Team Charter $($Week $1)$

In both temporary and permanent teams in organizational settings, a key component of effective team performance is development of shared goals and agreed on processes for attaining those goals. Many organizations employ team charters to help ensure agreement of both goals and processes. As a team, you are expected to develop a charter as both an assignment for this course and as a basis for team performance going forward. This contract will serve as the $$strategy$$ for your collective learning experience. It should outline the group policies and procedures as well as the timeline for development of your group project$($s$).$ Specific areas to address in your team charter are listed below but teams are welcome to exceed expectations by adding additional criteria based on needs. Students are encouraged to review examples of team contracts$/$charters online. Grading of this contract will be dependent on thoughtful reflection by group members, thoroughness of the charter, as well as presentation $($i$.$e$.$ grammar and formatting$).$ This charter will be dependent on thoughtful reflection and explanation by group members.

Although other components may be included in the charter, the following MUST be addressed:

Team Charter & Project Plan

Your team will develop a team charter and project plan that will be agreed upon and signed by all team members. The team charter will assist the team in working together, offer candid and helpful feedback, and identify expectations. The project plan provides details of the teams$$ goals, the steps to complete the group project, and the roles that each team member will have. The requirements are as follows:

I. Purpose. Clearly define the purpose of your team.

II$.$ Membership. List names of team members and contact numbers.

III. Goals. Clearly state the team$$s specific goals. Include measurable task and process goals.

IV$.$ Expectations of Team Members. The expectations must be clear, specific, measurable, and aimed at high participation, role performance, preparation, task performance, etc. As a team, decide on four or five areas$/$categories of performance that you consider important to the success of your team $($e$.$g$.$ Attendance at Meetings$).$ Next, describe the specific, measureable behaviors that constitute high performance in each of those categories. For example:

a$.$ Attendance at meetings $\{$category$\}$

b$.$ Attend a team meeting; be punctual $\{$specific behavior$\}$

V$.$ Policies. Your team should then decide on its policies or rules. Define the point at which the team will take corrective action with a member, if he or she fails to meet the team$$s expectations. For example: The first absence from a team meeting $($without prior notification$)$ will result in a verbal warning. Don$$t forget to explore the preferred modes of communication for the team in this section. Also, take the time to define rewards that the team might offer to one of the team members, should they go above and beyond the call of duty on behalf of the team.

VI$.$ Procedures. The procedures section defines how your team plans to take action to enforce the policies, reward excellence, and manage performance. For example: the procedure for issuing a verbal warning is:

Prior to issuing a verbal warning, the team will meet to discuss the violation.

If three team members agree that a violation has occurred, the verbal warning will be issued immediately by the team leader.

The following Course Guidelines MUST be included in your procedures section.

These course guidelines represent the minimum required steps to implementing the termination process. They apply to all policy violations, with one exception: Violations of the Academic Conduct Code may lead immediately to Stage $3$: Termination.

Stage $1$: Warning

This is the first stage in responding to a team member who is not meeting the team$$s expectations for performance. Your team should decide whether this first warning is to be a verbal or written warning. In either case, the warning should:

Define the unacceptable behavior $($i$.$e$.,$ rather than stating that the team member $$has a bad attitude,$$ state $$the team member has missed $2$ team meetings$).$ Missing meetings is measurable but having a $$bad attitude$$ is subjective

Describe the behavior that the team needs or expects from the individual.

Stage $2$: Final Written Warning

This final warning is a written notice developed by the team and given to the team member. This warning must:

Describe the poor performance;

Include a specific time limit during which the team member can correct his$/$her behavior $($e$.$g$.,$ four days, one week$)$;

Be signed by all other team members;

Be copied and given to the instructor $($The instructor will not override the team$$s decision; however the instructor must be apprised of the team$$s actions$).$

Stage $3$: Termination

The team may choose to dismiss a team member if his$/$her behavior continues beyond the warning stages to violate the expectations set