The team is discussing their recent squeeker 1-month sprint (too long!), and how to set the next one. They can now change how they plan the next iteration! And, as usual, everyone has been working way too hard on nothing. What the coach hears: ''Let's all go racing over that cliff!' as they point right. A few lone voices in the room make cases for more progress along the left. Someone who has not read this page gets the bright idea to tap the coach. Yet in truth, no one would ever pass up such a golden opportunity to observe the team make decisions under (subtle) stress than this, without any influence from the C''''''ourtJester - the guy whose job is to oppose any rule on principle. It doesn't matter to the coach which way the entire system goes, because the results could always be totally unexpected, and progressive, anyway. From the coach's pov, the vote is a ritual the tribe performs on a lunar cycle with no real effect on the weather or mood of the mountains. The coach says: ''Aw thanks''. Ask the asker (if possible). Then, depending on the milieu, either joke around refusing, or politely decline to vote. ... or else just make a fully-veiled but full-on case for over that cliff. ~~Anon (''but seriously who the f--- do you think it is?'') ---- See also: AgileCoach, ExtremeProgramming, StoneSociety