Setting the stage by reading the Prime Directive is a fantastic way to help your team focus, align, and concentrate on creating a thoughtful and innovative retrospective experience. Bellow is a script all facilitators can use recite the Prime Directive while helping the team feel refreshed and focused on the discussion ahead. See our own COO, Niki Kohari in action as she leads the team in this retrospective visualisation.
Facilitator:
As we begin, please take a moment to remove any distractions that might pull you away from this activity. Take a deep breath and release whatever you were doing a moment ago and anything on your to-do list so you can be in this moment, right now.
I invite you to sit up tall, with your back straight but relaxed, and your entire body relaxed. Go ahead and place both feet flat on the floor, and rest your hands gently in your lap.
Once you’re in a comfortable position and whenever you’re ready, gently close your eyes if that feels good to you, or just take a soft gaze with your eyes open and focused downward.
Now, take a couple of deep breaths, breathing in and out through the nose.
Let go of any thoughts or expectations, and focus on the sensation of the breath for just a moment.
First, I’m going to read the prime directive by Norm Kerth with the hopes that this will help your team set a positive and results-focused tone for your conversation.
"Regardless of what we discover, we understand and truly believe that everyone did the best job they could, given what they knew at the time, their skills and abilities, the resources available, and the situation at hand." -Norm Kerth
Really take in that message and just notice how it sits with you as you breathe gently and deeply. What thoughts come up as you consider this quote? What emotions are you feeling? What sensations are showing up in your body?
Here’s that message again:
"Regardless of what we discover, we understand and truly believe that everyone did the best job they could, given what they knew at the time, their skills and abilities, the resources available, and the situation at hand."
Continue to relax, breathe naturally, and accept, to the extent that you’re able, whatever is present for you. If you notice your mind wandering to other things, just bring it back to the prime directive message or the feeling of your breath, whatever feels most appropriate for you right now.
Take a few more long deep breaths in this space.
Now, reflect on the last iteration of work or the project that brings you and your team to this retrospective meeting today. Really feel into the experience of what work was like for you during this time.
What thoughts come up as you reflect on your experience? What emotions show up for you? Do you feel any areas of tension, hesitation, appreciation, or excitement in your body? Maybe you feel nothing at all. Whatever you feel is valid and perfectly natural and you can explore those thoughts or feelings to the extent that you feel comfortable.
Stay here in curiosity, exploring your thoughts and feelings with openness as you continue to breathe.
Consider how the thoughts, emotions, or feelings you have about your iteration or project relate to the prime directive and its message of collaboration?
Here it is one more time before we start to wrap up this exercise:
"Regardless of what we discover, we understand and truly believe that everyone did the best job they could, given what they knew at the time, their skills and abilities, the resources available, and the situation at hand."
As we come to the end of this visualization session, I’d invite you to take anything important you observed with you into your day, whether it’s something you want to note for yourself or something you want to share with your team during your retrospective. And if nothing came up, that’s fine too.
Take one more moment of silence for yourself. Now, begin to bring your awareness back to the room and your surroundings.
If you’d like to bring some subtle movement into your feet and your hands, feel free to do that. Go ahead and take some mindful stretches and movements if that feels appropriate.
When you are ready, slowly open your eyes or focus your attention upward.
I invite you to take one last opportunity to check in with yourself and reflect on what you learned before starting your retrospective.
Thank you for taking this opportunity to pause with me, and I wish you and your team an engaging and effective retrospective.
Learn more ways to set the stage in chapter 2 of the Ultimate Guide to Agile Retrospectives.
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