The team charter, also called team contract, defines the functioning as well as the roles and responsibilities of the project team. The team charter is a roadmap to success that is agreed upon with the team at the beginning of the project. It helps to avoid friction during the project in order to increase efficiency.
The team charter: an essential tool for organizing and managing your team
It is well known that when a new project is launched, everyone is excited and excited to contribute. The creation of the project team is indeed a moment of effervescence where everyone is fully invested with good intentions.
Then, little by little, reality catches up with us, along with its share of uncertainties and questioning. Why is this person doing this task and not me? Who should I contact if I have a question about a particular aspect of the project?
Telecommuting and remote teams with external collaborators are leading us to redefine our communication modes and our ways of doing things. Whether it's the physical distance or the work processes, various obstacles can arise along the way. Hence the idea of building a team charter together.
When leading a project team, it is important to have a strategy in place to gain efficiency and reduce hesitation or confusion. Having a team charter clearly establishes, in a common language, the functioning of the project team to dispel any form of doubt or misunderstanding.
Leading a successful team with a team charter
In addition to putting together a good team for a project, it is important to know how to rally and motivate it throughout the project. The team charter remains an excellent way to achieve this by establishing a chemistry between all members.
By establishing a team contract at the beginning of the project, we can see that competition is replaced by a spirit of mutual aid and collaboration. The expertise of one person complements that of the other and everyone better understands what is expected of them.
Keypoints of the team charter
Several elements should be in the team charter at the beginning of the project, including:
Download our team charter template
Sources: GPBL ProjectWise
