Creating a Team Agreement
Last week I was talking to a group of leaders about team agreements.
Do you have one for your team?
It surprises me how few leaders create this document.
It’s so foundational.
It doesn’t take a lot of time.
It’s easy to create and implement.
Seems like a no-brainer to me!
So, what exactly is a team agreement (otherwise known as your “operating principles” or “team charter”)?
Well, it’s a document that clearly states what you, as a team, expect from each other.
Some leaders create the document independently and then share it with their teams.
Other leaders create the document with their teams.
The process is up to you.
What does matter is that you clarify your expectations with your team.
One of the leaders in this session perfectly summed it up when she said, “I get it. The benefit of the Team Charter is that you make the implicit explicit.”
The penny dropped! I loved her succinct summary of the purpose of these team agreements.
In this workshop, we brainstormed some ideas about what could be in your team agreement, which included:
- When you meet
- How often you meet
- Are cameras on or off during virtual meetings
- What days you are in the office together
- When your office hours are each week
- Do you have a day of the week with no meetings, e.g., “No Meeting Monday”
- Etc…
I hope this gives you some ideas.
I know not everyone finds this “process” stuff fun.
But to me, it’s awesome!
I love having processes and documents that I can do once and then use over and over again.
I love providing clarity for my team.
Contact me and let me know…do you find leadership activities like this “fun” or “frightful”?
