Hindsight Retros Podcast

About Hindsight Retros Podcast

Hindsight Retros Podcast shares retrospectives with people from different walks of life, and highlights lessons on how to use retrospectives to live an ever-improving life. hindsightretros.substack.com (https://hindsightretros.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast)

Publisher

Sue Lueder and John Reese

Category

education · leisure

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

6 Sept 2024

Latest episode

15 Feb 2025

Latest episodes

14 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   15 Feb 2025

   Wrapping up the Hindsight Retros Podcast

   John and I are wrapping up the Hindsight Retros Podcast, with this episode being a retro on our partnership. We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who’s been a guest on our podcast, and to all of our listeners. While this may be the final episode, the catalog of episodes will be available online for the foreseeable future; feel free to share with your friends. We hope this project sparked new ideas and perspectives on reflecting on your personal experiences with a blameless retro approach. Main Takeaways from this Episode Start with the End In Mind Discuss and document individual and shared goals of a partnership early on and regularly revisit them to ensure alignment. While goals don’t have to be identical, identifying where they overlap or may be in conflict early can prevent later misunderstandings. Plan for specific decision points or milestones to reach and agree to discuss the partnership's performance against those milestones. These checkpoints allow for necessary pivots to improve the partnership or signal a need to exit gracefully before becoming trapped in the sunk cost fallacy (https://positivepsychology.com/sunk-cost-fallacy/#:~:text=The%20sunk%20cost%20fallacy%20recognizes,Positive%20CBT%20Exercises%20for%20free.). Communication Effective communication is essential for a successful partnership, requiring ongoing effort and openness. Rather than relying solely on goodwill, develop habits to make sure disagreements get surfaced before they fester. For example, make it a habit of asking for difficult feedback periodically, or agree to use a well documented model like Radical Candor (https://www.radicalcandor.com/) or Crucial Conversations (https://cruciallearning.com/books/crucial-conversations-book/). Listen to your feelings; even if things seem on the surface to be going OK, your intuition may be giving you important signals about issues that need to be surfaced. A useful metaphor from lean manufacturing is the Andon (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andon_(manufacturing)) which gives anyone on the team the license to pull a cord to stop production to address an issue. Personal Styles We all collaborate and communicate differently, and that can lead to challenges or misunderstandings. Although personality frameworks such as True Colors (https://www.truecolorsintl.com/), Myers Briggs (https://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/myers-briggs-overview/), or Enneagram (https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/type-descriptions/) have limitations, they can provide a shared framework for fostering mutual understanding and improving teamwork. Talk through preferences and styles early on and create a shared understanding of how you can work best together with others that have different styles. The Hindsight Retros Blameless Approach to Retrospectives The four questions to ask in any retrospective: * What Worked? * What Didn’t Work? * Where did we get Lucky? * What will we do differently next time? As you answer these 4 questions adopt these mindsets: * Blameless attitude: avoid blaming yourself or others for what went poorly as this will create an environment of fear and will close our minds to learning * Systemic Perspective: consider all contributing factors to the situation when examining what went well or not well. This includes the role of luck or happenstance both positively and negatively * Forward Looking: use the exercise to look ahead for how the learning applies to future experiences and goals * Growth Mindset: open your mind to growth and change to maximize lasting improvements to your life * Pattern Matching: look beyond a single experience and seek patterns in your life that can lead to deeper change for you and your relationships Links to resources from the episode * On collaboration * The Book You Were Born to Write (https://a.co/d/h703v97) * Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away (https://www.amazon.com/Quit-Power-Knowing-When-Walk/dp/0593422996) * Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity (https://www.amazon.com/Getting-Things-Done-Stress-Free-Productivity-ebook/dp/B00KWG9M2E) * Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well (https://www.amazon.com/Thanks-Feedback-Science-Receiving-Well-ebook/dp/B00DMCV0XE) * Podcasting Subreddit (https://www.reddit.com/r/podcasting/) * On our passions * Several Short Sentences About Writing by Klinkenborg, Verlyn (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0078XCQMW/) * 5 Rules for Good Writing | David Foster Wallace (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJJ68EWPeHs) * Google Project Management Certificate Agile Course (https://www.coursera.org/learn/agile-project-management?specialization=google-project-management) * Headspace (https://www.headspace.com/) * Sketchbook Drawing App (https://www.sketchbook.com/) Contact * Follow Sue Lueder on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/suelue/) * Email Sue Lueder (mailto:smlueder@gmail.com) * Follow John Reese on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/johntruscottreese/) and Medium (http://jjttrr.medium.com) * Email John Reese (mailto:john.reese@gmail.com) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hindsightretros.substack.com (https://hindsightretros.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

2. 

