CSM Scrum Master Core Competencies Practice Question
A Scrum Master joins a Scrum Team that has been working together for six months. The team consistently meets its Sprint Goal, but the Scrum Master observes that the Developers never challenge the Product Owner's decisions during Sprint Planning, even when they have technical concerns. The Product Owner often makes detailed technical decisions without consulting the Developers. What should the Scrum Master do first?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is thinking the Scrum Master should immediately correct the Product Owner or instruct the Developers, when the first step is to facilitate a team discussion to build psychological safety.
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
✓
Facilitate a Retrospective session focused on psychological safety and collaboration, helping the team discuss how to improve their interactions with the Product Owner.
The Scrum Master should first address the team's lack of psychological safety, which prevents Developers from challenging the Product Owner. A Retrospective focused on collaboration and safety allows the team to inspect and adapt. The other options are either too prescriptive, bypass the team, or escalate unnecessarily. Coaching the team to improve its own dynamics is the Scrum Master's primary accountability.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Instruct the Developers to speak up during Sprint Planning and assert their technical expertise when necessary.
Why it's wrong here
Simply instructing the Developers to speak up does not address the root cause, such as fear or lack of safety. It may also come across as prescriptive rather than coaching. The Scrum Master should facilitate an environment where the team feels safe to voice concerns, not dictate behavior. This approach is unlikely to create lasting change.
- ✗
Speak to the Product Owner privately and tell them to stop making technical decisions without consulting the Developers.
Why it's wrong here
While the Product Owner may be overstepping, addressing it privately without involving the team might not resolve the team's inability to challenge decisions. The Scrum Master should focus on building the team's capability to self-advocate. Also, a direct order to the Product Owner could damage the relationship and does not foster team empowerment.
- ✓
Facilitate a Retrospective session focused on psychological safety and collaboration, helping the team discuss how to improve their interactions with the Product Owner.
Why this is correct
The Scrum Master should first address the underlying issue of team dynamics and psychological safety. A Retrospective is the ideal event to inspect and adapt how the team collaborates. By facilitating a discussion on psychological safety, the Scrum Master helps the team surface concerns and co-create solutions, which aligns with the Scrum Master's role as a servant-leader and coach.
- ✗
Escalate the issue to the Scrum Master's manager, since the Product Owner is not collaborating effectively with the Developers.
Why it's wrong here
Escalation to management is a last resort and typically not the Scrum Master's first action. The Scrum Master should coach the team and the Product Owner to improve collaboration. Escalating prematurely can undermine trust and the team's ability to resolve its own issues, which is contrary to Scrum's self-management principle.
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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 Scrum Alliance exam blueprint
This CSM practice question is part of Courseiva's free Scrum Alliance 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 CSM exam.