🇺🇸🎩 Hamilton’s Cabinet Council
Step into the revolutionary halls with Alexander Hamilton! Debate project decisions like founding fathers—explore triumphs, trials, and opportunities to write our next ‘Federalist’ success. Raise your voices, just no duels!
Template Columns
🦅 Revolutionary Wins
Declare the battles we’ve won and innovative ideas that shaped our sprint success.
Base column: What Went Well📜 Burr-dens & Blunders
Examine the political pitfalls and moments where we could have forged a better union.
Base column: What Went Wrong💡 Next Federalist Papers
Propose improvements inspired by Hamilton’s ambition for a stronger, more unified team.
Base column: What We Want to ImproveAbout this template
The Hamilton’s Cabinet Council retrospective channels spirited debate and historical inspiration, encouraging teams to openly discuss wins, struggles, and ambitious improvements in a collaborative forum.
When to use this template
This format is great when your team needs fresh energy and a new perspective, especially after complex sprints or major project milestones that call for bold ideas and candid conversation.
How to facilitate
Set the stage by inviting everyone to embody the spirit of revolution and constructive debate, emphasizing an open but respectful atmosphere.
Ask participants to reflect on and record Revolutionary Wins, focusing on teamwork, innovation, and standout successes over the sprint.
Shift to Burr-dens & Blunders, encouraging honest discussion of stumbles, miscommunications, and areas where decisions didn’t pan out as hoped.
Guide the team to brainstorm Next Federalist Papers by proposing actionable ideas and ambitious improvements that could unify and strengthen performance.
Facilitate a debate or discussion on the most impactful suggestions to deepen understanding and team buy-in, ensuring all voices are heard.
Turn the best proposals into clear next steps or experiments, assigning ownership and timelines as appropriate.
Close by celebrating team engagement and encourage ongoing collaboration, reminding everyone there are no duels—only dialogue.
Pro Tips
Frame disagreements as healthy debate rather than conflict, referencing the spirit of cabinet councils for a positive tone.
Encourage quieter team members to share by suggesting ‘floor time’ for each person, preventing louder voices from dominating.
Draw quick parallels between historical challenges and current project realities to spark creative thinking.
Prepare thought-provoking questions for each column in advance to deepen insights and keep energy high.
FAQ
What if the team isn’t familiar with the Hamilton theme?
Give a quick, fun introduction—the focus is spirited discussion and open debate, not deep historical knowledge.
How do you prevent debates from becoming arguments?
Set clear ground rules emphasizing respect and curiosity, and steer conversations back to constructive problem-solving if needed.
What if we have limited time?
Focus discussion on one or two key columns and use timeboxing to keep debate focused and productive.
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At a glance
- Duration
45–60 min
- Team Size
4-10 people
- Columns
3 columns
- Base Format
What Went Well, What Went Wrong, What We Want to Improve
Tags
Ready to get started?
Use this template to run your next retrospective