🛠️ Building Bridges
Welcome to our team-building retrospective! Let's explore the foundation of our new collaboration: what's strong, what needs repair, and what gaps we must bridge for smoother teamwork ahead.
Template Columns
🌟 Solid Foundations
Highlight the positive building blocks that emerged from our new team setup.
Base column: Glad🌧️ Cracks in the Structure
Discuss setbacks or challenges affecting the team's transition.
Base column: Sad🔥 Tension Points
Identify areas of friction or frustration as we adapt to changes.
Base column: MadAbout this template
A team-building retrospective focusing on recognizing strong aspects, addressing challenges, and identifying friction areas in the team dynamics.
When to use this template
Use this format when kickstarting a new collaboration, after a significant team change, or when focusing on building stronger inter-team connections.
How to facilitate
Begin by introducing the retrospective's goals and outline the process to participants, creating an open and safe environment.
Provide 5-10 minutes for participants to individually reflect and add notes under the three categories: 🌟 Solid Foundations, 🌧️ Cracks in the Structure, and 🔥 Tension Points.
Gather all contributions and cluster similar ideas to highlight themes for each column category.
Discuss each column, starting with 🌟 Solid Foundations to set a positive tone, followed by 🌧️ Cracks in the Structure, and conclude with 🔥 Tension Points.
Engage the team in collaboratively brainstorming actionable steps or solutions to address themes under 'Cracks in the Structure' and 'Tension Points'.
Document the agreed actions, assign responsibility, and outline follow-up steps to ensure progress.
Conclude by celebrating the team’s openness and dedication to improvement, and express appreciation for everyone’s contributions.
Pro Tips
Encourage participants to provide specific examples to ensure actionable discussions.
Start with a light-hearted ice-breaking activity to foster a collaborative mindset.
Consider inviting team leaders or stakeholders to offer additional perspectives, if appropriate.
Aim for balance; spend sufficient time on each column to extract meaningful insights.
Allocate some time at the end to review the meeting’s effectiveness and gather feedback for improvement.
FAQ
How can we ensure all team members feel comfortable participating?
Establish ground rules emphasizing respectful communication and appoint a skilled facilitator to prevent dominant voices from overshadowing others.
What if a 'Tension Point' seems too sensitive to address?
Acknowledge its importance, and if necessary, plan a follow-up session to involve a relevant mediator for resolution.
How do we ensure our solutions are actionable?
Assign clear responsibilities and deadlines for each action item, and schedule periodic check-ins to review progress.
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At a glance
- Duration
45-60 min
- Team Size
4-12 people
- Columns
3 columns
- Base Format
Glad, Sad, Mad
Tags
Ready to get started?
Use this template to run your next retrospective