Working Agreements
A collaborative process for establishing explicit agreements about how a team will work together. Unlike imposed rules, working agreements are co-created by the team, which increases buy-in and accountability. They cover communication norms, meeting behaviour, decision-making processes, and how the team handles conflict.
How to run it
- 1
Introduce the purpose: 'We're going to create agreements about how we work together — not rules imposed from above, but agreements we all commit to.'
- 2
Ask: 'What would make our collaboration excellent? What do you need from each other to do your best work?'
- 3
Participants write suggestions on sticky notes (5 minutes).
- 4
Cluster similar suggestions. Discuss and refine each cluster.
- 5
For each proposed agreement, check for consent: 'Can everyone live with this?'
- 6
Write up the agreed list clearly. Each person signs or verbally commits.
- 7
Post the agreements visibly and revisit them at the next retrospective.
Tips
Agreements should be specific and behavioural, not aspirational ('We start meetings on time' not 'We respect each other').
Revisit them — agreements that were never broken or challenged may not have been needed.
New team members should help update them.
Variations
Run as a team health ritual: review existing agreements at each retrospective and drop, add, or modify as needed. Combine with Team Canvas for deeper alignment.
Where it fits
Related methods
Further reading
Frequently asked questions
When should I use Working Agreements?▾
Use Working Agreements when you want to: New team formation; Agile team kick-offs; Remote team alignment; Post-conflict team resets.
How long does Working Agreements take?▾
Working Agreements typically takes 20–45 minutes.
How many participants does Working Agreements work for?▾
Working Agreements works best for groups of 2–20 participants.
What materials do I need for Working Agreements?▾
To run Working Agreements you will need: flip chart or whiteboard, sticky notes, markers.
How difficult is Working Agreements to facilitate?▾
Working Agreements is rated beginner — straightforward to facilitate even without prior experience.
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