After-action review
Debrief what happened, what should have happened, and what changes
What was supposed to happen, what actually happened, why the difference, and what specifically will be done differently. It is a short structured debrief borrowed from the military, and done without blame it turns a bad outcome into a process change rather than an argument. Applied to teams, workouts, launches and arguments alike.
People on record
Sorted by strength of stance
Does it: documented as part of their own routine. Recommends: explicitly advises other people to do it. Discusses: covered it substantively without clear personal adoption; this can include criticism or disagreement.
- LeBron JamesDoes it
Basketball player · NBA all-time leading scorer
After a bad loss he replays the game in his head and asks what he did, what he did not do and what the team did not do, so he can handle the same situation differently next time. He is careful to say the aim is learning, not dwelling.
Source: The Tim Ferriss Show #349 transcript: LeBron James and Mike Mancias - Tom BradyDoes it
Former NFL quarterback · The TB12 Method
He treats every loss as something to learn from. What he takes away through review and self-reflection is usually a bigger positive than the win would have been, he says.
Source: NOBULL (TB12): Tom Brady's Mental Toughness, 4 Principles He Relies On - Jocko WillinkRecommends
Retired Navy SEAL officer · Jocko Podcast
He advocates blameless debriefs of what was supposed to happen versus what did. Teams, or your own week. Same either way.
Source: Echelon Front: The Debrief course
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Protocol entry · notes paraphrased from cited sources, quoted excerpts copied from the transcript they link to. Not medical advice. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or reviewed by anyone listed. How this works.