Mad Sad Glad
Mad, Sad, Glad helps a team explore how it felt about the past sprint before moving on to the next one. By naming what made people angry, what saddened them and what brought joy, the team surfaces emotional signals that plain metrics miss. Done well, it builds emotional awareness, strengthens team spirit and turns frustration into a constructive conversation.
What is Mad Sad Glad?
Mad Sad Glad is a team organization tool used to encourage discussion of important issues. It provides a way to identify the strengths of a team and address any problems they face while working together. When used effectively, Mad Sad Glad can improve team satisfaction, morale, and teamwork.
How it works
- List events, issues or observations under the categories of "mad", "sad", or "glad" based on how they made team members feel.
- Emphasize listing behaviors or events, not blaming individuals.
- Initiate discussion through a voting process, starting with the topic that receives the highest number of votes.
- End the activity by discussing all the listed issues and proposing solutions if necessary.
Examples of Mad Sad Glad
- Mad: Lack of equal contribution, Inefficient communication, Lack of helpful feedback, Frequent unnecessary meetings.
- Sad: Not knowing the value of work being completed, Hard work not acknowledged, Difficulty communicating, Difficulty gelling as a team.
- Glad: Great team performance, Receiving team support, Flexibility in working hours, Innovative ideas and discussions.
How to run a Mad Sad Glad retrospective
- Gather team members and key stakeholders.
- Set ground rules: no blame, judgement, doubt, or negativity. Focus on a growth mindset, optimism, open-mindedness, and a psychologically-safe environment.
- Collect answers from team members on: what worked well, what didn't work well, and what solutions to improve the situation.
- Transfer answers to an online platform to create a chart.
- Discuss each topic one by one until all have been addressed.
Benefits of Mad Sad Glad
- Improves team dynamic and function.
- Provides a fun bonding exercise.
