Team Agreements: The Ignition Key for Your Agile Performance Engine

Greetings, Agile devotees! As always, I'm thrilled to connect with you all in our weekly discussion space, "The Agile Mindset - Get inspired to adopt the Agile Mindset and Transform the way you work." This week, I'm buzzing with excitement to talk about a secret ingredient from my Agile journey: The Team Agreement.

During my tenure as an Agile coach, I've come to realize that the magic of Agile isn't merely about meticulously planning sprints, maintaining perfect burndown charts, or engaging in productive retrospectives. While these are vital, there's a hidden catalyst that supercharges these processes - an effective Team Agreement.

Yes, you read it right. A Team Agreement, this seemingly simple concept, is actually a powerhouse tool that has the potential to streamline operations, promote harmonious collaboration, and significantly boost team efficiency.

From my experiences, a Team Agreement serves as a binding pact, a social contract of sorts, which sets the ground rules for behavioral expectations and work norms within the Agile team. It resembles a team constitution that helps cultivate a supportive, transparent, and accountable team culture.

Now, let me share some aspects of my team agreements that have worked wonders for us:

1. Punctuality: We all pledge to respect each other's time by being punctual for our daily standups. We've added a fun twist to this - the last one to join shares their screen! But it's not just about the fun element; it's about cultivating a discipline that extends beyond our standups. This commitment to punctuality gradually permeates into all our Agile ceremonies and meetings, fostering a culture of respect and efficiency.
2. Precise Standups and The ELMO Principle: We are committed to keeping our standups concise, concentrating on the essentials – what we accomplished yesterday, what's the plan today, and any roadblocks we're facing. We strongly believe in keeping our discussions focused and relevant, and for this, we employ a fun, yet effective method – the ELMO principle. When discussions start to veer off-topic or run too long, any of us can call out "ELMO" (Enough, Let's Move On), reminding us to return to the task at hand. You might even see us holding up an ELMO doll, or a card, or imitating our favorite furry, red Sesame Street character to inject a little humor into our proceedings while keeping us on track. This ensures our meetings are productive, enjoyable, and valuable.
3. Camera On in Remote Scenarios: Our team agrees to turn on cameras for all our scrum ceremonies, allowing us to maintain that essential face-to-face connection even when we're miles apart. This 'Camera On' culture has become more than a rule - it's our ritual for any planned meetings. We believe in the power of 'seeing' each other as we converse, it allows us to catch non-verbal cues and foster a stronger sense of togetherness. However, for impromptu discussions, we're flexible with this rule, understanding that work-from-home scenarios may not always allow for video. This little change of keeping our cameras on has surprisingly helped us build stronger bonds, trust, and foster better collaboration in our Agile journey.
4. Regular Updates on Agile Lifecycle Management Tools: Our team commits to keeping our project management tool (like JIRA) updated – before each daily standup and before signing off for the day. This practice ensures that every team member is aware of the scrum's status and can start their day with clarity. Notably, it helps us give precise updates during standups and accurately reflects our progress on the Burndown chart, a vital tool we never miss checking during our standups. By maintaining an up-to-date reflection of our work, we're promoting transparency, accountability, and informed decision-making within our Agile team.
5. Adherence to DOR and DOD, with a Pinch of Gut Instinct: As an Agile team, we firmly adhere to our Definition of Ready (DOR) and Definition of Done (DOD). These guidelines ensure that we pick up the right tasks and deliver the expected outcomes. However, we understand that the Agile journey isn't strictly black and white. There are times when our collective gut feeling can override the DOR. If we believe we can tackle a challenge, we go for it. If we can't, that's a new learning opportunity. Our team agreement encourages this balance between respecting our set guidelines and trusting our intuitive understanding as a cohesive team.
6. Promise Time – A Lifeline for Distributed Teams: When we're working as a globally distributed team, we understand the importance of synchronized communication. For this, we've established a 'Promise Time.' It's an agreed-upon time slot where everyone promises to be available, despite our different time zones. This overlap period enables real-time collaboration, timely decision-making, and brings a sense of unity among us, breaking geographical barriers.

If you'd like to delve deeper into the challenges and triumphs of working as a distributed Agile team, feel free to read my article, Mastering Distance: The Agile Journey of Scrum Masters Across Borders. It's a personal account of my experiences navigating the waters of geographical distance while adhering to Agile principles."

Although these are just snippets from my own journey, remember, there's no 'cookie-cutter' approach to creating a team agreement. Your team is unique, and your agreement should echo that uniqueness, tailoring it to the team's specific dynamics and needs.

To help you forge your own comprehensive agreement, here are some factors you might want to consider:

1. Code Reviews: Agree to have every code snippet reviewed by a teammate before it's merged.
2. Pair Programming: Consider including pair or mob programming for tackling complex stories.
3. Conflict Resolution: Have a defined process for addressing conflicts within the team.
4. Communication Channels: Agree on the appropriate use of different communication tools and channels.
5. Meeting Etiquette: Set clear expectations around meeting behaviors.
6. Continuous Improvement: Pledge to regularly review and revise the team agreement.
7. Work-Life Balance: Respect boundaries between work and personal time.

Crafting a Team Agreement

So, how do we get started on drafting this wonder tool? Here's a tip: Include every team member in the process. Organize a dedicated meeting and let the brainstorming begin. Use a whiteboard, sticky notes, or a digital platform to gather ideas. Refine these into clear, concise statements, review them together, and voila! You've got your own Team Agreement.

The Payoff

What comes next, you ask? A seamless operation where misunderstandings are minimized, collaboration is enhanced, and productivity skyrockets. But more than these tangible benefits, the true payoff is in the unity it cultivates, the harmonious synchronization it brings, and the happiness it generates within the team.

So, are you excited to harness the power of team agreements? Remember, no single agreement is perfect from the get-go. Just as Agile is about "inspect and adapt", your team agreement should also evolve with your team's journey.

Don't miss this integral piece in your Agile jigsaw. Explore the potential of team agreements and watch your Agile practices level up!

Conclusion

In our Agile endeavors, the most powerful tools are often the simplest ones. Team agreements, albeit straightforward, are instrumental in fostering a high-performing and harmonious Agile team.

I'm eager to hear your thoughts on team agreements. Have you tried implementing them in your team? How has the experience been? Let's exchange our stories!

Until next time, stay Agile and continue exploring the amazing world of Agile. Don't forget to subscribe to "The Agile Mindset," for more such intriguing insights.

In conclusion, remember that Team Agreements are not a set-in-stone document but a living agreement, just as Agile is a living framework. It is essential to revisit and revise them as your team evolves. This will ensure they remain relevant and continue to serve as a compass guiding your team's journey.

Cheers, until we meet again in our next article, continue to embrace change, communicate openly, and never stop learning! Happy Agiling!