How to increase effectiveness & fulfillment in RetrospectivesGretchen Knode

Why have Retros?

The infinity loop of Retros

The Good, Bad, & Ugly of Retros

Retros are about improving – inspect and adapt – not continue to do what we have always done regardless of if it makes sense to continue. If something needs improving – improve it!

The Good, Bad, & Ugly of Retros

Making tons of Action Items, especially ones that aren’t clearly defined is not the goal of retros, but this is often what happens.

The Good, Bad, & Ugly of Retros

It may be ugly sometimes, but retros should reveal the areas where attention is needed – nothing can be fixed or maximized, if it isn’t exposed.

Stages of a Retro(I often use 4 steps to set the stage)

Visual representation of a Retro

4 steps to “Setting the Stage”

Goal – every retro has a goal like; appreciating our teammates, listening, or one of the 5 team values (Commitment, Focus, Openness, Respect, & Courage). These goals are based on what is going on with the team/ an area that you see the need for review or growth.

Focus ON &/or FOCUS OFF – quotes that help the team to think deeply/ discuss/ learn about the goal.

Check IN – a way to gauge how everyone is doing (ESVP, story cubes, one word, several exercises I make up)

Energizer – this is usually a get out of your seat and do something as a team which always has a teaching moment that relates to the goal and hopefully makes the team smile and learn/see something in a new way.

Challenges in Retros1. Is it more about HOW things are said, or WHAT is said?

BOTH! Sometimes hard or uncomfortable things need to be said. Teach, coach, and lead the team by example in how to say things in a constructive, healthy way. I teach the basics of how to critique from art and acting classes.

How to Critique effectively A critique is an oral or written discussion

strategy used to analyze, describe, and interpret works of art. Critiques help students hone their persuasive oral and writing, information-gathering, and justification skills.Some tips to critique effectively and productively

1. Say something nice.2. Share why you feel/ think they way you do.3. Share any ideas to improve the challenge/issue.4. Share any relevant background, experience etc,.

Challenges in Retros 2. Ugh, what happened during the sprint?

Throughout the sprint jot down events as they happen and then add them to the white board as “Things to Consider” when the team is Gathering Information to remind them & they can chose to include it or not.

Challenges in Retros 3. What do you do with team members who are consistently

negative?

Understanding Not everyone sees things the same way.

Here is an example of how each group sees the world

InspireCoach the team to strive for more than they thought possible & give them time

to embrace the vision of greatness.

Encourage everyone to fully own the challenges of the team.

Encourage the team to create their own path to

the goals.

Challenges in Retros 4. What do you do if this happens?

Make sure this isn’t between you and a team member & if it is get help! Separate them – Remember that plenty of things are best spoken privately – Get help from HR – Use diplomacy – Be looking for signs of tensions rising and diffuse them before they get to this level – Coach the team on how to work out difference of opinion in a respectful & peaceful way.

Remind yourself of this truth!

As a Scrum Master you are a change agent and some people don’t like change, even when it is for their benefit. Change is also often messy and reveals weaknesses which some also find very unsettling, some will inevitably not like it. Pretend you are a personal trainer, people like the ‘after’ shots, but rarely like the work it takes to get there nor do they always ‘appreciate’ being encouraged beyond what they think they are capable of doing along the way.

Critical Mindsets to Master Be detached from outcomes – give the team space to

come up with the best ideas. Focus on HOW the team works together.

Take it to the team – you are not the best person to solve the problem.

Be a mirror – reflect back, with out judgment, the behavior or symptoms you notice.

Master your words and your face – to do this well practice non judgment and nonviolent communication.

Let there be silence – get comfortable with uncomfortable silence. Do not fill it yourself!

Model being outrageous – they will tell you when you have gone to far, help them see outside the box.

Let the team fail – not die, but teams that fail together and recover are stronger – think the butterfly in the cocoon thing.

Always be their biggest fan, but be careful – tell them how much better they are doing as a team, not just individual praise about their work.

