Introduction: What You’ll Learn
Sometimes blockers don’t come out right away. A teammate might hesitate to speak up, downplay an issue, or seem unsure of next steps. As a facilitator, your job is to listen between the lines, create a space for openness, and gently prompt without pressuring.
You’ll practice:
- Spotting vague or hidden blockers
- Asking clarifying follow-ups
- Normalizing the need for support
- Encouraging clarity without causing stress
Step-by-Step Simulation
Scene 1: Opening the Standup
Facilitator: "Good morning! Let’s go around with our usual: yesterday, today, blockers. I’ll kick us off."
Facilitator (as a developer): "Yesterday I did QA testing on the new auth flow. Today I’ll start cleanup tasks. I’m waiting on one last staging fix to land."
Facilitator: "Thanks — Sara, you’re up."
Scene 2: Teammate Updates with Silent Signals
Sara: "Still working on dashboard charts. Progress is… slow. I’ll probably keep at it today."
Facilitator: "Thanks. Anything specific slowing you down?"
Sara: "Not really. Just a lot of little things."
Facilitator: "Got it — feel free to grab me or pair if any of those get sticky. Alex?"
Alex: "Working on mobile form validation. I should finish by EOD unless something unexpected happens."
Facilitator: "Cool — anything already looking tricky or unclear?"
Alex: "I guess the error handling logic is kind of messy. But I’ll figure it out."
Facilitator: "Alright — if it starts dragging, happy to help talk it through. Priya, how about you?"
Priya: "Yesterday was slow. I was jumping between small things and didn’t finish what I planned. I’ll try to catch up today."
Facilitator: "Thanks for the honesty — if you want help prioritizing, happy to chat after this. Leo?"
Leo: "No blockers. Just… a lot going on. But I’m good."
Facilitator: "Appreciate it. Let me know if anything’s unclear or stuck — always okay to say so."
Scene 3: Wrapping Up and Recap
Facilitator: "Recap: a few folks are moving slower than usual — totally okay. Let’s check in as needed, and don’t hesitate to ask for support. If anything you didn’t mention pops up, ping me or drop it in Slack. Thanks all — let’s keep moving."
Mini Roleplay Challenges
Challenge 1: Someone says “I’m fine” but looks clearly frustrated.
- Best Response: “Appreciate you powering through — happy to sync after this if anything’s bugging you.”
Challenge 2: A teammate gives vague updates two days in a row.
- Best Response: “Let’s take a few minutes after this to check in — want to make sure you're not blocked on anything.”
Challenge 3: Someone doesn’t speak unless directly called on.
- Best Response: “Hey, just checking in — anything you need to move forward?”
Optional Curveball Mode
Try these twists:
- A teammate is stuck but doesn’t want to admit it.
- One person keeps saying “should be done today” all week.
- Everyone’s quiet and over-polite.
Can you create space for honesty without overstepping?
Reflection Checklist
Standup Flow
- Did I prompt for blockers without pressuring?
- Did I follow up on vague or unclear updates?
- Did I leave space for quiet team members?
Communication
- Did I normalize support and collaboration?
- Did I avoid blame or judgment?
- Did I listen for what wasn’t said?
Leadership & Tone
- Was I warm and approachable?
- Did I model that it’s okay to not be okay?
- Did I encourage psychological safety?
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Taking “I’m fine” at face value when the tone says otherwise
- Moving on too fast from vague or soft blockers
- Making people feel like blockers are failures
- Assuming silence means everything’s going well