THE GUIDE
Team charter and working agreements: a template with examples
A team charter is a short document that says why the team exists, what it is aiming for and how people work together. Working agreements are the practical part: how fast we reply, how meetings run, how we decide and how we disagree.
Writing them down turns unspoken expectations into shared ones, which is especially useful for new teams, remote teams and new joiners.
How to write one together
- Send the edit link and ask everyone to add one line to any section before you meet.
- In a 45-minute meeting, agree the wording section by section. Keep it short.
- Write behaviours you could spot, like “we disagree in the meeting, not after it”, rather than words like “respect”.
- Pin the PDF where the team works and review it every few months, or when someone joins.
Working agreement examples
- Communication
Chat for quick questions, reply within half a day. Email for decisions.
- Meetings
Every meeting has an agenda in the invite, or we can decline it.
- Decisions
Once decided, we commit, even if we argued against it.
- Wellbeing
Say “I’m at capacity” without having to explain why.
Frequently asked questions
One page. If people cannot remember it, it will not change anything.
A charter covers how the team works together in general. A RACI chart covers who does what on one project.
The whole team. A manager can start a draft, but people follow agreements they helped to write.
