Mad Sad Glad Template + Facilitation Guide
"Leave your emotions at the door."
This is terrible advice for agile teams. Software development is creative, collaborative, and stressful. Ignoring emotions leads to burnout.
The Mad Sad Glad retrospective is designed to bring these feelings into the open so they can be addressed constructively.
The Categories Explained
😡 Mad
What drove you crazy? What stopped you from doing your best work?
Examples:
- "The VPN kept dropping."
- "I was interrupted 10 times on Tuesday."
- "The requirements changed 3 times."
😢 Sad
What disappointed you? What did you wish happened but didn't?
Examples:
- "We missed the deadline."
- "The client didn't like the design."
- "I didn't get to pair program."
😁 Glad
What made you happy? What are you proud of?
Examples:
- "We fixed that nasty memory leak."
- "The team lunch was fun."
- "New laptop arrived!"
Facilitation Guide: Handling Emotions
Facilitating this retro requires a delicate touch.
1. Create Safety First
Remind everyone that "Mad" is not about attacking people. It is about attacking problems.
2. Validate, Then Solve
When someone shares a "Mad" card, don't jump to solutions immediately.
Bad: "Oh, the VPN is slow? Just use the other server."
Good: "That sounds incredibly frustrating. Losing connection mid-commit is the worst. How many others faced this?"
3. Turn Sadness into Action
"Sad" often points to missed opportunities.
If someone is sad they didn't learn a new technology, create an action item: "Schedule a React learning session next sprint."
When to Use It
- After a "Death March": If the team worked overtime to hit a deadline, they need to vent.
- When Morale is Low: If the team seems quiet or disengaged.
- After a Failure: If a release broke production, there will be a lot of "Sad" and "Mad". Get it out in the open.
Conclusion
The "Mad Sad Glad" retro is a pressure valve. By letting the steam out in a controlled environment, you prevent explosions later.
Try it now: Clear Retro includes this template for free.