Use Star Wars to Get People Talking at Retros

How I helped a team of quiet thinkers open up and improve

What’s the first word that comes to your mind when you think about the original Star Wars movies?

You just thought of a word.

Now, think of the first word that comes to mind when you consider meetings with uncomfortable silences. Think about the last time you’ve been in one. You know what I’m talking about. Someone asked a poignant or probing question and no one in the room was willing to answer so the question just stuck there, hanging in the midst like when my mom used to ask me, “Tristan, did you do your homework? All of it?”

If you are anything like most humans, you’ve experienced this in a Retrospective. It happens so often it’s the number one question I get when people want to improve this meeting. “Tristan, how do you get people to talk?”

There’s no magic wand. But there is a scientific trick of the trade that has helped me get people chatting almost immediately and, subsequently, throughout a retro. I like to call it The One Word Game.

1️⃣ The One Word Game

Nail the first 30 seconds of your meeting. Most people check out after the first 30¹ seconds, so you have to draw them in. If you do that, the chances everyone stays engaged skyrocket. When you get someone to speak in the first minute of your meeting, they are more likely to speak again and stay engaged. So here’s the details.

As soon as the meeting start time arrives, immediately launch into the One Word activity.

1. Ask the Question

   1. Starting with a random participant, ask them to give you the first word that comes to their mind when they consider…fill in the blank.

   2. Example: What’s the first word that comes to your mind when you think about the Star Wars Trilogy.

   3. Example: What’s the first word that comes to your mind when you think about the last few weeks of work? (This could give you insights for Retros)

2. Only allow one word

   1. Make it fun. Make it a game. Feel free to shame anyone that cannot comply.

3. More than one person can give the same word

   1. In fact, this could prove helpful. If multiple people think “Trash” when you ask about Star Wars, end the meeting immediately. If multiple people say “Frustrating” to the last few weeks of work, you know have a great place to lean in.

   2. Seriously, don’t let people say “Trash” about Star Wars.

4. Do Not Allow Justification

   1. Remember, you need everyone to check in quickly.

   2. You are also creating psychological safety, so no need to justify the word.

   3. No explanation is required, just the word. You can dig in later if needed.

   4. If someone starts to explain the word, gently say, “No need to justify. Your word is valid on its own. We might dig in later.”

5. Visibly capture the words

That’s it. With any luck, you now have a list of possible prompts for deeper conversation. The game is good for any meeting where creating engagement is needed, but it’s especially powerful when used in Retrospectives. Any list you compile can be reused to gather more insights, and they are direct from the horses mouth. Well, people’s mouth. Unless your team is made up of actual horses. Or Jedi, like from the original, non-trash Star Wars trilogy.

What if we meet resistance to giving a word?

This is totally fine, and you should expect it. Some people don’t do well giving a word on the spot. That’s why I allow people to say, “Pass.” This way, they have time to hear other words. More importantly, you accomplished the goal of getting them to speak. That’s right, even when someone speaks only to say Pass they are still speaking.

🛬 Landing the Plane

I’ve been teaching teams about the one word game for five years now and the results are in. In just the last few weeks, two people told me stories about using the One Word Game to boost engagement on their teams in their retrospective. They went from struggling to get people to say a single word to having them wax poetic about how The Empire Strikes back is the best Star Wars movie. It is, of course, and, while Return of the Jedi is the weakest, it’s still infinitely better than any of the newer trilogy. All because of One Word.

There are probably lots of ways you can break the ice. But let me ask you this, what’s the first word that comes to mind when you think of Ice Breakers? See what I did there? Most ice breakers are about as fun as watching Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker; painful and uninspiring. But life doesn’t have to be that way. You too can enjoy rich conversations. Use the steps above to get your team checked in, opening up, and engaging in powerful conversations.

Until next time, Keep Learning. Keep Growing.

1. According to this 2010 study by The Catholic University in Washington D.C.