Why this matters
Things change ultra-fast - stability and lack of risk are no longer possible. What is required of us is a collection of acts of courage, from the small ones of raising an unconformable point, to the major ones of attempting things that are new and unheard of. Constant challenge. Constant push.
A new paradigm where showing up and applying what we know is no longer sufficient, but where we are expected to show up and be wide open and ready to fail, learn and adapt every day.
Make this entire meeting about the importance of being really courageous and brave with each other, and making it safe to do that in this team bubble.
How to run it
- 1
Team leader asks everyone to prepare in advance one of their inspirational Courage Stories maybe of an idol, or an animal or a behaviour they’ve seen that inspired them from the point of view of bravery. Share these with each other for insta-inspiration.
- 2
Permission Slip Passing Exercise. Everyone passes a Permission Slip to the left on their screen. First take a minute to think and then pass your permission slip one by one, which could be, “You have permission to speak in every retro” or, “Here is permission that you swear,” or,”Have this permission to just tell us when something is bothering you.” This is whatever you’ve noticed that the other person might be holding back from and needs some help for doing.
- 3
Vulnerability Pledge. To take this into action, everyone makes a pledge based on the Courage Stories and Permission Slips. For example:
- “I promise in the next month to speak up at least once.”
- “I will point out if I see a mistake.”
- “I promise to tell you something that would otherwise be slightly embarrassing.”
- “I pledge that I will open up about a topic that I would otherwise have thought is personal or dangerous to me.”
- 4
Keep these pledges written down somewhere and circle back in them in your next retro.
What next
Keep an eye on improvement variation for 3 months then return if you have not achieved the desired result.
Related resources
- Taking "Courage" From Empty Rhetoric To Actionable Wins (article)
- Courage Hackathons (video)