   7 Feb 2025

   Debugging a Brain

   About our Guests Jenee Hughes worked at Google as a Site Reliability Engineer for 11 years, where she cut her teeth on the Search SRE team before moving over to Identity SRE. She's currently on a largely-analog sabbatical, dipping her toes back into the world of backyard farming and emergency resilience, while also writing two books, attending various classes, and doing SRE consulting for startups that particularly interest her. She can be found at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeneehughes/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeneehughes/). Main Takeaways from this Episode When dealing with an unknown medical situation, collect documentation of all evidence. Phones make it easy to collect photos and videos with built-in timestamps. Track additional data in spreadsheets, and don’t forget to record the date and time that things happen to your body. Advocate for yourself. Medicine is still a developing field; doctors are still learning, and they can make mistakes. And remember that what matters is your body and your health as a whole; the fact that a test comes back saying you don’t have some specific condition doesn’t mean that something else isn’t wrong. Doctors form hypotheses, and then use procedures (e.g. blood draws) to test them. Ask the doctors for insight into the debugging process they’re going through: what’s the hypothesis, and how does the procedure test it? Ask your loved ones for help; a support system is essential, whether you have no idea what’s going on and just need help surviving and documenting the condition, or if the condition’s now understood and you’re following a laborious plan of recovery. The brain and the body are machines; modern science doesn’t completely understand them, but we’ve learned a whole lot about them. Learning how they work can give you back some power and control when it feels like your body is letting you down. And sharing when you go through something scary can be a service to others; it lets them know these problems are real and, in many cases, can be treated. Functional Neurological Disorder The Stanford Functional Neurological Disorder page (https://med.stanford.edu/psychiatry/patient_care/fnd.html) has many interesting videos explaining the disorder and its treatment, and in the process, shedding a lot of light on how the brain works. (Some of the videos do not allow direct linking, so in order to make clear which video I’m talking about, I’ll refer to its title and the length, which at least at the moment that I write this are written below each video thumbnail.) This 53 minute video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfLv5jMJlOw) (“Stanford Health Library: Functional Neurological Disorder with Drs. Lockman and Bullock”) was the one Jenee originally watched; the 4 minute video, “Educational animation of patients and families showing how the brain works in FND and the effects of treatment,” is a more recent creation that’s boiled down to its essence, suitable for communicating not only to people who are affected, but to their family and loved ones. The diagnosis process was still brand new at the time Jenee was being diagnosed. Based on feedback from her and others during this time, experts improved the diagnosis process and encapsulated the lessons into the 20 minute video entitled “How to deliver the diagnosis of FND and treatment options utilizing the neuroscience of FND.” In Jenee’s words, “If the brain is the computer, FND is a software problem, not a hardware problem. Fixing FND is like fixing the software by using the buggy software. The Epley Maneuver The Epley Maneuver (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epley_maneuver) is a way of treating benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benign_paroxysmal_positional_vertigo). John Epley risked his career to publish it in 1979, as described in his obituary (https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/oregon/name/john-epley-obituary?id=14185456&fhid=2246), and it’s only become widespread in the last twenty years; Jenee speculates this may be because YouTube and other video hosting sites make it easier to demonstrate. Check out this New York Times article (https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/01/science/an-easy-fix-for-vertigo.html). Best Practice Links * Pre-mortem - Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-mortem) * Functional Neurological Disorder Program | Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences | Stanford Medicine (https://med.stanford.edu/psychiatry/patient_care/fnd.html) * What Is WRAP? - Wellness Recovery Action Plan (https://www.wellnessrecoveryactionplan.com/what-is-wrap/) * Epley maneuver - Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epley_maneuver) Product Links * A Brief History of Intelligence (https://www.amazon.com/Brief-History-Intelligence-Evolution-Breakthroughs/dp/0063286351) * Jill Bolte Taylor: My stroke of insight | TED Talk (https://www.ted.com/talks/jill_bolte_taylor_my_stroke_of_insight) Contact * Follow us at hindsightretros.substack.com (http://hindsightretros.substack.com) * Email us at feedback@hindsightretros.com (mailto:feedback@hindsightretros.com) * Follow us on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/hindsightretros/) * Follow Sue Lueder on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/suelue/) * Follow John Reese on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/johntruscottreese/) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hindsightretros.substack.com (https://hindsightretros.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

3. 

