Team Norms, Team Charters, and Ground Rules are interconnected and play a crucial role in establishing the foundation for a successful team.

Team norms are informal agreements that define how team members are expected to behave and interact with one another. They contribute to the development of a positive and productive team culture.

Team Charter: A team charter is a formal document that describes the purpose, goals, and responsibilities of a team. It also contains information regarding decision-making procedures, communication methods, and dispute-resolution techniques.

The ground rules are clearly stated and explicit standards for behaviour and communication within the team. They can aid in the avoidance of misunderstandings and conflicts and ensure that team members have a unified approach to their tasks.

How they are Interrelated

Team Norms, Team Charters, and Ground Rules are interconnected and play a crucial role in establishing the foundation for a successful team.

The Team Charter establishes the overarching purpose and objectives of the team, while the Ground Rules outline particular behaviour and communication standards. In contrast, the Team Norms are the informal agreements that supplement the Team Charter and Ground Rules.

The Team Charter and Ground Rules provide a clear structure for how the team should function, while the Team Norms provide the human element, establishing a healthy team culture that encourages collaboration and trust.

Together, these three parts constitute a holistic approach to managing a team, setting clear standards for conduct and communication and ensuring that the team performs successfully and efficiently to achieve its objective.

Examples

Team Norms Example:

• Respect each other’s opinions and ideas.
• Actively listen to and consider each other’s perspectives.
• Be punctual for meetings and deadlines.
• Openly communicate any concerns or challenges.
• Use positive language and avoid negative criticism.

Team Charter Example:

• Purpose: The purpose of this team is to develop a new product line for the company.
• Goals: The goals of the team are to research market trends, design new products, and launch the new product line within 6 months.
• Responsibilities: Each team member will be responsible for conducting market research, designing new products, and participating in launch planning and execution.
• Decision-Making Process: The team will make decisions through group discussion and consensus building.
• Communication Protocol: Team members will communicate regularly through weekly meetings and weekly progress updates via email.
• Conflict Resolution: In case of any conflict, the team will have an open and honest discussion to resolve the issue and move forward.

Ground Rules Example:

• Be on time for meetings.
• Turn off cell phones during meetings.
• Listen actively and avoid interrupting others.
• Speak respectfully and avoid negative criticism.
• Maintain confidentiality when discussing sensitive information.
• Stay focused on the agenda during meetings

Reference

1. https://www.boost.co.nz/blog/2017/04/team-charter-building-better-teams
2. https://www.ccl.org/articles/leading-effectively-articles/the-real-world-guide-to-team-norms/