Leaf-collection routing is labeled high performing only because two specialists work weekends to clear the board. What should the SM/TC conclude?
Select an answer to reveal the explanation.
Short Explanation
Two heroes bagging Saturday leaves is a parade, not a sanitation system. The streets look clear until those two get sick. High performance is a team that finishes routing in normal hours—not a weekend rescue cult.
Full Explanation
Heroics are a smell; high performance is sustainable team delivery, not weekend rescue. Leaf-collection routing labeled high performing only because two specialists clear the board on weekends is fragile civic operations theater. The Scrum Master/Team Coach should conclude the system depends on burnout capacity and coach sustainable flow, staffing, and WIP policies instead of celebrating heroes.
Scaling the hero model with more overtime fails by concept: it industrializes unsustainable rescue. Hiding weekend work from flow metrics fails by concept by falsifying health signals. Making the two heroes the only people allowed to touch routing fails by concept by deepening the silo that created the hero dependency.
Exam caveat: SAFe high-performing teams deliver predictably without chronic heroics; reliance on weekend clears indicates WIP, skill, or demand problems. Recognize and thank people, then fix the system that required the rescue for public leaf-collection routing.
Operational check: make weekend work visible in metrics, reduce WIP and broaden skills so routing clears in normal hours, cross-train beyond the two specialists, and redefine “high performing” using sustainable throughput and flow time.