Scrum.org PSM II Cheat Sheet

Review a compact Scrum.org Professional Scrum Master II (PSM II) cheat sheet for facilitation, coaching, teaching, mentoring, leadership, organizational impediments, and advanced Scrum traps.

Use this PSM II cheat sheet when you know Scrum mechanics and need stronger professional Scrum Master judgment. PSM II questions usually reward the stance that improves empiricism, self-management, facilitation, coaching, and organizational learning without taking ownership away from the Scrum Team.

Open PSM II practice for the free 30-question diagnostic, topic pages, timed mocks, and the full PM Mastery advanced Scrum bank.

Exam Snapshot

ItemPSM II cue
ProviderScrum.org
ExamProfessional Scrum Master II
Format focus30 questions in 90 minutes
Practice behaviorchoose the Scrum Master stance that fits the maturity, impediment, conflict, or organizational context
PM Mastery statuslive practice available

Advanced Scrum Master Checklist

AreaWhat to knowCommon trap
Facilitationcreate structure for useful inspection, decision-making, and collaborationrunning the meeting for the team
Coachinghelp people discover better behavior through evidence and questionsgiving advice when ownership and learning matter
Teachingexplain Scrum directly when knowledge is missingavoiding teaching even when the team lacks basics
Mentoringshare experience while preserving choice and accountabilityturning mentoring into command
Leadership stylesadapt stance to maturity, risk, and learning needusing one style in every situation
Organizational impedimentsreveal system constraints and coach leaders toward changeblaming the team for system symptoms

Must-Know Distinctions

  • Facilitation versus decision-making: the Scrum Master helps the group decide; they do not decide for the group.
  • Coaching versus mentoring: coaching uses questions and discovery; mentoring shares experience.
  • Teaching versus coaching: teach when the concept is missing; coach when ownership and learning are needed.
  • Team impediment versus organizational impediment: systemic issues need leadership transparency and change.
  • Metrics for learning versus metrics for control: metrics should improve empiricism, not rank individuals.
  • Self-management versus abandonment: teams own their work, but the Scrum Master still serves improvement.

Common Traps

  • Choosing the most forceful response because the team is struggling.
  • Solving Product Owner or Developer accountability problems for them.
  • Treating stakeholder pressure as a reason to weaken Scrum.
  • Using metrics to compare teams or individuals.
  • Coaching when the situation requires teaching a Scrum concept.
  • Teaching when the issue is behavior, conflict, or organizational design.

Practice Strategy

Before choosing an answer, name the Scrum Master stance: facilitate, coach, teach, mentor, remove impediment, or make system impact transparent. If you cannot name the stance, the answer is probably being chosen by emotion rather than professional judgment.

Revised on Monday, May 25, 2026