Scrum Values in Action: Rebuilding Trust Through Daily Practice
In the world of Agile, Scrum is more than just a framework. It’s a mindset grounded in five core values—Commitment, Courage, Focus, Openness, and Respect. These values aren’t abstract principles; they are the foundation of strong, functional teams. But what happens when those values are lost? And more importantly, how can a team rediscover them?
This article tells the real story of a software development team that broke apart—and how they found their way back using the very principles they had overlooked. Their journey offers a practical blueprint for every Scrum team striving to live these values daily.
A Team in Crisis
It started like many stories in tech—a tight-knit Scrum team working under pressure, facing demanding deadlines, and navigating shifting priorities. For months, they delivered on time. But beneath the surface, trust was slowly eroding.
The Product Owner, pressed by senior management, started bypassing the team to assign work directly to individuals. Developers began siloing their efforts to protect themselves from blame. The Scrum Master, once an active guide, became passive, avoiding difficult conversations. Stand-ups grew silent. Retrospectives became routine. The team had lost more than collaboration—they had lost trust.
One sprint, the breakdown became impossible to ignore. A critical deliverable failed. Blame spread like wildfire. The room was heavy with resentment. At that moment, the team realized they had strayed from the very values that once held them together.
Facing the Reality: A Retrospective Like No Other
The turning point came during a retrospective. The Scrum Master, recognizing the crisis, broke routine and asked a simple but powerful question:
“Do we still trust each other?”
Silence.
One by one, team members opened up. They spoke about feeling ignored, unheard, overburdened. The Product Owner admitted to acting out of fear of leadership. The developers expressed frustration over lack of autonomy and respect. For the first time in months, they weren’t just talking about tasks. They were addressing the emotional fabric of the team.
This was the first glimpse of Openness returning.
Rebuilding with the Scrum Values
Commitment: Showing Up for Each Other
The team began rebuilding by reestablishing their shared goals. Instead of individuals working in isolation, they committed to team ownership of work. Developers started volunteering to help others when they were blocked. The Product Owner stopped assigning work and instead discussed priorities during planning. Commitment wasn’t just about finishing a sprint—it was about standing by each other.
Courage: Speaking Hard Truths
With openness came the need for courage. It took courage for the Product Owner to admit to missteps. It took courage for team members to say when something wasn’t working. During dailies, people stopped sugarcoating progress. Challenges were called out early. This honesty created a space for real problem-solving.
Focus: Working on What Matters
The team began strictly limiting work-in-progress. They held tighter sprint goals, and everyone rallied around the top priority. Context switching reduced. Interruptions from outside stakeholders were now filtered through the Scrum Master. As a result, work quality improved and so did morale.
Openness: Building Psychological Safety
Retrospectives transformed. Feedback was no longer surface-level. The team began sharing thoughts openly, not just about process but about how they felt. The Scrum Master set the tone by being vulnerable, acknowledging their own failure to shield the team. That honesty became contagious.
Respect: Recognizing Each Other’s Efforts
Respect returned when every role was acknowledged. Developers started appreciating the pressure on the Product Owner. The PO began respecting the team’s process boundaries. The Scrum Master earned back their influence by facilitating, not directing. Small gestures—thanking a teammate, listening without interrupting—made a big impact.
Living Scrum Values in Daily Interactions
The rebirth of the team didn’t come from a workshop or a new tool. It came from practicing the Scrum values in everyday moments.
In planning, they gave space for every voice.
In stand-ups, they listened with intention.
In reviews, they celebrated learning, not just outcomes.
In retrospectives, they owned their mistakes and growth.
The team not only met deadlines—they became resilient. When conflict arose, they faced it, not avoided it. When pressure mounted, they leaned on each other instead of pointing fingers.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the five Scrum values?
The Scrum values are Commitment, Courage, Focus, Openness, and Respect. These guide team behavior and decisions within the Scrum framework.
2. Why are Scrum values important in Agile teams?
They foster trust, improve communication, and create a culture of accountability. Without them, the framework becomes hollow.
3. How can a team rebuild trust after it’s lost?
Start with honest retrospectives, encourage vulnerability, and commit to living the Scrum values in daily practice—not just in ceremonies.
4. What role does the Scrum Master play in restoring trust?
The Scrum Master facilitates difficult conversations, protects the team’s process, and models vulnerability and accountability.
5. How do Scrum values influence team performance?
They reduce conflict, improve morale, and lead to better collaboration. Teams that live the values are more adaptable and consistent.
6. Can Scrum values be applied outside of software teams?
Absolutely. These values support any collaborative environment, including marketing, HR, and product development teams.
Conclusion
Scrum values are not idealistic concepts—they are practical, daily behaviours. The story of this team is a powerful reminder: trust can be lost even in high-performing environments, but it can also be rebuilt. All it takes is the courage to face the truth, the commitment to change, and the discipline to live the values that Scrum was built upon.