Thank You
Recognize a person or group for specific support.
Example cards
- Thank you for pairing with me on the incident follow-up.
Keep in mind: Replace vague praise with a concrete contribution.
Team Building, Recognition
Appreciations Retrospective Template
Make recognition specific. Thank the people who helped, celebrate shared wins, and recognize contributions that made a meaningful difference.
15–20 min3 columnsRemote friendly
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See it in action
Drag example cards between columns or try voting to explore the format.
3 example cards · changes stay in this previewDrag cards between columns
Thank You1
Recognize a person or group for specific support.
Thank you for pairing on the incident follow-up.
Team Wins1
Celebrate an outcome the team achieved together.
We shipped the migration without customer downtime.
Above & Beyond1
Notice initiative, care, or invisible work that made a difference.
The onboarding guide helped two new teammates get started.
The prompts behind the format
What goes in each column?
Use these prompts and example cards to start a focused conversation.
Team Wins
Celebrate an outcome the team achieved together.
Example cards
- We shipped the migration without customer downtime.
Keep in mind: Credit the collaboration behind the result.
Above & Beyond
Notice initiative, care, or invisible work that made a difference.
Example cards
- The new onboarding guide helped two teammates get started.
Keep in mind: Do not make overtime or constant availability the standard.
Timeline
How to run it
Appreciations takes about 15–20 min. Here's the flow.
3
01
Set the tone
Explain the prompts and ask for specific, voluntary recognition rather than a popularity contest.
5
02
Write appreciations
Add cards that name a contribution and explain its impact. Include collaboration and less visible work.
8
03
Share the stories
Read cards together and give people space to add context. Do not rank colleagues by votes.
4
04
Carry it forward
Identify helpful practices the team wants to keep and close with thanks.
Best practices
- ✓Name the contribution and its impact.
- ✓Include less visible work such as mentoring and documentation.
- ✓Let participants choose whether to speak.
- ✓Keep recognition separate from performance ratings.
Common mistakes
- ✗Ranking people by the number of appreciation cards.
- ✗Celebrating unsustainable overtime as the expected norm.
- ✗Using positive feedback to avoid unresolved problems.
About this template
What is a Appreciations retrospective?
An Appreciations retrospective creates deliberate space to notice contributions that can disappear in a busy sprint. It helps teams acknowledge support, shared achievements, and thoughtful work that may not show up in delivery metrics.
LetRetro's version has three columns: Thank You, Team Wins, and Above & Beyond. Thank You recognizes direct help. Team Wins celebrates collective results. Above & Beyond highlights initiative or care that made a difference, without treating overtime or constant availability as an expectation.
Use this format after a release, at the end of a milestone, or as a short recognition session. Encourage participants to describe both the contribution and its impact. An appreciation session complements a problem-solving retrospective; it should not replace a discussion of unresolved friction or concerns.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the Appreciations retrospective columns?
LetRetro uses Thank You, Team Wins, and Above & Beyond to distinguish direct help, collective results, and meaningful initiative.
Should we vote on appreciation cards?
There is no need to rank recognition. Use the cards as prompts for sharing specific contributions and their impact rather than comparing people.
Can Appreciations replace our usual sprint retrospective?
It works well as a short recognition session, but unresolved problems still need a separate discussion or a broader retrospective format.
Is the Appreciations template free?
Yes. Appreciations is a built-in template available on the Free plan, subject to board and member limits.
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