1. Working Agreements
Norms/Working Agreements

2. Working Agreements/Norms
Discuss at your tables:
In the past, what experiences have you and/or your team had with working agreements/norms?

3. Norms
“When all is said and done, the norms of a group help determine whether it functions as a high-performing team or becomes simply a loose collection of people working together.”
-Goleman
Turn and talk with a shoulder partner about this quote

4. Working Agreements
Working agreements are the ground rules groups establish to guide their work and influence the behavior of members in order to support productive and efficient work
Time
Participation
Listening
Expectations
Confidentiality
Conflict Resolution
Decision Making
Technology
These are some areas that teams usually create norms around
Technology – use of computers/cell phones

5. Working Agreements Create as a team Discuss/renew with new members
Post and review during meetings
Purposefully revisit as a team
Revise when needed
Important to remember to…

6. A Test Does every member join in your group’s discussion?
Does each member listen as the others speak?
Does any single member dominate the discussion?
Do all members arrive on time and stay for the entire meeting?
Is everyone prepared to do their work when they arrive?
Does each member of the group believe his or her time at the meeting has been well spent?
You don’t have to answer these questions now, but consider:

7. Affinity Process: Individually
Identify the behaviors that you think contribute to productive team work
Write in terms of behavior, not belief
“Everyone is equal”
“Come to consensus when making decisions”
Phrase the behavior in positive terms
“Don’t dominate the conversation”
“Encourage participation from each person”
one idea per
sticky note

8. Affinity Process: Together
As a Team:
Silently, sort and group similar ideas together
*lone ideas can be placed to one side

9. Affinity Process: Together
As a Team:
Ask questions & clarify thinking if needed
Write a topic for each group of sticky notes and label it with a new sticky note
honoring time

10. Affinity Process: Together
As a Team:
Dialogue and turn each topic into a Working Agreement (stated as a positive behavior)
Ask all members, “What parts of this can’t you commit to?” and “Is anything missing?”
When your team reaches consensus, chart your Working Agreements
Be prepared to share with the larger group

11. Share
All teams will share their working agreements

12. Team Working Agreements
How will you know that these Working Agreements are effective for your team?
If they are not being adhered to, what are some factors that might be the cause?
Discuss at your tables
Share out thinking with the larger group
Give them ideas for options to deal with challenges

13. Adhering to Working Agreements
What are some ways your team will address team members who stray from the Working Agreements?

14. Thank You!