The One Document Every Team Should Have
How many of the teams you’re on - at work, in your community, or in your personal life - actually have a written document that spells out your mission, your goals, who’s accountable for what, and how you’ll make decisions?
If your answer is “not many,” you’re not alone. Most teams are launched with energy and goodwill, but without the foundation of clarity. And that’s when the cracks show up.
Teams often stall in what Bruce Tuckman famously called the Storming stage - the messy middle of conflict, confusion, and frustration. It’s the stage where:
The vision is forgotten.
Decisions get tough.
Roles and structure get confusing.
The pain of misalignment starts to be felt.
Patrick Lencioni has argued in The Five Dysfunctions of a Team that without clarity and trust, teams spiral into avoidance, turf wars, and lack of accountability. Deborah Mackin, in her Team-Building Tool Kit, emphasizes that teams need tools - structure and shared agreements - to avoid dysfunction and sustain momentum.
That’s where the team charter comes in.
Think of a team charter as your team’s constitution or memorandum of understanding. It’s the compass you return to when you’re lost in the weeds of day-to-day work. It legitimizes the team’s existence, clarifies purpose, and sets boundaries.
A charter isn’t a one-and-done document. It begins with a draft from the team’s sponsor (an executive, board president, project lead, etc.) but it’s not complete until the team itself has reviewed, debated, and signed on. In fact, the best teams revisit their charter regularly, especially in the early months, to make sure expectations remain clear.
Over the years, I’ve used team charters as the cornerstone for everything from ad hoc working groups to the creation of full-fledged nonprofit organizations (both 501c3 and 501c6). The principle is the same: without a clear charter, a team is set adrift.
While each charter should fit the team’s unique context, the essentials usually include:
The case for creating the team – Why this team exists and what’s at stake if it fails.
Mission and purpose – A clear statement of why the team is together.
Scope of work – Boundaries, limitations, and what falls inside or outside of the team’s authority.
SMART goals – Specific, measurable, achievable, results-oriented, time-bound objectives.
High-level activities – The key steps to reach those goals.
Expected benefits – What success will deliver.
Membership – Who’s on the team, how they’re selected, and how rotation or replacement works.
Responsibilities and commitment – Expectations of each member, including time.
Roles – The parts needing to be played by both team sponsor, organization and team members.
Authority levels – Decision-making powers and limits.
Resources – What support the team has access to.
Decision-making process – Consensus, majority vote, or other methods.
Communication – How the team communicates internally and externally.
Relationships – How the team interacts with other groups.
Negotiables and non-negotiables – What the team has freedom to decide and what is fixed.
At first glance this list may feel extensive, but here’s the secret: once built, most of the charter remains stable year to year. Typically only the team’s goals, activities, and roster change.
A team without a charter is like a ship without a compass - eventually the winds of conflict and distraction will push it off course. A team with a charter can navigate stormy waters, recalibrate when needed, and keep moving toward high performance.
Whether you’re launching a new committee, leading a coalition, or revitalizing a stagnant workgroup, a charter is your roadmap back to purpose, clarity, and impact.
Direct Application Question: What team are you part of right now that would benefit from drafting (or revisiting) a team charter? Don’t wait until the storm hits - give your team the compass it needs today.
