Focus-on/Focus-off

⏱ 2 min  ·  📅 2026

Focus-on/Focus-off is a retrospective practice that reminds participants of four principles of productive communication at the start of the session. Its aim is to create a safe environment where the team can speak freely without a tendency to assign blame or defend positions. It takes 5 to 10 minutes.

Description

The name comes from the phrase that sums up what to focus on (focus-on) and what not to (focus-off):

Inquiry rather than advocacy,
dialog instead of debate,
conversation rather than argument,
understanding instead of defending.

In English:

Inquiry rather than advocacy,
Dialog instead of debate,
Conversation rather than arguments,
And understanding instead of defending.

How to apply it

1. At the start of the retrospective, the facilitator presents the phrase and briefly explains what each pair means.
2. It can be written on a whiteboard or flip chart and left visible throughout the session as an ongoing reminder.
3. If, during the session, the conversation drifts toward debate or defending positions, the facilitator can point to the poster as a gentle signal to recalibrate, without needing to interrupt with more words.

Why it works

Retrospectives produce more value when the team can explore causes and perspectives without anyone feeling singled out or judged. Focus-on/Focus-off sets that expectation explicitly from the start, reducing the likelihood that difficult conversations will escalate into conflict.

Common mistake

Presenting it as a mandatory rule instead of a shared agreement. If the facilitator presents Focus-on/Focus-off as "the rules of the meeting," the team may perceive it as a restriction. It works better as an invitation: "Are you OK with agreeing to work this way today?" The difference between an imposed rule and a shared agreement is small in words and large in its effect on the atmosphere of the session.

Resources

🔧 Diseñar una retrospectiva [Designing a Retrospective, in Spanish]Template · Scrum Manager

References

• Derby, Esther; Larsen, Diana. (2006). Agile Retrospectives: Making Good Teams Great. Pragmatic Bookshelf.

See also

Retrospective Working agreements Check-in ESVP Appreciations

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