🕵️♂️🔫 Mafia Mastermind
Step into the shadows of the underworld; celebrate our hits, expose the slip‑ups, and plot the next flawless caper.
Template Columns
💰 Successful Heists
Share the scores and smooth operations from our caper.
Base column: What Went Well🔫 Botched Jobs
Discuss the misfires and betrayals that stalled our plans.
Base column: What Went Wrong🕵️♂️ Master the Scheme
Identify tactics to tighten the family’s coordination and avoid future slip‑ups.
Base column: What We Want to ImproveAbout this template
A themed retrospective that celebrates successes, uncovers failures, and plans improvements using a Mafia‑style narrative.
When to use this template
Use when the team wants an engaging, story‑driven review that highlights both wins and missteps while fostering creative problem‑solving.
How to facilitate
Set the scene by introducing the Mafia Mastermind story and explaining each column as part of the caper.
Ask participants to anonymously add their Successful Heists to the orange column, focusing on concrete outcomes.
Gather the Botched Jobs in the red column, encouraging honest sharing of missteps without blame.
Move to the blue column and have the group brainstorm ways to tighten coordination and avoid future slip‑ups.
Facilitate a quick dot‑vote to surface the top two improvement ideas and turn them into clear action items.
Close by having each person commit to one personal step for the next sprint and celebrate the crew’s achievements.
Pro Tips
Use a virtual whiteboard with sticky‑note colors matching the column colors to keep visual cues consistent.
Limit discussion time per item with a timer to keep energy high and prevent the session from dragging.
End with a light‑hearted “Mafia oath” where everyone pledges to protect the family’s success.
FAQ
What if the team feels uncomfortable sharing failures?
Emphasize psychological safety, keep the Botched Jobs column anonymous, and frame discussions as learning opportunities rather than blame.
How many items should we put in each column?
Aim for 3‑5 concise items per column; too many can dilute focus and extend the session beyond the allotted time.
Can this format work for a small team of four?
Yes, but combine the Successful Heists and Botched Jobs into a single round of rapid sharing to keep the pace lively.
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At a glance
- Duration
45–60 min
- Team Size
5-12 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