The first step in helping teams learn
When a startup’s founding team asked me to define its process for meetings, I was wary of force-fitting solutions to its context. To empower the group, we resolved to construct a prototype tailored to its unique needs.
Together we reviewed a variety of approaches and made a list of key elements that included roles, norms, and communication. Rather than implement all ideas at once, I suggested gradually introducing new practices through punctuated, iterative pilots. One team member turned and asked me, “If you could pick only one to start with, what would it be?” My gut told me the answer right away.
The essential building block of a learning organization is a team that learns. A group’s ability to integrate insights into collective experience propels continual improvement in their work and collaboration. One of the simplest and most effective structures for developing this capacity is Plus/Delta.
Plus/Deltas: a tool for team learning
Plus/Delta is a protocol to improve meetings or other recurring activities. Through its routine use, teams can align on which practices best support them in pursuit of their vision. Plus/Delta can be used with groups of any size.
The plus identifies what specifically the team did well during the designated session.
The delta names what might be changed to improve future meetings of this type.
Plus/Deltas are typically done in the last ten minutes of a session. To get started, create a two-column table on a flip chart, whiteboard, or digital interface like Google Workspace or Microsoft Teams.
Explain to the group the protocol’s purpose and what pluses and deltas are. Prompt the team with debrief questions like:
What specific actions helped us pursue our meeting and team objectives?
What could we have done better to achieve them?
Ask the team for either pluses or deltas and, after soliciting answers, move to the other side.
Facilitation tips for Plus/Delta
It’s about improvement: Team members may be reluctant to offer suggestions at first. To encourage both Pluses and Deltas, return often to purpose: to support the quality of the team’s work and collaboration.
Be specific: The more concrete, the more actionable in the future. Push participants beyond general statements toward specific actions. If someone says “we worked well together,” ask “What did we do that allowed that to happen?”
Focus on practices, not people: Refrain from attaching names to comments. All opinions are valid, and each member is capable of integrating the strong practices identified into their repertoire.
Solicit all voices: Promote participation from everyone, especially those who seemed quiet, disengaged, or frustrated during the meeting. Allocating a couple silent minutes for individuals to write Pluses and Deltas before sharing can improve the rate and quality of participation.
Be wary of consensus: Invite alternate and contradictory perspectives. You might say, “Each of us experienced this meeting differently. What could we have one better to support your learning better?”
Check your ego: The facilitator must be open to learning from people's perspectives. Discounting feedback can prevent others from speaking up.
Show that debriefs matter: Always make time to run the protocol. Help participants to see the value of full engagement by incorporating feedback into future sessions.
Regular debriefs like Plus/Delta build a culture of learning, trust, and ownership in the team’s work. Here’s an example of a completed Plus/Delta table one month into the startup team’s use.
