The Retro Is Not the Point

How to Run Retrospectives That Create Change, Not Just Conversation

You finish the sprint.
You book the retro.
You ask the questions.
You take notes.
Everyone nods.

Then nothing changes.

The retrospective is not the problem.
The way we run them is.

Why Retros Often Fall Flat

Too vague.
Too polite.
Too repetitive.
No clear follow-through.

Most teams do not hate retrospectives. They hate wasting time.
They have seen too many sessions lead nowhere.
So they stop being honest.
They stop caring.
And they stop showing up.

Signs You Are Going Through the Motions

These are the signs your retrospectives have lost their impact:

• Same feedback every time.
• No assigned owners or timelines for action items.
• People stop attending or contributing less.
• The team can predict what you are going to say.

You are checking a box.
Not building a learning culture.

How to Make Retros Matter

✅ Ask better questions. Instead of “What went well?” and “What didn’t?” try:

• What should we do more of?
• What do we need to stop tolerating?
• What slowed us down so that we can change?

✅ Go deeper than symptoms. If someone says communication was bad, ask why:

• Was it unclear ownership?
• Was it siloed workstreams?
• Was it because people didn't feel safe speaking up?

✅ Get specific and assign an action. Do not just capture ideas. Pick one thing to change. Give it an owner. Could you put it in the backlog?

✅ Start the next retro by reviewing the last one. Close the loop. Show people that speaking up leads to action.

💬 One PM in our community shared that he started every retro by saying, "Here is what we committed to last time, and here is what happened." It raised accountability across the board and made people speak more honestly because they knew it was not just talk.

Tips for Leading a Stronger Retro

Here are simple ways to make your retros more focused, engaging, and effective:

• Keep it short. Forty-five minutes is enough.
• Use silence intentionally. Let ideas emerge.
• Mix up formats. Try start, stop, continue. Try mad, glad, sad. Try anonymous input.
• Make it visual. Use boards or timelines so people see the big picture.

The goal is not to talk.
The goal is to learn and change together.

When Retros Are Working

You will know when it clicks.
You will see people take ownership.
You will see fewer repeated problems.
You will hear people say, "Let’s bring this up in retro," not "Let’s complain offline."

A good retro is not a meeting.
It is a mirror and a map.

And that's how real improvement is sparked between the milestones.

👇 Your Turn

Have you had to lead when someone above you was unclear or missing?

👉 Share your story in the comments below or respond to this email.

You might be featured in an upcoming spotlight!