Turn The Ship Around Retrospective

Welcome to the Turn the Ship Around Retrospective board! This board is designed to facilitate a productive and insightful retrospective session for product managers, engineers, and project managers. The Turn the Ship Around approach, inspired by David Marquet's book "Turn the Ship Around!", promotes a leader-leader model where team members take ownership and responsibility for their work's success.

About this template

The purpose of this retrospective is to reflect on past experiences, identify areas for improvement, and foster a culture of continuous learning and growth within your team. By leveraging the principles of Intent-Based Leadership, Trust & Respect, Empowerment & Accountability, and Continuous Improvement, you can create an environment that encourages collaboration, innovation, and high-performance.

How to use this template

Follow these step-by-step instructions to make the most out of this Turn the Ship Around Retrospective template.

1. Icebreaker activity

Start your retrospective session with the provided icebreaker activity. This activity aims to create a relaxed and open atmosphere, allowing team members to connect and engage with each other before diving into the core discussion. Use the "ICEBREAKER" section on the board to guide the activity.

2. Reflect on team dynamics

In the "Team Dynamics" section, explore how team members can support each other in a leader-leader model. Discuss strategies to build a sense of shared ownership and responsibility for the success of your work. Use the prompts in the "How can team members support each other?" and "How can team members build a sense of shared ownership?" cards to guide your discussion .

3. Identify leadership superpower

Move on to the "Identify and share your unique leadership superpower" section. Encourage team members to identify a strength or characteristic that positively contributes to their leadership abilities. Examples include active listening, adaptability, empathy, or problem-solving. Each team member should explain their superpower and how they leverage it to support a leader-leader approach .

4. Facilitate continuous improvement

In the "Continuous Improvement" section, discuss how a leader-leader approach can facilitate continuous improvement within your team. Explore ways to encourage team members to identify areas for improvement and take ownership of making changes. Consider implementing systems and processes that support ongoing learning and growth .

6. Foster trust & respect

Move to the "Trust & Respect" section and explore behaviors and actions that leaders can take to demonstrate trust in team members' abilities and judgment. Discuss strategies to encourage team members to trust and respect each other's contributions and perspectives .

6. Empowerment & accountability

In the "Empowerment & Accountability" section, focus on creating a culture of empowerment and accountability within your team. Brainstorm changes to processes and procedures that encourage greater autonomy and responsibility. Find ways to hold each other accountable for results while still allowing for experimentation and learning .

7. Align Goals with Intent-Based Leadership

Finally, in the "Intent-Based Leadership" section, discuss how to better align goals and intentions with the daily work. Explore ways to empower each other to take ownership and make decisions. Consider implementing structures that support this approach .

8. Evaluate the retro

After the discussion, it's time to evaluate the retrospective session. In the "RATE THE RETRO" section, use the provided rating icons (SHIPWRECK Poor, DINGHY Not Great, FISHING BOAT Good, MEGA YACHT Excellent) to rate the overall effectiveness of the retrospective. Place a book cover icon on your chosen rating.