> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Establish Team Norms To Drive Excellence - URL: https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/establish-team-norms-to-drive-excellence/ - Published: 2024-11-29T18:26:09.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-13T09:50:11.000Z - Description: As a leader, I’ve seen teams transform when they intentionally define how they will work together, communicate, and solve problems. Here's a way to establish those team norms. - Author: Matt - Tags: Management, Coaching *I was recently coaching a manager who was struggling to get their team engaged at the beginning of their journey together. I described a team norming exercise which can deliver great impact. I thought it was worth writing up so that more people could benefit from it.* It is easy for teams to operate on autopilot, assuming that everyone shares the same expectations about how to work together. However, misaligned expectations can steadily erode trust, productivity, and morale. This is where the magic of setting **team behaviour norms** comes into play. > As a leader, I’ve seen teams transform when they intentionally define **how** they will work together, communicate, and solve problems. A simple exercise like brainstorming team norms not only builds clarity but also fosters a sense of shared ownership and accountability. Read on to find a great way to reap the benefits and impact of team norms. ## **Why Team Norms Matter** Team norms are the unspoken (or spoken!) rules that shape the culture of a team and answer critical questions such as: - *How do we treat each other in meetings?* - *What does ‘being prepared’ look like for us?* - *How do we handle disagreements?* When teams align on these behavioural expectations, they minimise friction and free up energy to be productive. Norms act as a shared playbook that helps navigate conflict, enhance communication, and maintain trust. Without them, teams can fall into patterns of misunderstanding or unproductive habits. These patterns can be made worse when teams are remote or distributed. --- ### **The Exercise: A Framework for Collaboration** The **Brainstorming Team Norms** exercise is one of the fastest ways to set your team up for success. It is designed to be collaborative and actionable, ensuring every voice in the room is heard. Here’s how it works: 1. **Reflect on Your Ideal Team.** Team members visualise how the team operates at its best, which creates an aspirational foundation for your norms. 2. **Brainstorm Behaviours.** By openly sharing ideas, the team develops a collective understanding of what matters most. 3. **Prioritise and Refine.** Voting ensures the group’s focus is on behaviours that will have the greatest impact. Drafting concise norms makes them easy to remember and implement. 4. **Commit Together.** By agreeing to uphold the norms, the team builds accountability and lays the groundwork for a positive culture. --- ### **The Outcomes You Can Expect** Running this exercise doesn’t only create a list of ‘nice-to-have’ ideals. It delivers tangible benefits: 1. **Stronger Communication.** Teams with clear norms around communication- such as [active listening](https://www.mattrutherford.co.uk/active-listening/) and avoiding interruptions—experience fewer misunderstandings and faster resolutions. 2. **Increased Trust and Psychological Safety.** When everyone agrees to behaviours like respecting diverse opinions or addressing conflicts constructively, team members feel more valued and willing to contribute. 3. **Aligned Accountability.** Explicit norms make it easier to hold one another accountable. Instead of assuming, the team has a shared reference point for expectations. 4. **Improved Performance.** Clear norms reduce unproductive friction, enabling teams to focus on high-value activities and achieving their goals more efficiently. 5. **A Culture of Continuous Improvement** Revisiting and adjusting norms over time helps the team stay adaptive as challenges and dynamics evolve. ## Running the Team Norms Exercise - Brainstorming and Setting Team Norms **Objective:** To collaboratively establish clear and mutually agreed-upon norms that guide team behaviour and foster a positive working environment. **Duration:** 45–60 minutes. It’s best not to rush this exercise, giving team members time to ideate and talk should yield good benefits. --- **Step 1: Warm-Up (10-15 minutes)** - **Activity:** "Ideal Team Snapshot"Ask team members to think individually about the following prompt:*"Imagine our team at its best. What behaviours are present, and how do we work together?"*Each participant writes 2–3 behaviours on sticky notes or a shared digital board. **Step 2: Group Brainstorm (15 minutes)** 1. **Cluster Ideas** - Team members share their sticky notes or contributions one at a time. - Group similar ideas together on a board or wall under broad headings (e.g., *communication*, *respect*, *decision-making*). 2. **Expand Discussion** - Facilitate a quick discussion for each cluster, asking:*"Why is this behaviour important? How does it help us succeed?"* - Encourage specific examples to ground abstract terms like "respect" or "transparency". **Step 3: Refine Norms (10–15 minutes)** 1. **Vote on Priorities** - Provide each participant with 3–5 votes (e.g., dots, checks, or virtual equivalents). - Ask them to prioritise the behaviours they feel are most important for team success. 2. **Draft the Norms** - Take the top-voted behaviours and draft 5–7 concise, actionable team norms. - Example: Instead of "good communication," write, "We will listen actively, avoid interruptions, and clarify when in doubt." **Step 4: Commit and Share (10-15 minutes)** 1. Review the drafted norms as a group and agree on any final tweaks. 2. Each team member verbally commits to upholding the norms. This step can be optional, but the overall team commitment to uphold these goals gives you a starting point to manage future situations. 3. Decide how to record and revisit these norms regularly. For example; at team meetings or in shared documents. I like the idea of keeping your 5/7 actionable team norms at the top of a rolling agenda document. **Follow-Up** - Revisit these norms after 4–6 weeks to assess their impact and adjust if needed. - If you start to observe your team deviating from the norms, you can run the exercise again as a refresher. --- ## **Putting It into Practice** The true power of this exercise lies in its simplicity. Whether your team is newly formed or well-established, taking the time to align on behavioural norms can elevate the way you work together. **Here’s my challenge to you:** Carve out 45-60 minutes in your next team meeting to run this exercise. Commit to listening actively, reflecting honestly, and prioritising behaviours that matter most to your team’s success. > My hypothesis is that you will start to build a stronger, more cohesive team with the clarity, trust, and accountability needed to thrive. > As a leader, one of the greatest gifts you can give your team is clarity about ***how*** to work together—not just ***what*** to work on. When you set those norms, you’re not just building a playbook; you’re creating the foundation for a culture of excellence. Are you ready to lead the charge?