GDD
One good and simple framework for retrospecting on something is good - difficult - different (GDD), supposedly coined by Marshall Goldsmith (I couldn’t find the primary reference).
When reflecting a situation, event, or anything, you ask yourself: What was good about it? What did I find difficult about it? What should be different about it? (A variation on the latter one is: What would I do differently next time?)
I’ve found this format helpful also in situations where things have gone really, really awry, some firefighting is needed, and a blame-free and non-judgmental analysis is necessary after the dust has settled. One may wonder what it could possibly be that would be good about a really bad situation - but keep in mind that the exercise should be run after the dust has settled: the process of discovering the badness and mitigating it is what’s under observation, not the bad situation in isolation.
In other words, if sh*t hits the fan, clean up the mess first, then sit down to analyse. There’s usually something to learn in there. Being able to dissect things in a structured way helps with that.
Tags: work