🌟👏 Appreciation Round

Gather round to celebrate wins, share gratitude, and recognize the teamwork that fuels our agile journey.
30–45 min
4-12 people
Based on: Start, Stop, Continue
🌟👏 Appreciation Round

Template Columns

🚀 Start Shining Moments

Identify new ways to express appreciation and boost morale.

Base column: Start
🛑 Stop Overlooked Thanks

Pinpoint habits that diminish recognition and commit to ending them.

Base column: Stop
🔄 Continue Praise Parade

Maintain and expand the practices that keep appreciation flowing.

Base column: Continue

About this template

A focused retrospective that celebrates successes, shares gratitude, and reinforces appreciation habits within the team.

When to use this template

Use when you want to boost morale, recognize achievements, and strengthen team cohesion after a sprint or milestone.

How to facilitate

1

Explain that the session is about celebrating wins and sharing gratitude to reinforce a positive culture

2

Ask participants to write down new ways to express appreciation or moments they want to start shining on virtual sticky notes

3

Collect and discuss each Start Shining Moments entry, allowing brief sharing

4

Invite the team to note habits that diminish recognition in the Stop Overlooked Thanks column and discuss why to stop them

5

Gather Continue Praise Parade ideas that keep appreciation flowing and decide how to maintain them

6

Identify common themes and agree on one or two concrete actions to improve recognition

7

Close by having each person verbally acknowledge a teammate’s contribution

Pro Tips

Allow anonymous submissions for those who feel shy about speaking up

Limit each contribution to one concise sentence to keep the pace lively

Pair participants for quick brainstorming to generate more ideas

Record the agreed actions in a shared document for future reference

FAQ

What if the team is reluctant to share appreciation publicly?

Offer an anonymous input option and reassure that all contributions are valued, then gradually transition to open sharing as comfort grows.

How do we keep the session from dragging on?

Set a timer for each column discussion and gently steer conversation to stay within the allocated time.

Can this format work for larger teams?

Yes, break the group into smaller breakout rooms for each column, then reconvene to share key highlights.

What if we run out of ideas for the Continue column?

Prompt the team to recall recent moments when they felt recognized and extract the underlying practices that made those moments effective.

Want a custom template?

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At a glance

  • Duration

    30–45 min

  • Team Size

    4-12 people

  • Columns

    3 columns

  • Base Format

    Start, Stop, Continue

Tags

team morale
gratitude
recognition
celebration
action-oriented

Ready to get started?

Use this template to run your next retrospective