Mad-Sad-Glad
An emotion-centered retro format that surfaces feelings first, then connects them to events and actions. Helps teams develop emotional intelligence and psychological safety.
Sections
Create psychological safety. Remind the team that all emotions are valid.
What frustrated or angered you this sprint? What felt unfair or broken?
What disappointed you? What didn't meet your expectations?
What made you happy? What are you proud of or grateful for?
Look for patterns across emotions. What events triggered multiple feelings?
Define actions to address the strongest "Mad" and "Sad" themes.
Materials Needed
- •Board with 3 columns (red/blue/green)
- •Sticky notes in 3 colors
- •Markers
- •Tissues (just kidding... mostly)
Facilitator Script
“Today's retro is about how we feel. We're going to explore three emotions: Mad, Sad, and Glad. There are no wrong answers here - every feeling is valid. Think about the last sprint and write down what made you mad, what made you sad, and what made you glad. One item per sticky note. Let's start writing silently for 5 minutes.”
Pro Tip
Always end on Glad. Starting with Mad gets the frustrations out early, and ending with Glad sends the team off on a positive note.
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