1. Team Charters
Tools & Techniques

2. Team Charters and Natural Work Teams
CONTENTS:
Managing a Team
Establishing a Charter and Definition
An Example of a Team Charter
What is a Natural Work Team

3. Managing a team demands basic project management skills
Objectives
Timelines
Critical Success Factors
Plan-Do-Review
Deliverables
Resources
Activities
Issues 2

4. The first step in managing a team is to establish its charter
Objectives of a charter:
To provide the team with a focus for discussing their role
To give management a check point for early review
To give other teams an overview of the team’s activities
To help generate a fast start to setting up a new team or re- establishing an existing team
Definition of a Charter. . .
A charter is a one-page document created during a team’s launch, outlining the team’s objectives and other critical elements of success. 3

5. An example of a standard team charter
Clearly defines the areas to be covered e.g. Europe markets excluding the Balkans
What is it that the team are trying to address e.g. We are rapidly losing market share in Europe
Indicates something that must happen if the objectives are to be realised e.g. Supplying Europe is core to the company strategy
Issues
Scope
Critical Success Factors
The aims of the team e.g. to restore market share to its 1999 level
Objectives
Measures
Deliverables
High level indicators with a target that clearly enables progress against the stated objectives to be measured e.g. Current market share in Europe (target 30% by end 2001)
The Team
Identifies the key people who need to be involved and as appropriate, defines their role e.g. A. N. Other Facilitator; J. Bloggs Client
Specific tasks which the team will complete e.g. Summary of market share by country for the last 5 years 4

6. When developing the objectives and deliverables in your charter. . .
Ensure that the aims of the charter are consistent with the higher level company strategy or vision
Introduce ‘stretch targets’
Remember to consider soft issues (culture and behaviour), not just the more tangible issues such as cost reduction
Remember not to get too detailed when building your charter. 16

7. An example of a Team Charter
Issues
The Team
Critical Success Factors
H2 inspire delivery
H2 maintain momentum within the extended team
H2 ensure the changes that we make are sustainable
H2 balance financial delivery with personal development
H2 maintain delivery focus whilst extending influence outside the team in an environment of increasing demands on our skills
H2 manage individual insecurity
H2 to be a more effective link between the team and the management team
H2 ensure sufficient resourcing
Joe Bloggs - Client
Arthur Smith - Facilitator
Sally Brown
Douglas Bank
Ongoing communication of the need for change
Focus on short-term delivery
Effective/timely resolution of difficult issues
Total commitment to management and the team
Ongoing management support for the team
Exhibit behaviours that value the team in a period of individual uncertainty
Scope
All team members
All Clients associated with the team
Leadership Team members
Key stakeholders identified in mobilisation plans
Deliverables
Measures
Motivated project team
Clear communicated resource, development and succession plans
A fully implemented performance management process
An updated team transformation map
Leadership team interventions to provide inspiration, energy and development leadership
A communication and mobilisation plan
A management team demonstrably operating all project processes
Objectives
Meeting management processes > 75%
Performance review > 95%
Simplified quality of work life charter followed by clear resultant action
Creation and ongoing monitoring of transformation map
Visible Benefits tracking
Clear Plan-Do-Review process with Traffic lights system
Support the project for delivery
Lead new dynamic culture where agreed by leadership team
Create sustainable ‘best practice’ and ensure it is articulated and delivered
Facilitate personal growth, assisting self-awareness of strengths/weaknesses and managing expectations 4

8. A charter provides focus and direction for a team
Aids in communicating the purpose of the team
Clearly communicates the scope
Aids in team design and selecting participants
The charter is a teams’ blueprint for success.
Helps to clarify roles and responsibilities
Clearly defines expected accomplishments
Outlines approach the team will use
Lists specific deliverables

9. What is a Natural Work Team (NWT)
Definition
A Natural Work Team is a small group of people who have come together to address a common business issue - a top-down specification of the problem but a bottom-up development of the solution
It needs to contain the ‘right’ people
It addresses the ‘correct’ issues
Focused on problems/solutions
NWTs exist temporarily

10. Further information. . . Please contact Simon Lees or Caitriona Manser
“Using Work Teams Effectively - HPT Approach” Change Management Toolbox