🥋💥 Cobra Kai Dojo Retrospective
Step into the dojo! Channel your inner martial artist as we strike hard, reflect on challenges, and foster continuous improvement. Sweep the leg (old habits) and show no mercy to blockers while discovering new ways to grow together!
Template Columns
🥷 New Moves to Start
Suggest new practices or techniques our dojo should master to improve teamwork and outcomes.
Base column: Start✋ Blocks to Stop
Call out habits or obstacles that need to be taken down to keep us on the path of victory.
Base column: Stop🐍 Cobra Skills to Continue
Highlight strengths and routines we should keep in our arsenal to maintain our edge.
Base column: ContinueAbout this template
The Cobra Kai Dojo Retrospective uses martial arts themes to energize the team, target challenges, and reinforce strengths. It's designed to help teams break bad habits, remove blockers, and showcase effective practices with a fun, action-oriented twist.
When to use this template
Use this retrospective when your team needs a burst of energy, wants to challenge the status quo, or is ready to shake up routines for better performance.
How to facilitate
Set the dojo mood by briefly introducing the theme and encouraging everyone to embrace a martial arts mindset focused on mastery and growth.
Review each dojo column: New Moves to Start (new practices), Blocks to Stop (habits/blockers), and Cobra Skills to Continue (strengths). Clarify what belongs in each.
Give participants quiet time to add their thoughts to each column, emphasizing honesty and boldness—like true martial artists.
Invite everyone to discuss posted notes, starting with New Moves, moving to Blocks, and finishing with Cobra Skills. Encourage respect and lively debate.
Prioritize the most impactful ideas by grouping and voting if needed, especially for new moves and blocks.
Collaboratively create action items for top new moves and blockers. Assign champions for follow-up to keep the dojo accountable.
Wrap up with a quick round where team members share one way they'll show 'dojo spirit' until the next retro.
Pro Tips
Kick off with a quick martial arts-themed icebreaker to help everyone shift into the dojo mindset and spark creativity.
Use visuals or sound effects (like a gong or dojo background) to keep the energy high and make the retro memorable.
Encourage team members to respectfully challenge blockers or old habits—remind everyone that improvement means facing even the toughest opponents.
For deeper insight, occasionally invite a 'Dojo Master' (e.g., a stakeholder or external peer) to provide an outside perspective.
FAQ
Can this template work for serious or less playful teams?
Absolutely. Adapt the theme to your team's comfort level—you can focus simply on striking at blockers and boosting strengths, minimizing playful language if needed.
How do we prevent repeating the same 'blocks to stop' in every retro?
Track recurring blockers over time and review past actions. If issues persist, dig deeper as a group to find root causes and experiment with different solutions.
What if there are too many 'new moves' and we can't address them all?
Prioritize as a team, focusing on the most impactful or urgent ideas and commit to trying just a few before the next retrospective.
At a glance
- Duration
45–60 min
- Team Size
4-12 people
- Columns
3 columns
- Base Format
Start, Stop, Continue
Tags
Ready to get started?
Use this template to run your next retrospective