   24 Jan 2025

   Taylor Swift Cinematic Universe

   About our Guests Nathan Yan is the DJ/event producer at All Your Stupid Friends (https://www.instagram.com/all.your.stupid.friends/), a dance party production. He is formerly an engineer at Robinhood and LinkedIn, and currently lives in Silverthorne, Colorado where he plans Taylor Swift parties and spends too much time chasing ski records. You can find him on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/thedustyrover) or LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nyancat/). Main Takeaways from this Episode Niche Communities Online and in the Real World Humans are wired for connection. Social media has allowed many to find communities around shared interests, no matter how niche – from spooky lakes to Taylor Swift. Platforms like MeetUp.com (http://meetup.com), Facebook (http://facebook.com), and others provide ample opportunities to make these connections online. Relying exclusively on social media does have limitations. Sociologist and clinical psychologist Sherry Turkle (https://www.ted.com/talks/sherry_turkle_connected_but_alone) warns these tools can fall short of providing the connection we crave. Nathan talks about the crucial moment in his journey when he realized he needed to put down roots in order to have friends and community in the real world. What might have started as a standard trivia night at a local bar evolved into an even deeper connection with a niche community of Taylor Swift fans. This discovery of others who really understand and share our quirks and unusual interests can transform our sense of belonging much more so than vanilla or standard events. In Nathan’s story we see him create this opportunity for his local community, and people like him truly enrich our world by creating these unique and bespoke gatherings. Runbooks When faced with a complex event or process to execute, many of us at work will rely on runbooks or playbooks to reduce risk of something going wrong. Some key components of a runbook are: * Purpose or goals of this event/process * Required materials and resources before initiating the event/process * Detailed procedures to follow during the event/process * Troubleshooting guide in the event something goes awry Runbooks provide a valuable framework, allowing us to meticulously plan and document the process while we are calm and collected, minimizing the risk of errors or overlooking important steps during the execution. While runbooks can make your event or process more efficient, there is some risk that the spontaneity of the event will suffer. If your event is enlivened by the emergence of fun or creativity in the moment, consider making the runbook a general outline for the experience as opposed to a strict step by step process that cannot be adjusted on the fly. Running Retrospectives Nathan created a spreadsheet to enter his assessment of each event right after it happened. This allowed him to monitor the history of his events and notice and celebrate the improvements in each event as well his own experience over time. If you have an event or experience that repeats periodically, consider what criteria matters most to you. Here are a few other examples to inspire you: * Spring Cleaning: * Number of items donated to charity * Best cleaning materials * Family Teamwork * Team Pool Tournament * Pre-match pep-talk * Skill level matchups * Post tournament celebrations * Annual Halloween Party * Best new decoration * Guest favorite spooky appetizer dish * Pieces of candy given to trick-or-treaters Our insights and observations fade over time, so capturing these ideas immediately following an event provides the greatest opportunity for improvement. Product Links Taylor swift albums on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/artist/06HL4z0CvFAxyc27GXpf02?si=VY5blCfYROuxxj0ELAvTug) Pink Fuzzy Cat ears (https://a.co/d/5daapVN) Taylor Swift Biography (https://a.co/d/5daapVN) Taylor Swift Party Decorations (https://a.co/d/7ykpBbr) Contact * Follow us at hindsightretros.substack.com (http://hindsightretros.substack.com) * Email us at feedback@hindsightretros.com (mailto:feedback@hindsightretros.com) * Follow Sue Lueder on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/suelue/) * Follow John Reese on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/johntruscottreese/) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hindsightretros.substack.com (https://hindsightretros.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

4. 

