Snowman and the Retro: Talking About the Good Times in Product Teams

I still remember one retro where the room felt heavy. The board filled quickly with complaints, frustrations, and missed expectations. By the end, nobody was smiling. We walked out with a list of action items, sure, but the whole session felt more draining than productive.

Fast forward a few years later. Working at a different organization, the experience was completely different. The teams there kept a positive mindset, highlighting wins as much as challenges. The energy shifted, people engaged more openly, and the outcomes of those sessions were stronger- not because problems vanished, but because we made space to celebrate what was working.

That contrast taught me something important: retros aren’t just about fixing what’s broken; they’re about reinforcing what we want to repeat. Which brings me back to Jerry Reed. You might remember him as Snowman, the truck-driving sidekick in Smokey and the Bandit (1977), but before Hollywood he was a country music star. One of his songs, “Talk About the Good Times,” carries the exact mindset every retro needs: start with what worked, remember it, and build from there.

Retros That Remember What Works

A great retrospective is more than a problem-solving session- it’s also a blueprint for repeating success. In Talk About the Good Times, Jerry Reed isn’t just reminiscing; he’s pointing to the conditions that made those moments possible.

🎵 Listen to Jerry Reed’s “Talk About the Good Times” while you read:

For product teams, that means:

• Anchor in the wins- Call out the moments when the team clicked, deadlines landed without chaos, or collaboration felt effortless.
• Identify the success patterns- Document the tools, habits, or decisions that made those wins possible, so they don’t fade into memory.
• Build from the good- Use those patterns as the foundation for the next sprint, ensuring the best parts of your process survive change and pressure.

Remembering what works in a retro gives the team a clear path to repeat their best moments.

The "Good Times" Framework for Retros

1. Start with a Smile
   Like Reed’s easygoing style, open your retro with wins; shared victories, proud moments, or process tweaks that made life easier.
2. Name the Changes
   Reed sings about shifting times. Retros can do the same; acknowledge changes in tools, team structure, or customer needs that have altered the way you work.
3. Keep the Stories Alive
   The song works because it’s full of stories. So should your retros. Replace vague praise (“Collaboration was better”) with specific examples (“When Alex jumped in to debug the integration in 15 minutes, it saved the release”).
4. Agree on What to Protect
   Some things are worth holding onto. In retros, decide not only what to improve, but also what traditions, habits, or ways of working should stay the same.

The Cover Version Effect

When Elvis Presley covered Talk About the Good Times in 1973, he gave it a new feel without changing its spirit. Retros can evolve the same way; moving from sticky notes to digital boards, from in-person to remote- while keeping their purpose: to reflect, connect, and improve together.

Comeback Now

The “good times” don’t just happen—they’re built and carried forward with intention. A great retro helps make sure they’re part of what comes next.

The lesson is simple: keep the wins in sight and let them shape what comes next.

Or as Snowman eloquently put it: “Damn if you ain’t.”

Snowman, over and out.