TryScrum.com

Have we misunderstood a Scrum Master’s role in removing impediments?

A team encounters an impediment.

Many Scrum Masters immediately jump in:

✅ I’ll fix it.

✅ I’ll chase them.

✅ I’ll escalate it.

Helping feels productive.

But when every impediment is solved by the Scrum Master, the team becomes dependent on the Scrum Master.

The goal isn’t to remove every impediment.

The goal is to help teams become better at identifying, navigating, and removing impediments themselves.

A Scrum Master who solves every problem becomes a bottleneck.

A Scrum Master who grows problem-solving capability creates a stronger team.

Dependency feels helpful.

Capability is scalable.

What’s your take?

Should Scrum Masters remove impediments, or enable teams to remove them?