   10 Jan 2025

   Assisting Parents into Assisted Living

   About our Guests Michelle (AKA Shelly) de la Calle is Director of System Integration at County of Santa Clara Health System. You can find Michelle on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-de-la-calle-638039a9/). Sue Lueder is one of the podcasters and founders of the Hindsight Retros Project, and Michelle’s sister. She can be found on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/suelue/). Jack Lueder is the father of Sue and Michelle and a retired aerospace engineer from Lockheed Martin. Main Takeaways from this Episode Instead of complex open-ended questions, ask specific, finite questions. E.g. instead of “Which of your possessions are important to you?” a question like “What are the top three things in this room that are most important to keep?” Open-ended questions are harder to answer, whereas specific and finite questions are easy and approachable and can give you enough data points that you can start to guess how they would answer questions you might discover later. Ask for help from your support system. Many of us default to struggling with frustration silently, but our friends and family may be happy to hear you vent and/or discuss solutions. And pay it back – when you’re in a place of stability, pay it back, be the support others need. It could be valuable to have a pre-action briefing, assigning tasks, setting up a safe word, overcommunicating about expectations – before activity has started, and while everybody’s calm. The move into assisted living is not always a fun one, but it’s easier to talk about before an emergency makes it an absolute necessity. It will be a smoother transition if the elders are relatively healthy physically and mentally during the move, and most facilities have a sliding scale of assistance. Here are some tips: * When you broach the subject, make sure it’s during a relaxed time and everyone is alert and ready to discuss. * Give them a heads up that you want to have the talk and try not to surprise them. * When discussing the reasons for the move, focus on their wellbeing and safety, and emphasize the positive aspects of these facilities, such as less work for them, more social interaction, and oftentimes better amenities such as meals and environment. * If your parents have friends or family members who have already moved, have your parents talk to them to get their impressions and (hopefully) sing the praises of their new situation. * Talk about the reasons to move proactively, before assistance becomes a critical need – that is, before parents lose more of their faculties or health. When setting up the new place, be thoughtful about what makes a living place a “home.” How do you make a new space feel like your own? It’s going to be different for everyone, but with the right questions and introspection you can prepare a new space to be your home with less risk of transfer trauma (https://carepatrol.com/blog/what-is-transfer-trauma-and-how-to-avoid-it). Here are some ideas: * Think about the important spaces within a home, like a place to read mail, an armchair to read books, or a comfy couch to watch Netflix. Involve your parents in identifying and recreating these homey spaces. Even better if you can set them up before the move date so that they’re ready straight away. * Clutter can be a big problem for anyone in a new home, but for parents who may be more prone to overwhelm it can be even worse. Think about creating a spot to capture those miscellaneous items that don't have a storage location and help your parents get them organized. * Many parents may be attached to personal rituals like cooking, gardening, or laundry – things that might be handled by the assisted living facility. Sue and Shelly’s parents liked to cook, and make coffee. If space permits, it can be comforting to bring the gear for those activities, even if it’s not technically necessary, to help relieve the feeling of losing control or freedom. * Review the decor in the original home, and identify new spots in the new place and don't delay in getting these into place. Digital photo frames can be a great housewarming gift. * Find family photos to post around the home. If one or more of your parents are dealing with memory issues, they may have trouble associating the new location with the word “home;” Sue and Shelly had luck using the term “new home” to help bridge this gap. The reminder that a change is occurring may help the person with memory issues feel less disoriented. It can be valuable to do research to figure out a reasonable timeframe for a project – e.g. you can search how long it takes to pack up and move out of a house of a certain size. Best Practice Links Assisted Living Move Checklist (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ijrwid1S4UhqvwgjPxTafYtANg9qFj6-XEjbnwqZUu0/edit?tab=t.0) What is Transfer Trauma and How to Avoid It (https://carepatrol.com/blog/what-is-transfer-trauma-and-how-to-avoid-it) Product Links Digital Picture Frame (https://a.co/d/7fsgKbl) For getting rid of stuff: * https://buynothingproject.org/ (https://buynothingproject.org/) * https://www.goodwill.org/ (https://www.goodwill.org/) * https://www.freecycle.org/ (https://www.freecycle.org/) * https://www.habitat.org/ (https://www.habitat.org/) Contact * Follow us at hindsightretros.substack.com (http://hindsightretros.substack.com) * Email us at feedback@hindsightretros.com (mailto:feedback@hindsightretros.com) * Follow us on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/hindsightretros/) * Follow Sue Lueder on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/suelue/) Follow John Reese on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/johntruscottreese/) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hindsightretros.substack.com (https://hindsightretros.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

5. 

   27 Dec 2024

   How to Edit a Sprawling 446,431 Word Novel

   About our Guests John Reese is a weird fiction novelist, podcaster, and former SRE at Google and Robinhood. You can find John on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/johntruscottreese/) and Medium (https://jjttrr.medium.com/). Main Takeaways from this Episode Gamification as a powerful mind tool Gamification (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamification) refers to the use of game design tactics and strategies in non-game environments to motivate and engage us. It takes advantage of our evolved desire for achievement, competition, and recognition to make everyday or less enjoyable tasks more enjoyable. Here's how you could apply gamification to your next home improvement project: * Points, Levels, and Leaderboards: Turn your project into a game with points! Award yourself points for completing tasks, like gathering contractor bids or installing GFCI outlets. Keep a leaderboard to track your progress and see how you stack up against your family (or even your past self!). * Badges: Celebrate milestones with badges. Snaked the drain? You've earned the "Plumbing Pro" badge! Give yourself a gold star, a funny sticker, or even create a digital badge. * Challenges or Quests: Inject some friendly competition with challenges. For example, launch a "Bargain Finder Challenge" to see who can find the best deal on a designer light fixture. * Progress Bars: Visualize your progress with a progress bar. As you check items off your to-do list, watch your progress bar fill up and motivate you to keep going. * Rewards: Set up a reward system for completing tasks or reaching milestones. Finished the kitchen counter? Treat yourself to a new espresso machine! Building a Relationship with Your Past and Future Selves A cornerstone of the Hindsight Retros approach is blamelessness—including forgiving ourselves when things don’t go as planned. Instead of dwelling on shortcomings or past mistakes, we can choose to express deep gratitude to our past selves for the effort and decisions that brought us to where we are today. This mindset not only fosters self-compassion but also inspires us to invest in our present selves. By recognizing the value of the work we do today, we can set up our future selves for success and bring our hopes and dreams closer to reality. Activation energy and getting your momentum going Newton’s First Law of Motion states that an object at rest will remain at rest unless acted upon by an external force. This principle often applies to our bodies and minds as well—getting off the couch, whether literally or figuratively, can feel like an insurmountable task. However, once you’re in motion, it’s much easier to stay in motion. The key is to find simple, low-effort ways to spark that initial movement and engage your brain. Even if the immediate outcome isn’t perfect—what you create might land in the "garbage hole"—the true victory lies in getting started and building momentum towards the next milestone. Books like Atomic Habits (https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits) or Make Your Bed (https://www.amazon.com/Make-Your-Bed-Little-Things/dp/1455570249) or The War of Art (https://a.co/d/gA9wcWW) offer valuable strategies to overcome resistance and take that first step toward tackling big challenges. The secret? Start small and let momentum do the rest. Helpful Links * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_competence (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_stages_of_competence) * https://hindsightretros.substack.com/p/jtrs-2024-national-novel-editing (https://hindsightretros.substack.com/p/jtrs-2024-national-novel-editing) * https://nanowrimo.org/ * https://jjttrr.medium.com/i-finished-the-first-draft-of-my-novel-f65f92721832 (https://jjttrr.medium.com/i-finished-the-first-draft-of-my-novel-f65f92721832) * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero%27s_journey (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero%27s_journey) * https://obsidian.md/ * Books about writing and creativity: * On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King (2000-10-03) (https://www.amazon.com/Writing-Memoir-Craft-Stephen-2000-10-03/dp/B01LP93F38) * The Artist's Way: 25th Anniversary Edition (Audible Audio Edition): Julia Cameron, Eliza Foss, Penguin Audio (https://www.amazon.com/Artists-Way-25th-Anniversary/dp/B08WF12GRY) Contact * Follow us at hindsightretros.substack.com (http://hindsightretros.substack.com) * Email us at feedback@hindsightretros.com (mailto:feedback@hindsightretros.com) * Follow us on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/hindsightretros/) * Follow Sue Lueder on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/suelue/) * Follow John Reese on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/johntruscottreese/) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hindsightretros.substack.com (https://hindsightretros.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

