About the Rose, Bud, Thorn Template
Effective team reflection is about more than just listing wins and losses. The Rose, Bud, Thorn template offers a simple yet powerful framework to foster a balanced, insightful, and forward-looking conversation. By using the metaphor of a rose, your team can celebrate successes (the flower), honestly address challenges (the thorn), and—most importantly—nurture new ideas with potential (the bud). It’s a tool for turning reflection into real, continuous improvement.
How to use the Rose, Bud, Thorn template
Add your team's feedback. Begin by having everyone add their individual thoughts to the three columns. Capture the positives in "Rose," the negatives or challenges in "Thorn," and any developing ideas or opportunities in "Bud."
Cluster themes and generate insights. Group similar notes together to identify patterns. Use the AI-powered features to generate thoughtful questions that help your team dig deeper into the core issues and opportunities that have surfaced.
Discuss and decide on action items. With key themes and questions identified, facilitate a team discussion. Vote on the most critical items to address and define concrete action items. This ensures your retrospective leads to tangible next steps.
Why use the Rose, Bud, Thorn template?
Foster a balanced discussion. The three-part structure ensures your team gives equal weight to positives, negatives, and future opportunities, preventing the conversation from becoming one-sided.
Uncover hidden opportunities. The "Bud" category actively encourages your team to look forward and identify areas for innovation and growth, not just react to past events.
Promote psychological safety. Giving team members a structured and simple way to frame feedback makes it easier to share honest thoughts, leading to more productive and inclusive conversations.
Turn conversation into action. The template's workflow is designed to move your team from reflection to resolution, ending with a clear and agreed-upon plan for improvement.
