As a manager or team leader, it’s imperative to keep your team running as smoothly as possible. While there are many methods for achieving this goal, one of the most reliable is to create a team charter.
A team charter helps ensure everyone is on the same page and aligned toward the same objectives. Because team members participate in creating the charter, they’re more invested in success. Additionally, a charter can help mitigate or prevent conflict by managing expectations and providing clear communication channels.
That said, if you’ve never created or used this document before, you don’t have to figure it out on your own. This article will break down, step by step, how to create a team charter template with examples.
What is a Team Charter – And Why It Matters
A team charter is a formal document created by and for team members to outline goals, values, communication processes, and conflict resolution strategies.
Typically, a team charter is owned by everyone on the team and facilitated by the team leader or manager. A big part of success is creating the charter together to ensure everyone understands the team’s purpose and structure.
There are a few scenarios where you’ll want or need to create a new team charter, such as:
- Building a New Team – It’s important to start everyone on the right foot, and a charter ensures there’s no confusion from the beginning.
- Starting a New Project – Even if you’re not using new team members, the charter helps define project success and team structure.
- Recurring Issues or Conflicts – A core component of a team charter is to establish accountability and conflict-resolution processes, which can help minimize future conflicts.
Team Charter Template: Core Sections
- Mission Statement
- Team Goals
- Team Roles and Responsibilities
- Ground Rules
- Conflict Resolution
- Workflows and Key Metrics
Overall, clarity matters more than length. A team charter may be a page or two, or it might span multiple pages, depending on the situation and project scope.
Define Mission, Roles, Goals, and Values
Knowing the core components of a team charter is one thing, but developing these sections is another. Here’s a quick overview of how to define your team’s purpose, roles, objectives, and values.
- Draft a Strong Mission Statement – Keep this short and focused. Ideally, this part will be a single sentence that acts as a guiding principle for the team.
- Use SMART Goals – To ensure everyone stays on the same page, team goals should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant to the mission statement, and Time-based.
- Be Clear About Roles and Responsibilities – In addition to building organizational systems, there should be a communication plan baked into the charter, including ownership of specific tasks or goals.
- Don’t Overlook Team Values – As a team, you should all agree on 3-5 values that are important for success. Examples can include being respectful to each other, always trusting each other, and celebrating the team’s efforts along the way.
Ground Rules and Conflict Resolution
A high-performing team works well together, no matter the challenges it may face. One of the best ways to ensure better teamwork is to establish clear ground rules and basic steps for conflict resolution. Some core components of these rules can include:
- Communication Norms – How do team members communicate with each other and the team leader? Which methods are prioritized, and what alternatives are available?
- Meeting Expectations – What elements are team members expected to bring to meetings, and how will each meeting be structured?
- Response Time Standards – Often, a project’s outcome depends on reliable communication, so team norms should establish standard timelines, including when to expedite specific details.
When it comes to conflict resolution, all team members should know how to address conflicts and when to escalate. There should be a step-by-step guideline, including mediation, documentation, and follow-up as needed.
Overall, think of these pieces as building essential team infrastructure. When these elements work cohesively, it’s much easier to measure success.
How to Create a Team Charter: Step by Step
#1. Schedule a Kickoff Meeting
This meeting brings all team members together with one objective in mind: drafting the team charter.
#2. Gather Input From All Team Members
The collaborative process requires everyone to voice their opinions, even those who may not speak up regularly. It’s imperative to gather input from everyone involved.
#3. Draft Using the Team Charter Template
Following a template makes it much easier to remember every detail, as you simply have to fill in each section.
#4. Circulate for Feedback
Once the first draft is finished, all team members should review it and offer any notes or feedback. This step may require multiple edits or updates.
#5. Finalize and Gain Sign-Off
After all changes are made, each team member must sign off on the charter.
Team Charter Examples
Here are a few examples of how a team charter can come together for different departments:
Marketing Team Charter
Realistically, the marketing team’s purpose is to build brand awareness and drive traffic to the company’s website and social channels. Team values may include elements like fostering a creative environment or always providing constructive feedback for new pitches.
Engineering Team Charter
The engineering team’s charter will likely be project-based, such as building or testing a new product. In this example, the team’s progress will be measured by task completion, unless the team defines a more open-ended objective.
Cross-Functional Project Team Charter
The mission statement for a cross-functional project will focus more on the end goal, not necessarily the process to get there. In this case, the team’s purpose aligns with that goal, but roles and responsibilities may change during the project, especially if new team members join throughout the project.
Implementation and Ongoing Use
Building a team charter is an ongoing process, not a one-time collaboration meeting. Here are some ways to ensure long-term success:
- Have the Document in a Shared Workspace
- Review and Update it Quarterly
- Reference the Charter During Retrospectives and Disputes
Overall, you know your team charter is finished when you have these pieces in order:
- Clear mission statement
- Defined SMART goals
- Roles assigned across the team
- An easy-to-understand conflict resolution pathway
- The first charter review is scheduled
But remember that crafting a charter is just the first step toward project success. Start by having the team tackle specific tasks and pay attention to any friction points that may arise. It’s always best to address potential problems as soon as possible
