Retrospective on Retrospectives: Start with “Thank you’s”
Retrospective meetings are an opportunity to improve how your teams work. Don't miss out on this opportunity. Retrospectives can be hard to facilitate with experienced teams. The perception is there is little left to improve, "we already know how to work together, so let's get back to doing the work". Think of the retrospective as if it is a "half time" during a basketball game. Even professional and experienced teams regroup to talk about how they can play the current game better. Scrum teams can likewise talk about how to improve from the past and future sprints. The beginning of the retrospective meeting is critical for setting the tone. There should always be the feeling of safety and constructive discussion. Everyone should feel comfortable and non-threatened to speak. The facilitator, whether…
