How to set team norms that lead to success

[Ehsanuls55]

It's not always dramatic when a team starts to fall apart. In fact, it often starts so quietly that you hardly notice.

Sometimes it's a missed deadline. Or a half-baked email that leaves more questions than answers. Someone thinks, "It's not my job," while another assumes, "They'll take care of it."

And so, small cracks become gaping holes. Deadlines pile up, communication falters, progress stalls — and accountability? Nowhere.

What you need are the right frameworks (read ground rules) to create alignment, improve efficiency, and ensure your team’s capabilities translate into correct intent.

Let's explore how creating clear, enforceable team norms can transform potential into real progress.

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60 second summary
Team rules improve communication, decision making and overall performance
Types of team norms include core values, communication guidelines, decision-making processes, standards purchasing directors email list for work processes, accountability measures, and conflict resolution frameworks.
To create effective team rules:
Define a clear goal and set key performance indicators to measure the correct attempt
Define roles, responsibilities and directly responsible individuals (DRI)
Prioritize and classify the rules to create order
Understand your workflow, find bottlenecks and create rules around them
Establish clear rules for feedback loops
Build your conflict management mechanism
Why team rules are important
At first glance, team norms may seem like just another list of do's and don'ts. But the truth is that they provide a framework for interaction between team members, keeping everyone on the same page and working toward common goals.

Let's better understand the importance of team norms.

1. Eliminate confusion: With defined roles and responsibilities, everyone knows what they are supposed to be working on. There is no confusion about who is doing what, which increases productivity with clear expectations.

2. Promotes consistency and fairness: Having everyone follow the same rules creates a level playing field. This prevents favoritism and ensures that everyone is treated equally, regardless of their role or seniority.

3. They provide a safety net for effective communication: Guidelines specify how and when to communicate, making it easier to effectively address uncertainties or urgent matters.

4. Shape team culture: Positive behaviors such as respect, clear communication, and effective problem solving are encouraged through well-defined norms, promoting a culture of trust and continuous improvement.

Fun fact: Jeff Bezos popularized the idea that teams should be small enough to feed themselves with two pizzas. Smaller teams often need fewer rules, making collaboration easier.