“Retro Comes First” – Why Continuous Improvement Leads To Real Transformation
This is not meant to be another “you should do it like this” post, but the outcome of a personal retrospective on my past assignments.
Foreword
This is not meant to be another “you should do it like this” post, but the outcome of a personal retrospective on my past assignments. I’ve been guilty of thinking “we’ll start proper retros once the organisation is ready,” or squeezing in a rushed session at the end of a Planning Increment just to tick the box. I’ve downplayed timing, skipped follow-up, and failed to build the stamina needed for continuous improvement — and thus for real transformation.
I’ve learned the hard way: when you start by undervaluing retros, you make it almost impossible for the organisation to later see them as the engine of change. The baselines you set for timing and follow-up early on are incredibly hard to shift later.
Retros as the Core Drivers of Transformation
Agile transformations often focus on roles, roadmaps, and ceremonies. This is understandable, especially early on when delivery pressure is high. But without consistent, genuine, structured retrospectives, real improvement eventually stalls.
If you’re transforming just to deliver in shorter cycles — and not to improve how you work — you’re not truly transforming.
Behavioural change is hard: for individuals (oh boy, don’t I know it — I’d still like to fit into that old wetsuit…), for teams (it’s easier to stick with what we know), and for organisations (where unspoken rules run deep).
Real improvement needs continuous leadership attention and sometimes a firm hand. It’s not enough to ask “Did you hold the retro?” or check throughput metrics. Leaders must help create a system where everyone improves how they work, not just what they deliver. This builds a culture of improvement — and a company that’s both more competitive and better to work in.
More Than a Ceremony
Retrospectives aren’t for venting or blaming — they are the mirror and compass of the system. Done well, they reveal systemic issues long before OKRs or KPIs show them. They help teams refocus on how they work, not just what they work on.
Too often, retros are:
- Held late, rushed, or skipped.
- Lacking psychological safety.
- Ignored by leadership.
- Undermined by a belief that change isn’t possible.
Now imagine the opposite:
- Leaders review retro insights before delivery metrics.
- Systemic issues are acknowledged and addressed.
- Teams are expected — and supported — to try, learn, and improve.
- Improvement items get top priority, not leftover capacity.
Transformation begins when learning becomes intentional — and retros make that learning happen. Without structured reflection and room to experiment, there is no improvement; without improvement, transformation is just a new structure.
Final Remark
Like many personal change attempts, teams and organisations often try to change too much at once and fail. That failure chips away at belief in the ability to change at all.
Confidence grows through small, deliberate steps. Each successful improvement — even if some fail — builds the trust that “we can make changes, we can improve.” That trust unlocks a true continuous improvement culture.
A good Kaizen-style place to start: What is the smallest improvement you could try?
- Everyone on time to meetings?
- Everyone reading materials in advance?
Start small. Keep learning. Stay curious. Stay committed. Ignite the real engine of change.
