Sarah Drasner
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sarahedo.bsky.social
Sarah Drasner
@sarahedo.bsky.social
Opinions my own.

https://sarah.dev
Sr Director of Engineering @ Google: Core Web, Android, iOS Infrastructure
Formerly Vue Core •
Frontend Masters teacher •
O'Reilly Author •
https://www.engmanagement.dev/
https://github.com/sdras
For sure! There’s definitely intersection. The categorical distinction between the two don’t matter as much as making sure you talk about it IMO
November 9, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Beautiful! Thank you for sharing!
November 9, 2025 at 1:07 PM
For the first time, you as a leader have to go first, so people know it's ok. If you feel like trust is REALLY in the gutter, you can send out an anonymous form and then transcribe the elephants. Usually with every time you do this, people feel safer and safer. Now our team is quite used to it :)
November 6, 2025 at 7:36 PM
changing our org design, our communications, and overall strategy. Sometimes I take action items on what to raise above and outside the room as well.
November 6, 2025 at 7:34 PM
typically retros are looking backwards, where this can be very open to longstanding, deep, and future issues. People can bring up culture, org design, higher level strategy concerns (things not in the organization directly), anything goes.

These conversations have been very rich-
November 6, 2025 at 7:34 PM
I neglected to say the most important part- we talk through the issues, starting with the ones coming up the most or sometimes we do a vote.

It's lead to very rich and healthy discussions, changed the shape of our organizations, adjusted communications and strategy.
November 6, 2025 at 7:33 PM
This works well even if you don't have massive issues! It was developed by me, my Chief of Staff, Bryan Lee, and my PM Prasenjit Phukan.

We've been happy with how much we develop as a team to built trust and deal with issues together
November 6, 2025 at 2:18 PM
we try to meet quarterly but it ends up being 2-3 times a year, with other events. We usually do this twice a year.

We usually do elephants first because it's hard for anyone to focus on other stuff until the elephants are discussed
November 6, 2025 at 2:16 PM
No- because you're not doing a blameless postmortem, you're talking about the things that people are thinking and not saying or forward looking risks. There are elements to retro in there but it can be much deeper, like strategy or org shape or behavior
November 6, 2025 at 1:56 PM
It’s really great for flattening the org and talking through issues, because everyone gets gets a say no matter status or if they’re more quiet.
November 6, 2025 at 1:29 PM
Everyone uses post-its and places them in sections, and as a group, you tackle the issues. You can group them, add +1s to see who agrees and tackle the most voted ones first. When done well, the “tigers” and even “elephants” move into the paper tigers section.
November 6, 2025 at 1:29 PM
1,3,4 are very useful. 2- be careful what you ask for. Mine sings a little song of its people. It’s… not that helpful. I can put them away later?
October 26, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Well at least that’s nice and comforting
October 26, 2025 at 10:16 PM
I’m cruel that way
October 25, 2025 at 11:49 PM
Right
October 25, 2025 at 11:48 PM
Haha yes
October 25, 2025 at 11:47 PM
❤️❤️❤️
October 20, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Yeah the font license expired and I’ve written to them but I can’t get it back online. I’ll try again.
October 20, 2025 at 11:13 AM
👋
October 19, 2025 at 3:28 PM