What is it?
A process to provide clarity over roles in a team and how people will work with each other.
Why is it useful?
- Lack of clarity over roles is one of the biggest barriers to effective teamwork.
- Helps align expectations and avoid misunderstandings.
- Creates simple but powerful “working agreements” between team members.
Objectives
- To get clarity over people’s respective roles in a team.
- To develop informal but clear contracts between team members about how they will work together.
When would you use it?
- With newly formed teams to build strong foundations.
- When a team experiences mismatched expectations.
- To align expectations between departments, or between customers and suppliers.
Resources required
- A willing group of people (time is the only constraint on how much exchanging happens).
- Pre-printed “contract” templates for all participants.
- Pens for everyone.
- Tables and chairs to allow movement and pairing.
- Refreshments to maintain energy.
Rules
- Everyone should be open and honest about the current situation.
- Participants must be willing to follow through on the agreements they create.
Process
- Facilitator explains the purpose of the activity and its objectives.
- Each participant identifies someone they need to work closely with.
- In pairs, each completes the contracting template for the relationship.
- Swap lists and review:
- Do you understand each expectation?
- Are they reasonable?
- How do they align with what you thought was expected?
- Discuss and agree differences, then re-write the contract with two clear columns:
- What I expect of you
- What I think you expect of me
- Repeat with each person they need to work closely with.
Secret Sauce
- Take regular breaks – this can be emotionally demanding but delivers high value.
- If the energy dips, pause for a quick icebreaker to reset the atmosphere.