Working Agreements

Have you ever been on a team where everyone was confused as to what was expected of them or boundaries were constantly getting crossed? It is important that all parties on a team or even in a relationship understand what is expected to ensure they can agree to continuing as outlined. In this article I will explain what a Working Agreement is, how to create one, and how to keep it up to date.

What is a Working Agreement?

This is an agreement that the entire team makes on how they will work together to ensure conflict is minimal, expectations are met, and confusion is reduced. Things you might see in a Working Agreement are:

• Meeting times

• Chosen method of communication

• Role clarity

• How your team will handle conflict or differing opinions

How do I create one?

When creating a Working Agreement you want to start with a few general items on a physical board (if you are in person) or a virtual board if remote (Miro, Mural, or even a word document). These general items are there to get conversation started. Once you have this you will kick off a meeting with your team and explain to them the purpose of the Working Agreement. Example: The purpose is to ensure all team members are on the same page in how we communicate, run meetings, see our roles, and handle conflict.

Then you will ask the team to provide their thoughts on things they want added or removed. As a group you will define your working boundaries and it is pertinent that everyone agree. To get agreement you have to understand the need and if people disagree you need to understand why... from there finding a common ground is critical.

How do I keep it up to date?

Once you have your Working Agreement created you will want to ensure it stays up-to-date and is adhered to. My preferred method is scheduling a quarterly review with the team to ensure we are all still on the same page and make changes as needed. Another reason this is important is if you have a new hire on the team, they need their opinions to be included in the Working Agreement. In the case of a new hire, I would schedule a adhoc meeting to review as a group and make changes if needed.

Helpful Links:

• Working Successfully in Agile