BOTTLENECKS - The Anti Collaborative practices that eat up teams and organisations

28.2.2025

When you talk to the average Agile coach, they often focus on workshops, team charters, methodologies, and the latest trending frameworks they’re using with their teams.

While that has its value, how much time do we really spend discussing real solutions for the process issues that are actually delaying our ability to continuously ship?

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I'm talking about Bottlenecks. What is a bottleneck? 

Merriam Webster has decent definitions

Bottleneck

1    a: a narrow route

      b: a point of traffic congestion

2a: someone or something that slows or halts free movement and progress

You get the picture. 

You'd be surprised the amount of issues arising due to bottlenecks in the Private Sector if you thought this happens primarily in the Public sector. 

Where do these bottlenecks arise? 

No, they do not arise from slackers who are spending maximum hours by the water cooler or in the recreation room or kitchen taking a "break”. 

Sadly, they appear among the top contributors and influencers in Organisations 

These often can be highly productive colleagues: 

• having too many things on their plate. 

• poor delegation skills 

• poor skills to say NO 

When you address this, it’s often not accepted by the broader community. However, lack of acceptance doesn’t make the obstacle any less significant. As a developing Scrum Master, here’s how I approach it with my teams:

1. Seek insights from key stakeholders – I start by speaking with those who truly understand the issue, such as the Product Owner, the Architect, or the Product Owner of the bottlenecked team.

2. Assess the impact – I ask, How big of a problem is this? How often does it occur? This helps gauge urgency and prioritize action.

3. Build alliances – I collaborate with key players to help them understand the challenges this bottleneck creates and gain their support in resolving it.

4. Engage in meaningful problem-solving – I facilitate discussions around a crucial question: If not the person creating the bottleneck, then who can drive the solution?

This structured approach ensures that the team moves forward with clarity and purpose.

And then what?

• Discuss concerns and refine the approach.

• Align with the team to reach a consensus on the new direction.

• Prepare clear communication.

• Roll out the change.

• Observe its execution and impact.

As a Scrum Master, I tackle challenges one step at a time, one conversation at a time—cutting through the noise to focus on real, meaningful progress.

A word of caution: If you start a Miro/Mural workshop to map out every bottleneck, you’ll likely spend weeks or months in endless sessions—turning the workshop itself into a bottleneck.

Pro Tip: Identify the most frequent bottleneck and assess its impact on the team, delivery, and quality. Start there—one conversation at a time.

There’s a silver lining—it’s not all plain grey clouds. Within your teams and organization, you’ll find rational colleagues who get it and will support you in driving change.