helps us improve as a team.
7. The Metrics Misunderstanding
Team: “Why do we need to track metrics? It feels like micromanaging.”
You: “The reason we track metrics is to help us improve. Metrics aren’t for judgment they’re tools to understand and refine how we work.”
8. The Collaboration Resistance
Team: “Why do we need to collaborate so much? Can’t we just work independently?”
You: “The reason we collaborate is to avoid silos. When we work together, we solve problems faster and come up with better ideas.”
9. The Visualization Hesitation
Team: “We don’t need to visualize our work on a board.”
You: “The reason we should use a board is because it helps us see what’s blocking us and lets us work more efficiently.”
10. The Ownership Question
Team: “Why do we need to own our work? Isn’t that the Product Owner’s job?”
You: “The reason we take ownership is to ensure better results. When the team is fully involved, we make smarter decisions and create more value.”
Why Reason Coaching Works
Reason Coaching helps teams see that their concerns aren’t obstacles, they’re the very reasons to try new practices. Instead of dismissing doubts, you show teams how their struggles connect to solutions. It’s not about forcing compliance.
Final Thoughts
Objections are opportunities to coach. Each one is a chance to help your team grow stronger and more aligned. By addressing their concerns with empathy and clarity, you turn hesitation into progress.
Teams often push back on Agile practices, not because they don’t care, but because they’re unsure how these changes will help.
As a Scrum Master or Agile Coach, it’s your job to guide them through these doubts. Reason Coaching is a simple yet effective approach to address these concerns by connecting the objection to the solution.
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See you next week!
- Carlos✌️
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