Episode 4: Rose, Thorn, Bud

Rose, Thorn, Bud: Fixing Broken Retrospectives

Episode 4 of the Workshoper.io Podcast

Most retrospectives are either complaint festivals or fake celebrations where nobody says what they're really thinking. After sitting through countless retros where teams spend 45 minutes arguing about deployment pipelines and leave with zero actionable insights, hosts Bill and Sarah knew there had to be a better way.

In this episode, discover how three simple symbols—Rose, Thorn, Bud—can completely transform how teams reflect, creating honest conversations and turning problems into possibilities.

What you'll learn:

• Why the garden metaphor removes personal judgment and creates psychological safety
• How to run a traditional 25-minute RTB session or a lightning-fast 5-minute version
• Real examples of how thorns become buds (including how a client complaint led to an entire new product line at Autodesk)
• Variations for different team structures: daily standups, quarterly reviews, remote and hybrid teams
• The biggest mistakes people make and how to avoid them
• How to know if your RTB practice is actually working

Whether you're a product manager, designer, or team lead tired of unproductive retros, this episode gives you a proven framework that makes reflection honest, actionable, and even enjoyable.

Hosts: Bill and Sarah dive deep into workshops, exercises, techniques, and secrets that make design workshops actually work.

Visit workshopr.io/RTB for templates, timing guides, and digital tool recommendations.

Remember: Your team is like a garden—always growing, always changing, always full of potential.