3-2-1: Workshop Weekly #18

This week's newsletter is about improving team productivity in 2024, emoji agreements, and a healthy work-life balance.

Let's go!

– Arthur

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Three Workshop Examples

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1: Improve Team Productivity in 2024

As we are about to say goodbye to 2023, it's natural to reflect on the highs and lows of the year—what worked, what didn't, and how we can level up in 2024.

But here's the catch: relying on a once-a-year reflection might mean missing out on crucial insights.

Let's face it, recalling every win and loss from the past 12 months is like trying to remember what you had for lunch last Tuesday—it's tough!

And in the world of team productivity, overlooking these details can lead to repeated missteps.

Fifteen years ago, this was my game-changer: Reflecting bi-weekly with my team, focusing on a specific topic, and creating action items for the next two weeks.

Why does this matter for 2024?

1. Accountability Boost: Reflecting together means holding each other accountable. You're not alone with the highs and lows; your team is right there with you, sharing insights and perspectives.
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2. Building Better Habits: Good habits lead to success, and retrospectives are your weapon for cultivating them. Identify what's working well, reinforce those positive habits, and collectively break the ones holding you back.
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3. Conscious Decision-Making: Regular reflection sharpens your awareness. It's like having a compass that keeps you on course. You'll make more conscious decisions, avoiding pitfalls you might have missed in an annual reflection.

So, as we step into 2024, let's make a pact:

Take 30 minutes every other week with your team to unlock your team's full potential.

You can use any of my free Miro templates (beginner to advanced):

​https://www.workshopwednesday.co/retrospective-templates​

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2: Nine Signals of Bad Retrospectives

Retrospectives are a game-changer to build healthy team habits (and break bad ones).

But retrospectives done wrong are counterproductive.

Here's how to recognize bad retrospectives:

1. Team members are making up excuses not to join the retro.
2. People are joining the retro but are multi-tasking (or not participating).
3. The retro is focused on complaining about the lack of progress since the last retro.
4. People are leaving the retrospective feeling underwhelmed.
5. Retrospectives are starting to feel repetitive.
6. No action items are created during the retro.
7. There is no follow-up on our action items.
8. Retrospectives have the same format every time.
9. Teammates feel overwhelmed when trying to solve too many things at once.

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3: Seven Practical Ways for More Engaging Retrospectives

1. Focus on big and small wins.
2. Keep retrospectives short (45 minutes or less).
3. Help people come in prepared with a clear agenda and steps.
4. Mix the activities in your retrospective.
5. Have a clearly visible common goal for why you do retros.
6. Make every retro a workshop (instead of meetings).
7. Have clear ownership of action items.

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Two Async Tips

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1: Emoji Agreements

Not every message needs a written reply.

But getting zero response on a well-crafted message stinks.

Emojis are a quick and effective way to give quick replies but are still heavily underused.

But what emoji do you use when?

Here are some examples for

1. ✅ = Task Completed
2. 🤔 = Need Input or Discussion
3. 🎉 = Celebrate a Win
4. 🚧 = Facing Challenges
5. 👀 = Review or Taking a Look
6. 🔄 = In Progress
7. 📣 = Important Announcement

So take 10 minutes to document some Emoji Agreements for your team, and don't forget to have some fun.

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2: Victory Voice Memos

Typing out your team wins is great, but imagine the impact of hearing the excitement, passion, and genuine joy in a teammate's voice when sharing a success.

It's like capturing the essence of the victory in a bottle, ready to be uncorked whenever you need a boost.

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So the next time you're about to share a victory, just hit that record button in tools like Whatsapp, Slack, or Teams.

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One Question For Your Team

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That's all for this week. If you enjoyed today's issue, please reply (it helps with deliverability). If you didn't, you can unsubscribe via the link👇.

See you next Wednesday — Arthur​

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