6. 

   14 Dec 2024

   Lucky Breaks

   Josh Watson, a semi-professional pool player and coach, shares how prioritizing mental game and physical state can maximize performance in complex pastimes like pool and unlock a flow state of effortless play.

7. 

   29 Nov 2024

   Incident Management at Thanksgiving

   Incident management expert Brent Chapman shares how to apply structured practices to high-stakes personal situations like Thanksgiving dinner, maximizing outcomes and minimizing stress.

8. 

   16 Nov 2024

   Games, Snacks, and Motorcycles

   Record Date: August 12, 2024 Guests: Julie and Erik Episode Comic About our Guests Julie and Erik are intellectual property attorneys currently living in Minneapolis, Minnesota with their young son. Main Takeaways from this Episode Consider needs: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs) says it’s hard to focus on things like fun when you’re feeling uncertainty about foundational needs like safety, shelter, and food. And sometimes you have to tend to the Maslow’s Hierarchy of your travel companions, especially when one of them is a kid. (On one of my own trips, I can point to a travel companion’s Maslow’s Hierarchy to understand why he lost his temper when we were goofing around while he was still feeling uncertain about where we were going to sleep.) Engage support: The parents took turns, or divided-to-conquer, to prevent either one from getting exhausted. A broad chosen family of friends helped take the load off the parents. And one of the best ways to offer help is to show up with no agenda of your own, aside from having fun. Embrace serendipity: if you keep in mind the core goals of the vacation (e.g. to make sure the kid has fun and forms terrific memories), not being too fixated on the specific outcome of any one plan allows you to adapt and still achieve those goals. E.g. there may be no barbecue pits available, or the park may have been taken over by a parade, but your friends and family can help you make the most of that time another way. Take your time: You can keep some unplanned time at the end of the trip to repeat any activities you discovered everyone particularly enjoyed. Closing with “greatest hits” helps cement positive memories. Best Practice Links Contingency Planning (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contingency_plan) is related to a project premortem (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-mortem); both are about considering what you would do if various things went wrong. Sometimes a single strategy (e.g. be ready to same-day order a missing object off of Amazon (http://amazon.com)) may be able to address multiple potential situations. The Checklist Manifesto (https://amzn.to/3Z381Jn) talks about the benefits of building and using checklists in fields like flying airplanes and practicing medicine; the benefits extend to personal domains like travel planning as well. If you use a checklist and you forget to pack something, you can add it to the checklist to ensure you don’t forget next time. Product Links Dog Man (https://amzn.to/4fNhkCD): Julie and Erik’s son’s favorite books to read on the airplane. Foldable Childs Toilet Seat (https://amzn.to/3CuMksL) Sunscreen (https://amzn.to/48RWcZN) San Diego Tourism Authority - Travel Resources for SD Region (https://www.sandiego.org/about.aspx) Contact * Follow us at hindsightretros.substack.com (http://hindsightretros.substack.com) * Email us at feedback@hindsightretros.com (mailto:feedback@hindsightretros.com) * Follow us on Instagram  (https://www.instagram.com/hindsightretros/) * Follow Sue Lueder on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/suelue/) * Follow John Reese on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/johntruscottreese/) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hindsightretros.substack.com (https://hindsightretros.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

9. 

