2019

Team
Chartering
Guide by Bob Gower
TIPS
Here are a few things to keep in mind when
running this process:
Team chartering is a simple exercise that Run this as a group in-person exercise and bring
helps new teams set themselves up for in a facilitator external to the team if possible.
success. It can also be used with existing
teams that are experiencing difficulty and Go through the template section by section
having individuals work individually at first,
need a reset, or that are facing external
writing answers on post-it notes.
disruption or internal changes and want to
get ready.
Collect answers to each section and have an
open discussion until the team is in agreement –
The exercise can be run as a stand-alone or the team leader makes the call.
session or as part of a regular planning cycle
– annual or quarterly – when teams tend to
Focus on accuracy and thoroughness even over
go through substantial change.
clever wording.

Revisiting the team charter regularly and

making it available to the entire organization
that the team sits inside of will help create
alignment and transparency outside of the
team too.
Get Mission, Customer and Responsibilities right
before discussing roles
Use a fist of five or consent based decision
making process to finalize.

bob@bobgower.com
 2019

MISSION
Why does this team exist? What outcome(s) is it here to create?

CUSTOMER(s)
Who does this team serve? Who are our customers or users?
Who must we keep happy and informed in order to be
successful in our mission?

Team
RESPONSIBILITIES
What must we do to achieve our purpose? How will we know if
we are successful?

Charter
What tools, products, process etc are we stewards of?

ROLES
Who is on the team and what roles do they play? Make sure
that the roles map to the responsibilities and ensure our
ability to fulfill our mission. Use the role worksheet if needed.
Be as clear and as quantitative as possible with
your answers to each of the sections here.
PRACTICES / TOOLS
How often do we meet? How do we stay connected and
share our work?

DECISION RIGHTS
What can we decide? What do we need to seek advice /
approval on?

NORMS
How do we agree to interact with each other? What behavior
do we consider out of bounds?

bob@bobgower.com
 2019

ROLE NAME
What do we call this role on this team?

PURPOSE
Why does this role exist? How does it contribute to the organization /
team?

RESPONSIBILITIES
What part of our process, product and mission does this role work on or
ensure the success of?

Role DECISION RIGHTS

Description When can this role make the final call? What needs advice, approval,
or collaboration?

Be as clear as possible with your answers

DEPENDENCIES
to each of the sections here.
Where is this role dependent on others or others dependent on it?

HIRING CONSIDERATIONS
SKILLS
What are the primary and secondary skills that the success of
this role depends on?

EXPERIENCE
What experiences would contribute to playing this role well?

bob@bobgower.com

▷ What’s the biggest risk
you’ve ever taken?
Check-In
▷ If you could snap your
fingers and be anywhere in
the world for 5 seconds and
Round
then immediately return,
where would you go?
▷ What was your longest
airport delay ever
▷ What are your three favorite
A check-in round is a tool spices/condiments
that helps people be more ▷ name one person on this
present at a meeting.
team you want to be more
For shorter more routine like, and why
meetings shorter and ▷ How do you describe what
more routine questions
you do when you get asked
are acceptable – a good a cocktail party?
standard, fall-back
▷ If you were to walk out of
question can always be this day, and had achieved
“what has your attention just one thing to make this
day worth it for you, what
today?”
would that be?
“What is one behavior that
For longer and higher- ▷ ▷ Name one thing that you
you’ve been working on
stakes meetings it can modeling since the last time
be useful to push the we were together?”””
envelope and encourage
▷ What have you changed
vulnerability, honesty your mind about in the past
and optimism. Choose 6 months?
a question with the ▷ How did you learn to ride a
intended mindset you are
bicycle
going for in mind.
▷ When you were six years
old, what did you want to be
This process is run by
when you grew up?
simply going around
▷ What was your favorite age
the room (a round) and
and why?
asking each person
▷ What one adult rule do you
to briefly answer the always disagree with?
question posed.
▷ What do you miss most
about childhood?
▷ Where did you grow up?
What was your favorite
▷ sentence, what would it be?
meal growing up?
▷ If you were to perform in the
circus, what would you do?
▷ Name your favorite song
▷ What is your all time favorite
movie and why?
▷ What is set as the
background of your phone?
▷ What do others say is your
best characteristic?
▷ If you could only wear one
color for the rest of your life,
what would it be and why?
▷ If you could have one super
human power, what would
it be?
▷ What is the best reward
anyone can give you?
couldn’t live without
▷ What is your favorite guilty
pleasure?
▷ How many places have you
lived?
▷ What are the two future
hobbies you would likee to
start or learn about?
▷ When do you feel like a
younger version of your
current age?
▷ What are your three favorite
smells?
▷ What is something you can
do better than anyone else
you know?
2019
▷ If you can give advice
on how to live life in one
▷ What is your favorite thing
to do in the (insert current
season)?
▷ If you had one free day to
do anything you want, what
would you do?
▷ What celebrity do you most
resemble?
▷ Fill in the blank - I’ve never
been able to ____
▷ How many minute does it
take for you to get ready in
the morning?
▷ If you could attend any
event, which one would it
be?
▷ What is your favorite quote?
▷ What is your favorite time of
day?
▷ I wish everyone would ____
▷ What past time period
would you have like to live?
▷ What is the first thing you
do when you wake up on
a Saturday morning (or
anyother day off)?
▷ For what and how long
did you stand in line the
longest?
▷ What is something that
nobody in the group knows
about you?
▷ If you could snap your
fingers and appear
somewhere else, where
would you be?
bob@bobgower.com