Preparation
01 · Define the period to review
02 · Set up the space
03 · Gather materials
04 · Establish a trust contract
05 · Set timing
Step-by-step instructions
1
Opening and context-setting (5 min)
- The facilitator explains the three categories with concrete examples from the team's context.
- Emphasize that all emotions are valid and the goal is improvement, not blame.
2
Silent individual reflection (10-15 min)
- Each participant writes their thoughts on sticky notes or digital cards, one idea per card.
- Mad: What situations frustrated or angered you? What do you feel needs to change?
- Sad: What saddened or disappointed you? What opportunities were missed?
- Glad: What made you happy or proud? What do you want to see repeated?
3
Share and post on the board (15-20 min)
- Each person places their cards in the corresponding column and reads them aloud.
- The facilitator clusters similar ideas to identify patterns without cutting off the conversation.
4
Dialogue and prioritization (15-20 min)
- The group discusses the themes that appear most often or generate the most resonance.
- Dot voting can be used to prioritize the most important topics.
5
Defining actions (10-15 min)
- For prioritized Mad and Sad themes, the team proposes concrete improvement actions.
- For Glad themes, agree on how to maintain and amplify what is working well.
- Each action should have a clear owner and deadline.
6
Closing (5 min)
- The facilitator summarizes the commitments made and thanks the group for their honesty.
- Agreements are recorded in a shared document accessible to the whole team.
Materials
Physical board or whiteboard divided into three columns, or equivalent digital tool
Sticky notes in three distinct colors (one per category)
Markers or pens
Dot stickers for dot voting
Agreement log (shared document or follow-up template)
Timer to manage timing of each phase
Digital tools
Practical tips
- Build psychological safety first: Without trust, people will only share neutral observations. Spend time establishing confidentiality and no-judgment norms before starting.
- Balance all three columns: If the team only fills Mad and Sad, actively facilitate the search for positive moments. Recognizing achievements is as important as identifying problems.
- Don't stop at emotions — move to actions: The retrospective only has value if it generates concrete commitments. Always close with clear actions, owners, and deadlines.
- Make it a regular practice: This activity works best as a recurring routine (each sprint, each month) rather than a one-off event. Consistency builds the habit of continuous improvement.
- Adapt the format for larger groups: With larger teams, run the activity in subgroups first and then integrate results in plenary to maintain depth of conversation.
Inspiration
- Software development teams using Mad-Sad-Glad at the close of each sprint to review both deliverables and the team's interpersonal dynamics and emotional climate.
- Organizations undergoing cultural transformation who run this monthly to monitor the emotional pulse of their teams throughout the change process.
- Corporate training programs that apply Mad-Sad-Glad at the close of each learning module to continuously improve the educational experience.
- Volunteer teams and nonprofits using it after campaigns or events to strengthen community bonds and learn collectively from shared experiences.