   2 Nov 2024

   Rat Invasion

   Record Date: June 17, 2024 Guests: Sue Lueder & John T. Reese Episode Comic About our Guests Sue Lueder is the host of this podcast and this time also a guest. She has a love of old Craftsman homes (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Craftsman) but sometimes forgets how much extra work they can be. She can be found at https://www.linkedin.com/in/suelue/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/suelue/) Main Takeaways from this Episode * Set boundaries with home improvement contractors: Home improvement projects can be a source of many lessons learned. Although it’s not possible to prevent every mishap, you can establish clear boundaries and expectations with home workers before they start the work, preventing future conflicts. Build rapport and good communication with tradespeople, especially when they do repeat work. * Know what projects might require expert help: It can be tempting to save money and time by putting on your toolbelt and solving problems yourself. But some projects require domain knowledge to avoid costly or smelly mistakes. Here are some resources to help in case of future situations * When to DIY or Hire a Professional for Home Improvements (https://www.housebeautiful.com/home-remodeling/a25588443/diy-home-vs-hire-a-professional/) * DIY HOME IMPROVEMENT vs HIRING A PRO (Which is best for your finances?) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHd0B_zua50) * DIY vs. Professional Pest Control: Which Is Best For You? (https://www.forbes.com/home-improvement/pest-control/diy-vs-professional-pest-control/) * Prioritize your todo list: It’s incredibly easy to get busy with the fun stuff in our lives and kick tedious or complicated projects down the road. Find a productivity system to help you tackle those todo lists and reward yourself when you cross things off. John’s shared Getting Things Done (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Getting_Things_Done) in previous episodes, and one of Sue’s favorites is Bullet Journaling (https://www.google.com/search?q=bullet+journaling&rlz=1C1ONGR_enUS1094US1094&oq=bullet+&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqDQgBEAAYkQIYgAQYigUyBggAEEUYOTINCAEQABiRAhiABBiKBTINCAIQABiRAhiABBiKBTINCAMQLhiRAhiABBiKBTIMCAQQABhDGIAEGIoFMgoIBRAuGLEDGIAEMgoIBhAAGLEDGIAEMgYIBxBFGEHSAQgyNjQzajBqMagCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8), which adds a bit of visual flair to your system. There are many great options and guides out there. * Find partners, not just experts: Sometimes you might want to 100% outsource a project and wipe your hands of it, but if the solution is something you might need again or you need to own ongoing maintenance, find solution providers that are willing to share their expertise with you. Search reviews for signs that these providers do more than just services rendered. These are review quotes for the pest service provider Talos (https://talospestcontrol.com/)from the Rat Invasion story: * “I felt like all of my questions and concerns were thoroughly addressed…” * “He also asked if there were any specific areas or instructions and listened attentively as I walked the areas with him. Very polite, professional, and diligent at his work” * “Their tradesmen process great knowledge  of their subject matter and are willing to share.” Additional info and wildlife cam pictures can be found in Sues Rat Invasion Hindsight Retro (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ii9DedOsWBc84DGjvHCGAEoKofKSyWAoloZteSXIGGc/edit#heading=h.6jynaot9cbnq) Product Links * Victor Traps (https://amzn.to/4f4BOHt) * The Outdoor Expert Mini Trail Camera (https://amzn.to/3S9UxHJ) * Earth Care Odor Removing Bag (https://amzn.to/468mzsY) Contact * Follow us at hindsightretros.substack.com (http://hindsightretros.substack.com) * Email us at feedback@hindsightretros.com (mailto:feedback@hindsightretros.com) * Follow us on Instagram  (https://www.instagram.com/hindsightretros/) * Follow Sue Lueder on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/suelue/) * Follow John Reese on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/johntruscottreese/) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hindsightretros.substack.com (https://hindsightretros.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

10. 

    18 Oct 2024

    Annual Retros (now with comics)

