Working in a team can outperform an individual effort in many cases. Teams provide creativity, inputs from multiple points of view and disciplines, and allow for more work to be done in less time. But, not everybody naturally works well in a team. There are often conflicting personalities, different thoughts/ideas how the team should move forward, schedule conflicts, misunderstandings, et-cetera, that can quickly make a good project go bad.
Developing a Team Charter before you start your project is ideal, but it can also be used to reign in a team that is out of control. Your Team Charter should include the following sections.
Section 1: Purpose
Why is the team being formed? What problem are you trying to solve? Why is it important?
Section 2: Objectives and Goals (Mission)
What will you accomplish and how will you do it? Remember that you should have SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
Section 3: Roles
What team responsibilities do you have? Who is best suited to fill the roles? Some roles to consider: Team Leader, Coach, Sponsor, Data Manager, Communicator, Fact Checker, Scheduling Manager.
Section 4: Authority and Boundaries
How much time is each team member expected to dedicate to the project? Who will resolve conflicts? What is the budget, how will it be allocated? What can individual team members do, and what requires approval?
Section 5: Resources and Support
List what resources the team will need to accomplish its goals. What is your budget, time constraints, equipment, and human resource/skill needs? If available this is a good place to list training and coaching resources.
Section 6: Operations
Here you will lay out how your team will function on a day-to-day basis. When will you have meetings? How will you share work?
Section 7: Negotiation and Agreement
Once you have addressed the previous 6 areas, you should have the team review the charter on their own and come back with any ideas or thoughts they think should be changed. The entire team needs to believe that your mission and goals are achievable within the timeframe you’ve allotted. There must also be agreement on the roles selected and who is assigned each role. It is best if any conflicts or bad feelings are brought to light and resolved at the onset, rather than later. Once everyone is in agreement, have the team members sign off on the charter.
Do you use team charters in your organization? Do you have different sections or roles to share? We’d love to hear what works for you! Please share your comments below!
Next week, we’ll discuss efficient/effective communication. Don’t miss it!