🇺🇸🏛️ Presidential Roundtable
Step into the Oval Office! In this political-inspired retro, reflect on our term so far—champion wins, veto setbacks, and campaign for continuous improvement like true leaders of change.
Template Columns
🗳️ New Campaign Promises
Propose bold new initiatives and strategies to start for our next sprint—just like launching a campaign promise.
Base column: Startđźš« Executive Orders to Repeal
Declare what practices, blockers, or habits we should stop, as if signing an executive order to veto them.
Base column: Stop🏅 Policies to Endorse
Highlight which processes, values, or successes we should continue to endorse, much like key policies in a presidential legacy.
Base column: ContinueAbout this template
The Presidential Roundtable retrospective invites your team to reflect on achievements, veto blockers, and campaign for new improvements, all with a fun, leadership-inspired theme.
When to use this template
Use this retro when your team needs a motivational boost, wants to shake up routines, or after a milestone period where reflection on wins and change is important.
How to facilitate
Welcome the team with a quick intro to the Presidential Roundtable theme and explain each column’s political metaphor.
Guide participants to add notes under each column: new campaign promises for new ideas, executive orders to repeal for stop actions, policies to endorse for things to continue.
Give everyone quiet time to write and submit their thoughts anonymously for honest feedback.
Invite team members to present and group similar items in each column, clarifying intent where needed.
Facilitate discussion around each column, encouraging debate, elaboration, and prioritization of the most critical points.
Collaboratively vote on the most impactful campaign promises, urgent executive orders to repeal, and core policies to endorse moving forward.
Agree on concrete action items or changes to implement before the next sprint.
Close with a quick round of appreciations and reflections on the session’s tone and outcomes.
Pro Tips
To spark creativity, share a quick fun presidential quote or fact at the start.
Encourage each participant to frame their feedback as if they were advising a head of state—this keeps the energy playful but purposeful.
If the group is large, assign subtopics for each column so voices don't get lost.
Revisit past campaign promises in the next retrospective to check on follow-through and build accountability.
Use a timer for each phase to keep discussions focused and prevent overruns.
FAQ
How do I keep the political theme from becoming distracting?
Keep it light and focused on the metaphors—remind the team this is about leadership and improvement, not real-world politics.
What if participants struggle to suggest bold new initiatives?
Prompt them by revisiting team goals and asking 'What would make us presidential in our delivery?' to fuel inspiration.
How do I prevent the session from going off-topic?
Set ground rules at the start and use gentle reminders to steer conversations back to the column themes if they drift.
Is this template suitable for non-US or international teams?
Yes—just introduce the theme with a playful, inclusive tone and clarify that the metaphors are about leadership, not real politics.
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