Purpose

The Wish Granted Retrospective asks each team member to imagine they have one wish to improve the team or the way they work. By framing improvement as a wish, the exercise bypasses the usual constraints-first thinking and encourages creative, aspirational ideas. It is a great way to surface what people truly want but may not feel comfortable requesting directly.

At a glance

• Group size: 3–12 people
• Duration: 15 minutes
• Difficulty: Beginner
• Facilitation style: Semi-structured
• Setting: Both / Remote-friendly

How to run

1. Ask each participant: if you had one wish for the team or our way of working, what would it be? (2 minutes to think and write).
2. Each person shares their wish and briefly explains why (5 minutes).
3. Group similar wishes and discuss themes (4 minutes).
4. Identify which wishes are actually achievable and agree on 1–2 actions to make them real (4 minutes).

Materials needed

• Sticky notes or index cards
• Whiteboard
• Markers
• Timer

Pitfalls & common mistakes

• Wishes being too vague (e.g., better communication) — ask for specifics.
• Dismissing wishes as unrealistic before exploring them.
• Not converting any wish into a concrete experiment.

Inclusion & accessibility

• Anonymous wish submission helps surface sensitive desires.
• The wish format is low-pressure and accessible for newcomers.
• Allow wishes in any form: text, drawing, or verbal.

Variations

• Three Wishes: each person gets three wishes of different sizes (small, medium, big).
• Genie Lamp: add constraints: one wish for the team, one for yourself, one for stakeholders.
• Wish + Offer: pair each wish with something you are willing to offer in return.

When NOT to use this

• When the team needs to analyze a specific incident or problem.
• When there is a strong need for data-driven reflection.

Source & further reading

• Agile coaching community creative retrospective practices.
• Retromat (retromat.org).