Building a Foundation for Trust: The Team Working Agreement

Here's a story I have heard and experienced all too often:

In a startup named Techie Innovations, a talented team embarked on a groundbreaking initiative that could be the breakthrough the company needs.? Initially, the lack of clear communication and defined roles led to chaos, missed deadlines, and duplicated efforts. Trust eroded quickly and became almost non-existent. Everyone is unhappy—customers, stakeholders, and the team members themselves. The initiative is on the verge of failure.? I've been on teams that have been here and I suspect many of you have been on a team in this terrible situation also.

While nothing can guarantee project success, there is something a team can do for itself to build a solid foundation so that trust within the team has a chance to develop and grow.? In Agile circles, this is often referred to as a Team Working Agreement.? When teams form, they bring their own experiences, perceptions, and biases to the team, and in many cases, they are not the same among teammates.? A Team Working Agreement can clarify how the team plans to work together, helping them gel more quickly and build trust and confidence in one another.? In Scrum teams, it's critical for the Scrum Master to make sure this gets created as soon as possible. ?

What is a Team Working Agreement?

In the complex and ever-evolving landscape of Agile software development, the seamless integration of individual talents into a unified, collaborative force is essential for the successful delivery of valuable outcomes. The team working agreements are at the core of this integration, which acts as the foundational bedrock for effective and harmonious team operations. These agreements are more than mere documents; they are the vital lifeblood of Agile teams, providing a comprehensive and flexible framework that guides daily interactions, decision-making processes, and conflict resolutions. ?

Team working agreements encapsulate the collective consensus on the norms and practices through which team members will interact, communicate, and collaborate to achieve shared objectives. Tailored to meet the specific needs of each team, these agreements ensure that every individual, from developers to managers, is fully aligned with the team's core values, working methodologies, and overarching goals. Such alignment is instrumental in fostering a transparent, respectful, and highly productive work environment, where each team member is empowered to contribute effectively and thrive within the Agile setting.?

In environments where adaptability, continuous improvement, and close collaboration are paramount, team working agreements serve to clarify expectations and delineate responsibilities, thereby minimizing potential conflicts and misunderstandings. By establishing clear, mutually agreed-upon norms, these agreements facilitate streamlined, efficient, and cohesive work processes, empowering teams to navigate software development challenges with enhanced synergy and collaborative power. ?

Team working agreements stand as the cornerstone upon which Agile software teams construct their culture of continuous improvement, mutual respect, and collective achievement. As we delve deeper, we will explore the critical components of these agreements, the significant advantages they offer to Agile teams, and the meticulous processes involved in crafting and leveraging these agreements to maximize team potential and drive success. ?

Why Your Team Should Have One

Team working agreements are crucial for Agile teams, establishing norms and practices that promote efficiency and collaboration. They align team members towards common goals and provide a clear framework for interactions and decision-making. This foundation is vital for maintaining a productive environment where team dynamics thrive and contribute to the success of Agile endeavors.

1. Establishing Norms: Team working agreements establish clear norms and expectations, creating a unified front where all team members are synchronized in their objectives and methods. This synchronization reduces misunderstandings and streamlines operations, leading to more efficient and focused work efforts.
2. Promoting Collaboration: These agreements lay the groundwork for enhanced unity and cooperation, fostering a rich communication environment that is vital for navigating the complexities of intricate details and achieving collective objectives. They create a structured yet dynamic setting where open dialogue and mutual support are the norms.
3. Enhancing Productivity: By streamlining processes and optimizing team dynamics, team working agreements significantly boost productivity. They remove barriers to progress, such as friction and internal misunderstandings, thereby facilitating a smoother flow of work and more rapid achievement of milestones.
4. Facilitating Agile Principles: Team working agreements are pivotal in supporting core Agile principles, such as self-organization and adaptability to change. They provide a structured yet flexible environment that enables teams to swiftly and effectively adapt to project shifts and emerging challenges.
5. Improving Team Dynamics: The evolutionary nature of team working agreements means that they are regularly reviewed and updated, promoting a culture of continuous improvement. This adaptability ensures that teams remain resilient and responsive to new challenges, enhancing their collective strength.
6. Speed Onboarding of New Team Members: When new people are added to the team, the Team Working Agreement accelerates the onboarding process.? The new member can develop and understanding how the team works together.? Faster onboarding means less time for the new person to maximize their value contribution to the team. ?

