Is there any value in the Scrum Values any more?

[MrHinsh]

Do the Scrum Values add any... well... value anymore?

Most organisations I work with don’t even understand what values are, let alone have clarity on their own. Ask around and you’ll either get marketing slogans or dead silence. And even when values are stated, there’s rarely any observable alignment across teams, products, or value streams.

So what exactly are the Scrum Values doing for us?

We’ve got Commitment, Courage, Focus, Openness, and Respect. Fine. But how often do these show up as behavioural expectations in hiring, coaching, or retrospectives? How often are they used to guide decisions, resolve conflict, or provide accountability? Or are they just filler content in slide decks and certification quizzes?

I’m not saying values don’t matter. I’m asking whether these values, as defined by the Scrum Guide and this extension, are providing any traction in the real world. Are they helping teams work more effectively? Are they supporting transparency, inspection, and adaptation? Or have they been reduced to vague ideals that nobody uses?

Perhaps we need to reframe the question: Are we treating Scrum Values as an integral part of the work system, or merely assuming their presence because the Guide suggests so?

I would love to hear from folks who have seen the Values shift in how teams behave. What made it real for you? Or what would you replace it with?

Just curious if we’re fooling ourselves.

[SVPavlov]

I would argue to remove them from the real scrum guide and replace them by mentioning the importance of trust and psycholocal safety. The values by itself are kinda arbitrary and culturally biased. No empirical basis for these specific 5 values. Happy to be proven wrong. Anecdotal succes stories are barely evidence.

Personally I also find that they are too preachy and too western.

[ViralGoodAgile]

Thank you for bringing this up, @SVPavlov

[rjocham]

@SVPavlov could you provide an example how the Scrum Values are culturally biased?

[rjocham]

@SVPavlov would you be willing to take a shot a replacing the Scrum Values with something else. (based on the paper you showed etc.) Since this is Github you could create a pull request.

[SVPavlov]

@rjocham frankly in this case I am not willing to take that shot because this is outside of my level of expertise mostly. My focus is product. Others in our community are more knowledgeable about team dynamics. Barry and Christiaan for example and I am sure that we have some experts outside of our community who have studied this subject deeply. I don't feel I am the one to undertake this. I just question the current set of scrum values.

[fabriciusdirk]

They might be western values, but the reason they are in is that the teams who originally did scrum effectively displayed those values. And those were western teams. So yes, slight cultural bias, but not a bad one imo. To replace them for other cultures would require a huge amount of data. So basically: What values would a team in india which implemented an older version of scrum (without the values in there) successfully have displayed over the years. And: The result could easily be the same.

[SVPavlov]

They might be western values, but the reason they are in is that the teams who originally did scrum effectively displayed those values. And those were western teams. So yes, slight cultural bias, but not a bad one imo. To replace them for other cultures would require a huge amount of data. So basically: What values would a team in india which implemented an older version of scrum (without the values in there) successfully have displayed over the years. And: The result could easily be the same.

Good point. But would that also then lead us to the conclusion that we can remove them?

[fabriciusdirk]

Good point. But would that also then lead us to the conclusion that we can remove them?

No, we can't. The analysis maybe was flawed, but it clearly showed, that it would be THOSE values, maybe more which are somehow important. Maybe essential for this to work. Might be, that the teams need them up front, might be, that you can train those on the run.

When you say "Western Values" - yes, they are. Scrum is a Western thing. More specific: an US/American thing with a slight touch of software development, bio-engineering and also military in it. The values belong to this thing, there is no empirical evidence, it would work without them. India Scrum - then with other values - would look completely different. I know this, because I worked with India Testers in US/American scrum and I observed their pain.

[ViralGoodAgile]

Hi folks,

The Scrum Values are described in more detail in the Scrum Guide Expansion Pack(SGEP) than in the 2020 Scrum Guide. The 2020 Scrum Guide describes Scrum.

If, at some point, the Scrum Guide removes the Scrum Values, that would be a more appropriate time to remove them from the SGEP.

We were careful to ask the reader to consider the context; for me, that might mean using alternative values more suitable for the context, as I did on one occasion in the past, where secrecy was more valued than openness.

Perhaps, we can add text to underscore the Scrum Values in a new notes section in the appendix?

I have not discussed with Ralph or Jeff yet, but how about something like:

In contexts where equal voice and openness are limited—such as high-power-distance cultures or teams with diverse communication preferences—Scrum users should adapt practices to uphold the Scrum values of Commitment, Courage, Focus, Openness, and Respect. To ensure that all Scrum users can contribute meaningfully, Scrum users can use alternative methods, such as anonymous written feedback, one-on-one conversations, or structured brainstorming, to accommodate varied communication styles (e.g., indirect vs. direct). These methods foster Respect by valuing individual comfort and Courage by enabling safer expression, while supporting Commitment and Focus through inclusive participation in shared goals. To maintain Openness, teams should transparently share aggregated feedback or insights (e.g., anonymized retrospective summaries) during Scrum events, ensuring collective visibility without compromising psychological safety. By tailoring practices to cultural and team dynamics, as seen in successful global Scrum adoptions, Scrum users can make participation accessible and effective while preserving the integrity of Scrum values.

Thoughts?

[GlebTer]

This is such a relevant reflection, thanks for putting it into words.

In my experience, Scrum Values can absolutely add value, but only when they’re embedded into actual team behaviors and decision-making processes. Unfortunately, you're right: in many orgs, they exist more as poster slogans than functional tools.

Where I’ve seen them make a real impact is when teams tie retrospectives to the values, when hiring criteria include behavioral signals for values like respect and courage, not just technical skills. And also when leaders model them actively, not just mention them in slide decks.

One client of ours embedded the Scrum Values into their onboarding and performance reviews. Within months, teams became vividly more self-managing. And not because of “values talk,” but because their environment expected and supported those behaviors.

We talk about this intersection of agile values and business outcomes a lot at Modsen https://www.modsen-software.com/ , when building software teams that scale effectively across distributed environments.

It was great to hear what others think on the topic.