    Record Date: 2024-08-04 (Apologies if you're seeing this twice -- we had some difficulties with the podcast platform this morning. This updated version includes the comics.) Brad and Cristina, a married couple in Zürich, write an annual retrospective every year the week before the New Year, and have used it to strengthen their relationship and improve their lives. About our Guests Brad Kratochvil is a Software Engineering Director in Site Reliability Engineering in Google Zürich. He grew up on a farm in Nebraska. He can be found at https://www.linkedin.com/in/bkratochvil/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bkratochvil/) Cristina Vintila is a Staff Security Engineering Manager in the Google Cloud Office of the Chief Information Security Officer in Google Zürich. She grew up on a farm in Romania. She can be found at https://www.linkedin.com/in/cristinavintila/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bkratochvil/) Main Takeaways from this Episode An annual retrospective practice can help us be more intentional about our lives and relationships. Having a set time and place for a retrospective ritual can help cement it and make it a regular part of your life. Challenging conversations can be easier when walking together, outdoors, in nature – and facing in the same direction and walking. Together, these factors help you feel like you’re solving problems together, in a non-competitive environment. If you know you have certain behaviors under stress that you don’t like, it can be useful to discuss those with your partner (or friends or family) during a calm time, and, if you’re comfortable, let them know they can call you out on them if you start to behave that way. People have different risk tolerance, but open communication and preparation can help reduce the distance: Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance. And stretching, over time, can extend our capabilities and comfort level. Sometimes it’s easier to apply blamelessness to other people than to ourselves. In situations where we blame ourselves, a useful question is: would I say this to my best friend? And if you wouldn’t, you probably shouldn’t say it to yourself. We have limited time on this mortal plane; making a list of all the things you want to get done makes it more likely you’ll be able to do more of those things, especially as some of them may become harder to do as you get older. Blamelessness is even more important when the stakes are high. Best Practice Links Annual Retro template (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eXJOX4gW29pNF1XOheaXpfhftJdA0gbC62EcgH_LJac/edit) (which includes some recommendations for bookstores, coffee shops, TV shows, books, bars, food, and travel). jtr’s weekly checklist (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xsw8nZskhAeX69MeqqBCy5SUWSXFTXXWP_QlnmQMaks/edit) Product Links Antifragile (https://amzn.to/4eXYIzC), by Nassim Nicholas Taleb. Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals (https://amzn.to/4eBOZiA), by Oliver Burkeman. Contact Follow us at hindsightretros.substack.com (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bkratochvil/) Read more at hindsightretros.com (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bkratochvil/) Email us at feedback@hindsightretros.com (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bkratochvil/) Follow us on Instagram @hindsightretros (https://www.instagram.com/hindsightretros/) Follow Sue Lueder on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/suelue/) Follow John Reese on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/johntruscottreese/) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hindsightretros.substack.com (https://hindsightretros.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

11. 

    4 Oct 2024

    Staying out of the Red on the Kumano Kodō Trail

    About our Guests Caro is a Senior Language Specialist and Certified Coach who travels the world in her spare time. (She also joined us in our very first episode to interview us about the retrospective process.) Main Takeaways from this Episode Be open to learning one another’s travel styles People on this trip had different unstated assumptions about how things were going to go: how much are we going to talk on the hike, how are meals going to go, etc. We might not realize we had different assumptions or expectations, but once we notice differences, we should start talking right away before it impacts the trip or relationships. Radical Candor (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radical_Candor) There were interpersonal tensions during this trip, which can feel hard to talk about while respecting other people’s feelings and maintaining relationships. But choosing not to talk about things that went badly is an overcorrection. Radical Candor is a framework that lets us think of “challenging directly” and “caring personally” as independent dimensions in our behavior, and gives us tools to find a way of communicating that both challenges behavior that needs to be addressed while embodying caring for the person you’re confronting. (We discussed this previously in our Inaugural Newsletter (https://hindsightretros.substack.com/p/hindsight-retros-inaugural-newsletter), but you can see us working through an applied case in the current episode.) Value Systems Can Be Treated Like a Machine, or Like a Baby If you treat your values like a machine, then you can recognize when they’re not working and tune them. If you treat them like a baby, challenges to them feel like a personal attack. This allows you to work on yourself as you're having an experience, vs. expecting those around you to bear the burden of change. Agree to a Non-blameful Phrase to Avoid Discovered Problematic Situations In this trip, after an instance of tempers becoming thin when people were hungry, they coined the phrase “getting in the red,” to refer to starting to get too hungry. This allowed non-blameful logistical discussion, like “I’m starting to get in the red,” or “let’s do this before we get in the red.” If this expression doesn’t work for you, this commercial for Snickers bars from 2010 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVXiZoQsvEs) offers another option. Best Practice Links Radical Candor Wikipedia Page (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radical_Candor) Product Links Book: Radical Candor, by Kim Scott (https://amzn.to/3N7Yj1s) Apple Airtags (https://amzn.to/47Q5ZPD) Kumano Kodō Trail references The video that started it all!The Kumano Kodō Pilgrimage Trail with Giaan Rooney (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRDucFb-XWg&ab_channel=VisitJapanAU) Kumano Kodō – Tanabe City Kumano Tourism Bureau (https://www.tb-kumano.jp/en/kumano-kodo/) How to Ride a Public Bus: Kumano Kodō How-to Series (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jr0GmQqx7rc&ab_channel=TanabeCityKumanoTourismBureau) What Is the Etiquette for Taking Shoes Off in Japan? (https://japanandmore.com/taking-shoes-off-in-japan/) Onsen Hot Springs - On Tattoos and Etiquette | Blog | Travel Japan (Japan National Tourism Organization) (https://www.japan.travel/en/uk/inspiration/onsen-hot-springs-on-tattoos-and-etiquette/) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hindsightretros.substack.com (https://hindsightretros.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

12. 

