What is the Anchors & Engines retrospective?
The Anchors & Engines retrospective is a simple yet powerful way to reflect on what's helping or hindering your team's progress. By identifying the 'anchors' that are slowing you down and the 'engines' that are propelling you forward, you can make adjustments to improve your velocity and performance. Using the metaphor of being on a speedboat, the team imagines that they are heading towards their island destination. The boat is then the desired outcome or deliverable. A way to represent a sense of urgency is to imagine that there are people on the island who need to food and medical supplies. The goal is to get to the island on time. This activity encourages open and honest discussion about the factors impacting your team, both positively and negatively. It provides a structured format to gather insights, build shared understanding, and develop actionable steps for optimizing your processes and ways of working. Whether you're facing roadblocks, inefficiencies, or want to capitalize on your momentum, the Anchors & Engines retrospective offers a valuable opportunity for continuous improvement.
Anchors & Engines retrospective format
Anchors
What factors are slowing us down or holding us back?
Encourage the team to openly discuss challenges, obstacles, and areas for improvement without judgment.
Engines
What factors are driving us forward and enabling our success?
Encourage the team to celebrate wins, recognize strengths, and identify positive practices to reinforce.
When to use this retrospective
- To identify and address bottlenecks, inefficiencies, or roadblocks impacting your team's progress.
- To recognize and reinforce the practices, processes, and behaviors that are driving your team's success.
- To foster open communication, shared understanding, and continuous improvement within your team.
- To gather insights and perspectives from all team members, promoting inclusivity and diverse viewpoints.
Suggested icebreaker questions
- If our team were a vehicle, what kind would it be and why?
- Share a recent 'anchor' or 'engine' moment you experienced outside of work.
Ideas and tips for your retrospective meeting
- Encourage participation from all team members, ensuring everyone has a chance to contribute their perspectives.
- Foster a safe and judgment-free environment where team members feel comfortable sharing honest feedback.
- Prioritize the identified anchors and engines based on their impact and feasibility of addressing them.
- Develop specific action plans to mitigate the anchors and reinforce the engines, assigning owners and timelines.
- Follow up on the action items in subsequent retrospectives to track progress and ensure continuous improvement.
- Consider involving stakeholders or subject matter experts if their input could provide valuable insights.
New to retrospectives? Read our guide on how to run a retrospective →
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