DAC DAC Stakeholder Engagement & Communication 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In a DA coaching context, what is the MOST effective way to engage resistant stakeholders during an agile transformation?
- Mandate participation through executive orders
- Involve them early, address their concerns, and demonstrate incremental value (Correct answer)
- Exclude them from transformation activities until they become receptive
- Replace resistant stakeholders with more agile-friendly people
Correct answer: Involve them early, address their concerns, and demonstrate incremental value
Engaging resistant stakeholders early, addressing their specific concerns, and demonstrating incremental value is the most effective way to build genuine buy-in.
Question 2: A DA coach is facilitating a stakeholder review. Which behavior BEST demonstrates effective facilitation?
- Presenting a finished product and asking for binary approval
- Encouraging open dialogue, active listening, and capturing feedback collaboratively (Correct answer)
- Limiting stakeholder speaking time to avoid scope creep
- Having the product owner speak for all stakeholders
Correct answer: Encouraging open dialogue, active listening, and capturing feedback collaboratively
Effective facilitation creates a safe space for open dialogue and ensures all stakeholder perspectives are heard and captured.
Question 3: What communication principle is MOST important when a DA coach delivers difficult feedback to a stakeholder?
- Avoid direct feedback to maintain harmony
- Deliver feedback via email to create a paper trail
- Be specific, timely, and focused on behavior and impact rather than personality (Correct answer)
- Wait until the project ends before sharing concerns
Correct answer: Be specific, timely, and focused on behavior and impact rather than personality
Effective feedback in coaching is specific, timely, and focuses on observable behaviors and their impacts rather than personal attributes.
Question 4: In DA, how should a coach handle a stakeholder who consistently undermines team decisions?
- Escalate immediately to HR
- Ignore the behavior and let the team handle it
- Have a direct, private conversation addressing the specific impact of the behavior (Correct answer)
- Remove the stakeholder from all team communications
Correct answer: Have a direct, private conversation addressing the specific impact of the behavior
A direct, private conversation addressing the specific behavior and its impact is the most constructive first step in resolving stakeholder conflict.
Question 5: Which stakeholder communication technique is MOST aligned with Disciplined Agile's principle of pragmatism?
- Using the same communication format for all stakeholders regardless of preference
- Tailoring communication style and content to the stakeholder's role and needs (Correct answer)
- Providing weekly 50-page status reports to all stakeholders
- Delegating all stakeholder communication to the Scrum Master
Correct answer: Tailoring communication style and content to the stakeholder's role and needs
DA's pragmatic approach encourages adapting communication strategies to the specific needs and context of different stakeholders.
Question 6: A DA coach wants to build trust with a skeptical executive stakeholder. What is the BEST initial approach?
- Promise delivery dates that guarantee success
- Demonstrate early, tangible results and maintain transparent communication (Correct answer)
- Avoid the executive until the team has more confidence
- Present a detailed 12-month roadmap on the first meeting
Correct answer: Demonstrate early, tangible results and maintain transparent communication
Building trust with skeptical executives is best achieved through early delivery of tangible value combined with honest, transparent communication.
DAC DAC Stakeholder Engagement & Communication 1
In a DA coaching context, what is the MOST effective way to engage resistant stakeholders during an agile transformation?