Introduction: What You’ll Learn
This simulation explores how to manage a situation where leadership requests a change in priorities mid-sprint. You'll learn how to assess the impact, communicate effectively with your team, and adjust plans without derailing progress.
You’ll practice:
- Communicating leadership requests to the team
- Assessing the impact on current sprint goals
- Collaboratively reprioritizing tasks
- Maintaining momentum and morale
Step-by-Step Simulation
Scene 1: Receiving the Request
Facilitator: (You receive a message from leadership asking for a shift in focus to a new feature due to a market opportunity.)
"Hey team, I just got a heads-up from leadership. They want us to pivot and focus on a new feature that's become a top priority. Can we huddle up quickly to talk about what this means for us?"
Scene 2: Communicating with the Team
Facilitator: "Thanks for coming together so fast. Leadership has spotted a big market opportunity and wants us to jump on a new feature. This means we’ll need to tweak our current sprint goals a bit. I know it’s a curveball, but let’s chat about what this means for our projects."
Sara: "What's the feature about, and why the rush?"
Facilitator: "They see a chance to get ahead in a new market. It's a big deal, and acting quickly could really give us an edge."
Scene 3: Assessing the Impact
Facilitator: "Let’s take a look at what we’re working on now and figure out what can wait until next sprint. We need to juggle this new request with our current tasks without burning out."
(The team reviews the backlog together.)
Alex: "We’re about halfway through the dashboard updates. Can we pause that and switch focus to the new feature?"
Priya: "I'm close to finishing the onboarding checklist. Can we wrap that up and handle any leftover bits later?"
Facilitator: "Sounds like a plan. I’ll jot down these changes and update leadership on our new focus."
Scene 4: Reprioritizing and Adjusting Plans
Facilitator: "Alright, here’s the game plan:"
- Pause dashboard updates — we’ll pick this back up next sprint
- Finish and ship the onboarding checklist — handle any loose ends later
- Focus on the new feature — let’s get cracking on this
Facilitator: "Is everyone clear on where we’re heading with this? Let’s make sure we’re all on the same page and understand why this shift is important."
(The team agrees, nodding.)
Scene 5: Maintaining Momentum
Facilitator: "Thanks a lot for your flexibility, everyone. Let’s keep the lines of communication open, and if anything comes up, let me know right away. I’ll update our sprint board and let leadership know we’re on it. I’ll also loop in stakeholders to keep them in the loop."
Mini Roleplay Challenges
Challenge 1: A team member feels frustrated with the change.
- Best Response: “I get that it’s frustrating. Let’s chat about what’s bothering you and figure out how we can tackle it together.”
Challenge 2: A team member is unsure about the new feature’s requirements.
- Best Response: “Let’s have a quick sit-down to nail down the requirements so everyone’s clear.”
Challenge 3: There’s uncertainty about task prioritization.
- Best Response: “Let’s break the new feature into bite-sized tasks and sort out what’s most important.”
Optional Curveball Mode
- Leadership changes priority again mid-discussion.
- A critical bug pops up that needs immediate attention.
- A team member isn’t convinced about the importance of the pivot.
Practice handling each scenario while keeping the team’s morale and focus intact.
Reflection Checklist
Communication
- Did I explain the pivot clearly and openly?
- Was I supportive and open to team concerns?
Planning
- Did we effectively reassess and adjust sprint goals?
- Did I help the team prioritize tasks collaboratively?
Team Morale
- Did I keep the momentum and motivation up?
- Did I make sure everyone felt included in the decision-making process?
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Brushing off team concerns or frustrations
- Not realigning and adjusting goals clearly
- Overloading the team with too much at once
- Failing to update leadership and stakeholders after the pivot