Why team charters help teams perform better together
When people say they want better communication or more collaboration, what they often mean is: "I’m not sure what’s expected of me." That’s where a team charter can make all the difference.
A team charter is more than a document. It’s a shared tool that helps teams clarify how they work, what they expect from each other and how they navigate day-to-day decisions.
Here’s why it matters, and how to make it work.
Clarity removes friction
Misunderstandings about who does what, when decisions get made or how to raise concerns create stress and slow teams down.
A good team charter removes that guesswork. It captures your:
Purpose and team goals
Roles and responsibilities
Working hours and communication norms
Decision-making processes
Ways of handling feedback or disagreement
It doesn’t need to be long or fancy. It just needs to be clear, and built by the people who use it.
A team charter builds psychological safety
When expectations are clear and shared, people feel more confident speaking up, trying new things or flagging when something isn’t working.
A charter gives people a reference point. Rather than guessing or second-guessing what’s OK, they know where they stand, and how to ask for what they need.
This is especially important in diverse or remote teams, where assumptions about how people work can vary wildly.
The process matters as much as the outcome
A team charter shouldn’t be written in isolation or handed down. The real value comes from the process of creating it together.
That means:
Surfacing individual working preferences
Talking about communication and meeting norms
Being honest about support needs and flexibility
When everyone’s input shapes the charter, it becomes a trusted tool that reflects how the team actually works.
Working With Me™ helps teams turn talk into tools
The Working With Me™ approach supports teams to move beyond assumptions and into clear, practical conversations about how they work.
It includes a structured session where teams:
Share what they each need to work at their best
Create shared manuals and team agreements
Build inclusive, flexible team rhythms
The result? Less confusion. Fewer reactive fixes. More clarity and trust.
Want to do this properly with your team? Enquire about booking the Working With Me™ approach for your team or arrange a discovery call.
FAQs on team charters
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It’s a shared document that sets out how a team works, from goals and roles to communication norms and support needs.
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It helps reduce misunderstandings, support inclusivity, and clarify expectations. It is especially helpful in hybrid, remote, or fast-growing teams.
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Our framework helps teams create practical, inclusive working agreements, with a session and toolkit to make it stick.