2019

Team
Chartering
Guide by Bob Gower
TIPS
Here are a few things to keep in mind when
running this process:
Team chartering is a simple exercise that Run this as a group in-person exercise and bring
helps new teams set themselves up for in a facilitator external to the team if possible.
success. It can also be used with existing
teams that are experiencing difficulty and Go through the template section by section
having individuals work individually at first,
need a reset, or that are facing external
writing answers on post-it notes.
disruption or internal changes and want to
get ready.
Collect answers to each section and have an
open discussion until the team is in agreement –
The exercise can be run as a stand-alone or the team leader makes the call.
session or as part of a regular planning cycle
– annual or quarterly – when teams tend to
Focus on accuracy and thoroughness even over
go through substantial change.
clever wording.

Revisiting the team charter regularly and

[email protected]
 2019

MISSION
Why does this team exist? What outcome(s) is it here to create?

CUSTOMER(s)
Who does this team serve? Who are our customers or users?
Who must we keep happy and informed in order to be
successful in our mission?

Team
RESPONSIBILITIES
What must we do to achieve our purpose? How will we know if
we are successful?

Charter
What tools, products, process etc are we stewards of?

ROLES
Who is on the team and what roles do they play? Make sure
that the roles map to the responsibilities and ensure our
ability to fulfill our mission. Use the role worksheet if needed.
Be as clear and as quantitative as possible with
your answers to each of the sections here.
PRACTICES / TOOLS
How often do we meet? How do we stay connected and
share our work?

DECISION RIGHTS
What can we decide? What do we need to seek advice /
approval on?

NORMS
How do we agree to interact with each other? What behavior
do we consider out of bounds?

[email protected]
 2019

ROLE NAME
What do we call this role on this team?

PURPOSE
Why does this role exist? How does it contribute to the organization /
team?

RESPONSIBILITIES
What part of our process, product and mission does this role work on or
ensure the success of?

Role DECISION RIGHTS

Description When can this role make the final call? What needs advice, approval,
or collaboration?

Be as clear as possible with your answers

HIRING CONSIDERATIONS
SKILLS
What are the primary and secondary skills that the success of
this role depends on?

EXPERIENCE
What experiences would contribute to playing this role well?

[email protected]
 2019

▷ What’s the biggest risk ▷ Where did you grow up? ▷ If you can give advice
you’ve ever taken? on how to live life in one
What was your favorite

Check-In
▷ sentence, what would it be?
▷ If you could snap your meal growing up?
fingers and be anywhere in ▷ What is your favorite thing
the world for 5 seconds and ▷ If you were to perform in the to do in the (insert current
circus, what would you do?

Round
then immediately return, season)?
where would you go? ▷ Name your favorite song ▷ If you had one free day to
▷ What was your longest do anything you want, what
▷ What is your all time favorite
airport delay ever would you do?
movie and why?
▷ What are your three favorite ▷ What celebrity do you most
▷ What is set as the
A check-in round is a tool spices/condiments background of your phone? resemble?
that helps people be more ▷ name one person on this ▷ Fill in the blank - I’ve never
present at a meeting. ▷ What do others say is your
team you want to be more been able to ____
best characteristic?
For shorter more routine like, and why
▷ How many minute does it
meetings shorter and ▷ How do you describe what
▷ If you could only wear one
take for you to get ready in
more routine questions color for the rest of your life,
you do when you get asked the morning?
what would it be and why?
are acceptable – a good a cocktail party?
▷ If you could attend any
standard, fall-back ▷ If you could have one super
▷ If you were to walk out of event, which one would it
human power, what would
question can always be this day, and had achieved it be? be?
“what has your attention just one thing to make this
day worth it for you, what ▷ What is your favorite quote?
today?” ▷ What is the best reward
would that be? anyone can give you? ▷ What is your favorite time of
“What is one behavior that day?
For longer and higher- ▷ ▷ Name one thing that you
you’ve been working on couldn’t live without
stakes meetings it can modeling since the last time
▷ I wish everyone would ____
be useful to push the we were together?””” ▷ What is your favorite guilty ▷ What past time period
envelope and encourage pleasure? would you have like to live?
▷ What have you changed
vulnerability, honesty your mind about in the past ▷ How many places have you ▷ What is the first thing you
and optimism. Choose 6 months? lived? do when you wake up on
a question with the ▷ How did you learn to ride a ▷ What are the two future a Saturday morning (or
intended mindset you are anyother day off)?
bicycle hobbies you would likee to
going for in mind. start or learn about? ▷ For what and how long
▷ When you were six years did you stand in line the
old, what did you want to be ▷ When do you feel like a
This process is run by longest?
when you grew up? younger version of your
simply going around current age? ▷ What is something that
▷ What was your favorite age
the room (a round) and nobody in the group knows
and why? ▷ What are your three favorite
about you?
asking each person smells?
▷ What one adult rule do you
to briefly answer the always disagree with? ▷ What is something you can ▷ If you could snap your
question posed. fingers and appear
do better than anyone else
▷ What do you miss most somewhere else, where
you know?
about childhood? would you be?

[email protected]