Here’s an example of why you need working agreements at the start of the retrospective: Fran’s cell phone starts ringing just as the group broaches a sensitive topic. At this point, it’s awkward to say, “Don’t answer that phone!” And it feels capricious to people when they learn what the rules are only after they’ve been broken. If your team has a working agreement that says “Mobile phones on silent during meetings,” it’s less disruptive to point to the agreement and end the interruption. It also feels more fair to the people in the retrospective. The last thing you want is to look like a
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