A Manager requests to attend the daily stand-up meeting so that he can be more responsive to the team by being aware of the team's progress and issues. As the Scrum Master, what should you do?

Question

Options

• AAllow the Product Owner to participate in 'listen only' mode.
• BAllow the Product Owner to participate like any other team member.
• CTurn down the request as the daily stand-up is only for the team.

• A
  82% (41)
• B
  12% (6)
• C
  6% (3)

Explanation

Option A is correct because in Scrum, the Daily Scrum is owned by the Development Team, but observers (including managers or the Product Owner) may attend in a passive, non-participatory role. Allowing "listen only" mode satisfies the manager's legitimate need for visibility without disrupting the team's self-organization or the meeting's purpose.

Option B is wrong because permitting a manager or stakeholder to participate like a team member undermines the team's autonomy - it can introduce pressure, shift the focus from team coordination to reporting, and erode psychological safety.

Option C is wrong because outright rejection is unnecessarily restrictive; Scrum does not prohibit observers, it only reserves active participation for the team. A good Scrum Master facilitates transparency, not isolation.

Memory tip: Think of the Daily Scrum as a team cockpit - visitors can sit in the back and watch, but they don't touch the controls. "Listen only" = transparency without interference.

Note: The question body mentions a "Manager" but the answer choices reference the "Product Owner" - this appears to be a typo in the original question. The underlying principle applies equally to both roles: non-team members may observe but should not actively participate.

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