What Does a Team Working Agreement Look Like?

There is no "official" Team Working Agreement template.? Scrum Masters should find a format that best meets the team's needs.? A simple web search yields a wide variety of approaches with the best approach usually is some version or combination of approaches that meets the team where they are at that moment. ?

1. Communication Guidelines: Clear guidelines on communication protocols and schedules are essential for effective collaboration. These guidelines prevent misunderstandings and ensure that all team members are aligned in their interactions, facilitating smoother execution and enhanced teamwork.
2. Decision-Making Processes: The agreements provide a clear framework for decision-making, detailing the processes and individuals involved in making critical decisions. This clarity helps streamline decision-making, reduce conflicts, and ensure that decisions are made efficiently and align with team goals.
3. Role Clarifications: By defining each team member's roles and responsibilities, team working agreements prevent task overlaps and gaps, leading to more organized and efficient management. This role clarity ensures that each team member knows their specific duties and how they contribute to the team’s success.
4. Work Processes: The agreements standardize work processes, such as sprint planning, reviews, and retrospectives, ensuring consistency and efficiency across the team’s operations. This standardization helps in maintaining a smooth workflow and achieving business objectives more effectively.
5. Conflict Resolution: Constructive conflict resolution strategies within the agreements are vital for maintaining a harmonious and productive team environment. These strategies provide a clear path for addressing and resolving disputes, fostering a culture of understanding and respect.
6. Quality Standards: High performance and excellence are promoted by setting clear quality standards within the team working agreements. These standards guide team members in delivering work that meets or exceeds expectations, ensuring high-quality outcomes.
7. Tools and Resources: The inclusion of specific tools and resources in the working agreements ensures that all team members have a shared understanding and access to the necessary technological and system support. This common ground is crucial for facilitating effective collaboration and achieving operational efficiency.

What to Do Once a Team Working Agreement is Created

Creating a Team Working Agreement is not a one-time activity.? It must be used to help the team succeed in its mission.? It's intended to be a living artifact, which means it can and should be changed.? Here are some important things to consider: ?

1. Review and Ratify: It is imperative that the team collectively reviews and agrees upon the working agreement, as this process solidifies the operational framework and ensures commitment from all members. This ratification turns the agreement into a binding document that guides the team’s daily operations and interactions.
2. Display Prominently: To reinforce the agreement's norms and practices, it should be displayed prominently or made easily accessible. This constant visibility reminds team members of their commitments and the standards to which they are held, encouraging adherence to the agreed-upon practices.
3. Regular Revisits: The dynamic nature of Agile initiatives necessitates regular revisits to the working agreement to ensure its relevance and effectiveness. These periodic reviews allow for the adaptation of the agreement to changing team dynamics, delivery requirements, and external conditions, maintaining its value as a guiding document.? It's also important to recognize that when new team members are onboarded, it's important to review it with the latest member and have a session with the whole team to entertain any changes a new member may inspire.? One idea for Scrum Masters might be to ask the team during a retrospective if there are proposed changes to the Team Working Agreement.
4. Support and Encourage: The successful integration of the working agreement into the team’s daily routines and practices hinges on active support and encouragement from both leaders and team members. This collective endorsement is crucial for embedding the agreement’s principles into the fabric of the team’s operations and culture.
5. Use as a Coaching Tool: The working agreement serves as an excellent foundation for coaching sessions, where Scrum Masters, coaches, or managers can help team members enhance their collaboration skills, resolve conflicts, and improve overall performance. It acts as a benchmark against which team behaviors and practices can be measured and improved.

Team working agreements are not just contractual documents but are the lifeblood of Agile software teams, essential for establishing a collaborative, productive, and adaptable work environment. By defining clear norms, practices, and expectations, these agreements lay the groundwork for effective team operation and are instrumental in achieving success. They foster a culture of continuous improvement, mutual respect, and collective achievement, making them an indispensable tool in the Agile framework.? With a Team Working Agreement, your team is much more likely to experience this a story such as this:

At Techie Innovations, a skilled team set out to develop a potentially game-changing project from the start, armed with a Team Working Agreement. This early commitment to clarity in roles, open communication, and streamlined processes forged a foundation of trust and efficiency. The result? Deadlines met with ease, duplicated efforts averted, and a satisfied network of customers and stakeholders. The initiative didn't just succeed; it set a new standard for teamwork and innovation at the company.