Glad, Sad, Mad Retrospective Template
The Glad, Sad, Mad retrospective is an emotional check-in format that helps teams reflect on how a sprint or project made them feel — not just what happened. It’s a powerful way to surface hidden tensions, recognize wins, and build empathy across the team.
This format gives each team member space to share:
What made them feel glad
What left them feeling sad
And what made them mad or frustrated
This template is available through our Atlassian app SprintRetro (link coming soon).
Why this template?
Unlike more task-focused retros, Glad, Sad, Mad centers the team’s emotional experience. It’s especially useful after intense sprints, missed deadlines, or major milestones where the team’s morale and mindset matter just as much as delivery.
It creates a psychologically safe space to talk about what’s working — and what’s really not.
And like all templates in SprintRetro, it comes with a built-in Actions column and shows open items from past retros, helping you turn feelings into follow-up.
Template structure
The Glad, Sad, Mad template includes three emotional reflection columns:
😀 Glad
Call out the moments that brought satisfaction, pride, or joy — whether it was collaboration, a smooth launch, or something as simple as learning something new.
This column builds morale and encourages gratitude.
😞 Sad
Capture the disappointments. Maybe a feature didn’t land, a teammate was overloaded, or the team missed a goal. This is a safe space to acknowledge pain points.
Talking about them helps avoid emotional build-up and misalignment.
😠 Mad
Surface the frustrations that sparked stress, tension, or conflict. These insights often reveal broken processes, communication gaps, or deeper team concerns.
Handled constructively, this column becomes a catalyst for real change.
📝 Actions
Every Glad, Sad, Mad template in SprintRetro comes with an Actions column — so your team can agree on concrete next steps and keep track of outstanding items from earlier retros.
It ensures emotions lead to meaningful follow-through.
How to run the session
Create a safe space
Explain the purpose and tone of the retro. Let the team know it’s okay to be honest, but encourage respectful, constructive language. This format can be emotional — and that’s the point.Add reflections
Ask each team member to contribute to all three columns. Silent writing time helps people think clearly. Afterward, use reactions and comments to identify shared sentiments.Discuss and explore
Talk through key themes. Look for patterns: Is everyone “mad” about a recurring blocker? Is the team more “sad” than usual? Use this as a springboard to address underlying issues.Create action items
Turn feedback into action. Add next steps to the Actions column — and revisit them next retro to close the loop.
Try this template in SprintRetro
Use our free Glad, Sad, Mad retrospective template in the SprintRetro Atlassian app to surface emotions, build empathy, and improve how your team works — together.