☀️🔥 Heat Wave Huddle
Bask in the warmth of our project’s progress! Let’s fan the flames of success, cool off what’s overheating, and keep shining bright together. Ready to turn up the temperature on our teamwork?
Template Columns
🌅 New Sunrise Actions
Share fresh strategies or habits we should start to keep our momentum rising in this heat wave.
Base column: Start🧊 Chill Out Practices
Point out anything we should stop before it causes us to overheat or burn out.
Base column: Stop🌞 Keep the Sunshine
Highlight what’s been radiating success and that we should continue to fuel our sunny streak.
Base column: ContinueAbout this template
The Heat Wave Huddle retrospective sparks energy by encouraging teams to identify positive momentum, address burnout risks, and highlight ongoing successes for future growth.
When to use this template
Use this format when your team needs a motivational boost, is celebrating a milestone, or wants to proactively manage fast-paced work and stress.
How to facilitate
Welcome everyone and set the stage by sharing the Heat Wave Huddle theme, emphasizing staying energized while avoiding burnout.
Explain each column: fresh actions to start, practices to stop to prevent overheating, and successes to keep doing.
Invite each team member to add insights, experiences, and ideas to each column, focusing on both the project journey and team wellbeing.
Allow time for everyone to review, discuss, and clarify the contributions in each column. Group similar items where helpful to increase clarity.
Lead a team discussion to prioritize the most impactful action items, especially for starting and stopping behaviors.
Finish by agreeing on owners and next steps for key takeaways, and take a moment to celebrate team wins noted in the Keep the Sunshine column.
Pro Tips
Encourage honesty about burnout signs—this builds trust and prevents future issues before they escalate.
Frame all suggestions positively, focusing on improvement rather than blame.
Use examples or anecdotes to spark ideas if energy feels low or the group is hesitant to share.
Schedule a quick check-in after this retro to see how Chill Out Practices and New Sunrise Actions are progressing.
FAQ
How can we avoid negativity in the Chill Out Practices column?
Frame items as opportunities to create a healthier work environment and celebrate the courage to flag potential burnout before it takes a toll.
What if the team is too focused on successes and avoids talking about burnout?
Remind them the goal is sustained success and high morale, which requires openly addressing what could lead to overload or issues.
How do we ensure New Sunrise Actions turn into real habits?
Assign clear owners, agree on tangible first steps, and revisit progress in your next retrospective or team meeting.
At a glance
- Duration
40–50 min
- Team Size
4-10 people
- Columns
3 columns
- Base Format
Start, Stop, Continue
Tags
Ready to get started?
Use this template to run your next retrospective