Charter Excellence Ahead of Time
Most people say they want to achieve high performance, but fewer will put in the effort to accomplish that goal. When pressed, many cite that they need more time to do the things necessary to reach a higher standard.
It has little to do with busyness; every professional is busy. It is not important enough. Achieving higher performance is vital for many people, but not more important than the myriad of other tasks — the same tasks they complain about and call inefficient time drains, day in and day out. They work hard to sustain mediocrity.
A team charter is a strategic tool that significantly enhances your team’s performance. Without it, you’re likely wasting valuable time and falling far short of excellence. A team charter contains the guidelines each member agrees to abide by to achieve a higher performance standard. It’s a dynamic document that is verified and, if necessary, updated every time the team’s dynamic changes. By investing in a team charter, you’re investing in your team’s success.
Let’s examine the six fundamental elements of a charter. Each component plays a crucial role in guiding your team to high performance. Understanding their importance will equip you with the knowledge to create a robust and effective team charter.
1. Organizational and Team Vision, Purpose, and Values: As a leader, you must ensure that the team’s vision, purpose, and values align with the organization’s. The vision is a picture of the ideal result and determines how the team pursues its purpose. The purpose identifies what the team does, for whom, and why it is important. It provides the direction for assigning roles, setting goals, and determining strategies. The values are the enduring beliefs that guide the team’s choices and actions and define and prioritize decisions.
2. Team Norms and Member Roles: Norms are the explicit or implicit ground rules that identify appropriate behavior for team members. They clarify expected behavior, provide a basis for corrective action, and help team members hold each other accountable. Team member roles define the individual responsibilities for the successful operation of the team.
3. Key Responsibility Areas and Goals: Define the primary function areas responsible for achieving the team’s purpose. Effective goals and milestones measure the right outcomes for success.
4. Communication Strategies: Effective communication is the lifeblood of any successful team. It ensures timely information sharing among team members, stakeholders, and the organization. A well-defined communication strategy in your team charter can help prevent misunderstandings, encourage collaboration, and maintain team cohesion, which is crucial for achieving high performance. Don’t underestimate the power of communication in driving your team’s success.
5. Decision-making: The system of authority and accountability that the team uses to make decisions. Authority defines the scope of the team’s responsibility and decision-making, and accountability ensures that commitments are satisfied.
6. Resources: The tangible materials and support, e.g., budget availability/constraints, time demands, necessary training/skill development, and access to relevant information needed by the team to accomplish its goals.
High performance is not a stroke of luck. It’s a result of effective leadership. As a leader, you set the pace for your team, inspiring them to strive for excellence and achieve their goals. Your role is crucial in creating a team culture that values high performance and guiding your team toward success.
