SSM Defining the Scrum Master / Team Coach Role Practice Question
A SAFe Scrum Master / Team Coach is working with a team that has become overly dependent on the Scrum Master for resolving impediments. Team members frequently bring problems to the SM instead of collaborating to solve them. The SM wants to shift the team toward self-management. Which approach best aligns with the Scrum Master / Team Coach role?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is thinking that continuing to resolve all impediments is helpful, when it actually fosters dependency and hinders the team's growth toward self-management.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Coach the team on problem-solving techniques and gradually delegate impediment resolution to team members, starting with low-risk issues.
The Scrum Master / Team Coach should coach the team on problem-solving and gradually delegate impediment resolution. This builds the team's self-management skills while ensuring support is available, aligning with the servant leader role of developing people and teams.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Escalate all impediments to the Release Train Engineer so the team can focus solely on development tasks.
Why it's wrong here
Escalating all impediments to the RTE removes ownership from the team and does not build self-management. The RTE should only be involved for impediments beyond the team's control. This approach creates a new dependency and fails to coach the team on problem-solving.
- ✗
Stop resolving impediments entirely and tell the team they must handle everything themselves from now on.
Why it's wrong here
Abruptly withdrawing support can leave the team feeling abandoned and may cause serious problems to go unresolved. The SM should transition gradually, providing coaching and support as the team builds skills. This action is too extreme and does not model servant leadership.
- ✗
Continue resolving all impediments quickly to maintain team velocity and avoid disrupting the Iteration.
Why it's wrong here
While resolving impediments quickly may help short-term velocity, it reinforces dependency and prevents the team from learning to self-manage. The SM's role is to build capability, not to be a permanent problem-solver. This approach fails to develop the team's autonomy and contradicts SAFe's lean-agile mindset.
- ✓
Coach the team on problem-solving techniques and gradually delegate impediment resolution to team members, starting with low-risk issues.
Why this is correct
This approach builds the team's capability to self-manage by teaching problem-solving skills and progressively handing over responsibility. It aligns with the Scrum Master / Team Coach as a servant leader and coach, who should develop the team's autonomy rather than create dependency.
Visual reference
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Scaled Agile exam blueprint
This SSM practice question is part of Courseiva's free Scaled Agile certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the SSM exam.