10 mind sets prevalent in people who have the native wiring for coaching

1. They have an uncanny ability to “read a room”.

2. They care about people more than products.

3. They cultivate curiosity, they know when they don’t know, so they ask.

4. They believe people are basically good and meet people where they are.

5. They know plans fall apart, so they act in the moment with the team, rather than holding on to any one idea or hope about how things should work out.

10 mind sets prevalent in people who have the native wiring for coaching

6. They have a thirst for learning.7. They believe any group of people can do good things in the world. They believe excellence exists and is worth pursuing.8. They have a low tolerance for institutional reasons that hold people back from excellence.9. They believe that disequilibrium is essential – messiness is expected.10. They risk being wrong, and when they are they own up to it and move on.Coaching Agile Teams – Lyssa Adkins

3 Agile Coach stylesTeaching – both the practices

and principles.Coaching – when the team

transforms from compliance to rules to internalization of values.

Advising – when the team has fully integrated the practices, values, and principles of agile and radiates good health.

Questions to ask to determine which style to use when

1. Is the team new to agile or each other? Do they look at you cockeyed when you bring up the agile manifesto? = Teaching

2. Does the team live by the ideals in the agile manifesto? In all they do? Do they have basic practices working well and improve each sprint? = Coach

3. Has the team altered their practice of agile and done so consciously keeping the values and principles of agile alive? Have they broken through walls of dysfuction? Are they truly self-monitoring and self-correcting? = Advise and let them go

Coaching Agile Teams – Lyssa Adkins

More tips and resources to improve

Observe the team Study how each team member works and

interacts with others. Communicate in the format they prefer when

ever possible. Observe the team as a group and adjust

accordingly. When in doubt, ask! Respect each team member – don’t call on

someone unexpectedly to contribute if speaking in a group setting is hard for them. The goal is to provide a safe space for people to grow together. Don’t be an enabler either!

Emotional IntelligenceThe ability to bring awareness to your emotions as they arise, notice them for what they are, and decide how to best use them (Bradberry & Greaves

2005)

I encourage you to take a test and see where your strengths and weaknesses are and then encourage your team to take it as well so they can see the same about themselves.

Example Retro focusing on Emotional IQ

Goal – to look at what Emotional IQ is Focus – Quotes on the value of Emotional IQ and how

to improve it Check In - Have the team take an Emotional IQ test

online and share their score (if they want) with the team

Energizer – Go Over Emotional IQ image and discuss Gather Insights – Speed Car Bridge/Abyss Action Items – SMART Goals and go over all past

Action Items for progress. Close Out – pick an area to grow and do less of from

Emotional IQ

Example Retro focusing on how your thinking impacts your life

Details about the Retro Goal How your thinking impacts your life = the force Focus ON awesome quotes from Star Wars about this

topic Check In the retro before the team had chosen at least

one trait they wanted to increase and one they wanted to decrease after the Emotional IQ exercise. So to follow up on how they did the team was asked to share a scene (ideally from a Star Wars movie) where a character made the same transition they did or want to.

Energizer Star Wars Style Team Rock, Paper, Scissors done with Light Saber, Force Choke, and Blasters – with team, strategizing, and fun included

Gather Info Star Wars Retro (Jedi - Good, Sith - Bad, Endor – good but needs more work, Tatooine – bad and needs more work)

Check Out One Word

More important skills to master

Be creative Observe everything – you will learn a great deal by

observing your team, body language, reading the emotions and if there is tension or if the team is relaxed.

Remember everyone is different and be willing to cater your style to the person you are focusing on – love languages.

Learn the art of facilitating = help others participate

Show your team you care about them individually and them as a team – be vulnerable and lead by example.

Resources Coaching Agile Teams Lyssa Adkins Agile Retrospectives Esther Derby & Diana Larsen Overcoming the Five Dysfunctions of a Team

Patrick Lencioni Essential Scrum Kenneth Rubin Scrum Mastery Geoff Watts

People to follow: Simon Sinek, Mike Cohn, James Clear

Online Resourceshttps://www.frontrowagile.com

http://tastycupcakes.org/http://www.funretrospectives.com

https://www.mitchlacey.com/resourceshttp://www.happymelly.com/

https://www.startwithwhy.com/http://www.growingagile.co.za/