Whether you’re conscious of them or not, your team has its own set of norms. These norms could involve anything from how quickly you respond to emails to what time you’re expected to arrive at work. Essentially, norms shape how your team works together. That’s why it’s important to take time to create healthy group norms that foster a supportive, productive work environment.
According to writer Aer Perris, creating group norms is as simple as asking yourself and your co-workers how you’d like to interact. From company-wide culture to personal meeting etiquette, she says finding common values is often about asking: What would work for you?
In this issue of PromoPro Daily, we share Perris’ thoughts on how to intentionally craft your team’s norms.
Find allies. All it takes is one person to start a conversation about expectations and team dynamics. However, Perris says it takes the entire team for the real magic to happen. Creating norms requires buy-in from everyone involved. Make sure the leader is on board, too. Without the boss’ blessing, it’s hard to change the conversation for the rest of the team, Perris says.
Reflect. After you get everyone’s support, the next step, according to Perris, is to encourage each staff member to reflect on the positives and negatives of their work. Sharing the highs and lows as a group helps uncover some collective truths. She recommends sending out some thought-starters before a meeting to give people time to think about their feedback.
Be extremely clear. When creating team norms, be specific. This reduces the chance of assumptions and misunderstandings. Perris suggests writing down the group’s shared expectations. Create straightforward objectives and guidelines that are both measurable and achievable. You can have as many group norms as you want, but it’s best to choose no more than 3 changes at a time.
Get consensus. Group norms are most effective when everyone follows them, Perris says. For this to happen, you need consensus. Once everyone agrees, post the norms somewhere visible and refer to them regularly. For example, if you created norms for virtual meetings, post them in the chat box or on the first slide in your deck.
Re-evaluate. You can always adjust your norms as your team grows and changes. You may decide to revisit your norms once a quarter or even before beginning a new project. Whatever the case, Perris says scheduling a regular cadence keeps the positive momentum going.
Even if your team already gels well together, you can build on that existing cohesion. Define your shared expectations as a team and outline what to do when challenges arise. With a defined set of norms in place, you can reduce misunderstandings and build on the positive culture that already exists.
Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Aer Perris is a writer who contributes to the Doist blog, among others.