    20 Sept 2024

    The Polish Mishap

    Before smartphones, international travelers relied on their wits, resourcefulness, and...charades! Join John and Dan Reese as they relive a travel adventure that took an unexpected turn. About our Guests Dan Reese works with nonprofits and government entities to reduce and end youth homelessness. He lives in Bellingham, WA. He is the brother of host John Reese, and they share a father. Main Takeaways from this Episode Redirect Panic Into Problem-solving Energy: Panic can result in amygdala hijack (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amygdala_hijack), which can result in us taking action that is out of proportion to the actual issue, potentially creating new problems. It is possible to interrupt this hijack with habits of breathing or other mindfulness techniques. Once you take that moment, you have more space to decide between possible actions. Reach Out to Others for Help: Dan and John reached out to their father for help, and were able to reestablish communication despite neither knowing where the other was. John’s hotel staff were also very helpful. Dan speculates the German train station staff were an untapped resource who could have helped. The world is full of people who can help, if you ask. Don’t Break Up The Party: It’s better to have everyone miss the train together, because you can use your brains together to solve the problem. Form a Mental Model of Your Companions: A model of what your travel companions care about, how they think, what they’re worried about, and what they’re excited about, can be very useful: if you get separated, it can help you predict what they would do and thus help you reconnect; even if you stay together, it can help you be respectful of activities that might be more or less important to them, or more or less stressful. It could also be useful to pregame what you would do in various scenarios. Memory is Unreliable: We tend to overestimate how reliably we remember the past, so it’s often valuable to reconstruct the past in conversation with another person, and be ready to be surprised and amused by the differences. Product Links Thinking Fast and Slow (https://amzn.to/47yNxKV), by Daniel Kahneman Dune (https://amzn.to/3MQnHso) by Frank Herbert’s Litany Against Fear (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bene_Gesserit#Litany_against_fear) Dungeons and Dragons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dungeons_%26_Dragons) Contact * Follow us at hindsightretros.substack.com (http://hindsightretros.substack.com/subscribe) * Read more at hindsightretros.com (http://hindsightretros.com/) * Email us at feedback@hindsightretros.com * Follow us on Instagram @hindsightretros (https://www.instagram.com/hindsightretros/) * Follow Sue Lueder on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/suelue/) * Follow John Reese on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/johntruscottreese/) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hindsightretros.substack.com (https://hindsightretros.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

13. 

    6 Sept 2024

    Canine Runaway

    About our Guest: Steph Hippo is a senior engineering manager at Honeycomb, career coach, and active volunteer helping girls find opportunities in STEM education and careers. Steph lives in Seattle, Washington with her family, and, of course, her dog Taz. You can find Steph on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephhippo/). Main Takeaways from this Episode: Community Support: Although communities like Facebook and NextDoor can be a source of drama, scams, and frivolity, in times of need there are human beings ready to mobilize and help a person in need. Incident Command Protocols: If you find yourself in an emergency situation, taking some time up front to institute some standard practices and assign some roles and responsibilities to various participants can help prevent chaos and help resolve the emergency faster. Accidents Happen: We all experience twists of fate that put our best laid plans to waste. It’s important to remember that a single accident should not damage important relationships in our lives. The experience of dealing with and overcoming a challenge while using a blameless approach can even bring us closer together and make our relationships even stronger. Best Practice Links Read the full retrospective here: Taz Escape Retro (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ATGhK_uwvRKdnHwLW_9TC--mC501udCGGp65AeiNw5I/edit#heading=h.yt5tizq8p74s) Steph’s retro shared these resources for anyone who might have lost a dog: https://www.3retrievers.com/calming-signals.html (https://www.3retrievers.com/calming-signals.html) https://www.missinganimalresponse.com/dont-call-dog/ (https://www.missinganimalresponse.com/dont-call-dog/) Product Links Fi Smart Collar (https://amzn.to/3WRayE6) Wonder Walker (https://wonderwalkerandco.com/) The Outdoor Expert Mini Trail Camera (https://amzn.to/3S9UxHJ) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hindsightretros.substack.com (https://hindsightretros.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

14. 

    6 Sept 2024

    Welcome to the Hindsight Retros Podcast

    Learn about blameless retrospective culture from John Reese and Sue Lueder. About our Guest Interviewer Caro is a Senior Language Specialist and Certified Coach who travels the world in her spare time. Main Takeaways from this Episode Blameless retrospectives (a technique from the work world) can be used to improve your personal life as well. They strengthen relationships and turn destructive situations into constructive ones. Retrospectives can be simple. There are four basic questions to ask in a retrospective: What went well? What didn't go so well? Where did you get lucky? What will you change next time? Exploring luck during a retrospective can yield deeper insights. Luck can help you to identify risks that you may not have otherwise considered, and it helps you to maximize the potential of a situation. Retrospectives can be fun. Not only do retrospectives within teams create a positive feedback loop for the relationships, they can be fun even after serious incidents. Games and techniques can be used, and the conversations themselves when conducted with a positive outlook and high energy will leave the participants feeling optimistic and ready for the next challenge. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hindsightretros.substack.com (https://hindsightretros.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

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Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 37 / 100

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48

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YouTube

63

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