đď¸ Lord of the Flies Island Council
Stranded on a remote island, our team must band together! Reflect on our tribal waysâwhat to start, stop, continue, or changeâso we thrive together instead of descending into chaos. Letâs ensure our agile survival!
Template Columns
đĽ Ignite a Signal Fire (Start)
Suggest new practices or actions we should begin to help us attract rescue and thrive as a team.
Base column: Startđ Avoid the Wild Hunt (Stop)
Identify behaviors or processes we should stop before they disrupt our island harmony.
Base column: Stopđ Preserve the Good Shelters (Continue)
Share the rituals or habits that keep us safe, effective, and unified as a tribe.
Base column: Continueđ Pass the Conch (Change)
Offer ideas for what we should change to keep our council fair and our collaboration strong.
Base column: ChangeAbout this template
The Lord of the Flies Island Council retrospective uses four imaginative columnsâstart, stop, continue, changeâto help teams reflect on behaviors and practices, ensuring they collaborate better and avoid chaos.
When to use this template
Use this retrospective when your team needs a fun, thematic way to reset, clarify which practices to adopt or drop, and boost tribal unity after challenging sprints or conflicts.
How to facilitate
Begin by sharing the island survival theme and invite everyone to get into the spirit; remind the team that this is a chance to reinforce positive collaboration and avoid chaos
Set the stage with a quick icebreaker about surviving on an island to encourage creative thinking and engagement
Review each of the four columns and clarify their purpose with examples, ensuring everyone understands what type of feedback goes where
Give participants dedicated time to add their thoughts to each column, encouraging honest reflection and playful responses
Once all ideas are posted, group similar suggestions and ask the team to clarify and discuss
Facilitate a focused group discussion for each column, prioritizing actions or changes that have the strongest impact on team survival and harmony
Guide the team in selecting the most actionable items to commit to, assigning clear owners and next steps
Close with a check-out questionâsuch as what would help the team thrive on a deserted island togetherâand share next steps
Pro Tips
Lean into the theme by using creative language and visualsâit boosts engagement and breaks routine thinking
Encourage quieter team members to share by inviting input in smaller groups or through chat before discussing as a whole
Revisit the team's commitments in future retrospectives to reinforce follow-through and improve accountability
Use humor and the island story to keep the discussion positive, especially when addressing 'stop' and 'change' items
FAQ
How do I keep the theme fun without distracting from serious topics?
Balance playful language with a clear focus on improvement. Light touches encourage creativity, but always steer the group back to practical outcomes.
What if the same issues keep appearing in 'stop' or 'change'?
Acknowledge recurring pain points openly. Prioritize these for action and assign ownership to ensure progress is made between retrospectives.
How do I foster contributions from all team members?
Use digital sticky notes, anonymous input, or smaller breakouts to give everyone space to share comfortably, especially in virtual settings.
How can I prevent the session from going off-topic with the theme?
As facilitator, keep the flow on track by gently bringing discussion back to the columns if digressions happen, while still allowing for brief thematic fun.
At a glance
- Duration
45â60 min
- Team Size
4-10 people
- Columns
4 columns
- Base Format
Start, Stop, Continue, Change
Tags
Ready to get started?
Use this template to run your next retrospective