A Communication Work Agreement is an actionable statement that formally describes a team’s agreed-upon style and approach to communication.
This Agreement is a specific type of Behavioral Work Agreement used to resolve interpersonal issues, such as low trust or toxic behavior, by defining the positive communication standards teammates must live by.
What you think—your thought system—drives your communication in one of two ways.
- You either communicate as a collaborative ally or as a
- competitive, dysfunctional, and emotionally immature adversary.
Teams that work as one and achieve their goals proactively seek out opportunities to improve communication by creating and living a Communication Work Agreement.
Creating the Agreement
To create this Agreement, the facilitator guides the team through a structured process. After the team agrees to address the issue with a Right-Minded attitude, the facilitator asks an opening question (Step 4) to invite an honest discussion.
For example, if the objective is improving team communication, the facilitator might ask:
“If we communicated respectfully, what would you see or hear teammates say or do, or not say or do?”
The initial list of behaviors is then reframed into clear, actionable clarification statements (Step 8). These clarifications define the specific terms of the Agreement, often including details about:
- Words: Choosing suitable language.
- Tone: Using an appropriate voice.
- Body Language: Employing respectful non-verbal cues.
- Accountability: Owning and addressing disrespect or inappropriate “behind-the-back” conversations when they occur.
Living the Agreement
The first Agreement often takes longer to create because teammates are new to the process, but future Agreements will take less time due to a clear understanding of the benefits. Communication Work Agreements should be viewed as evergreen; they can be modified if they do not accomplish the desired outcome.
By successfully creating and living their Communication Work Agreement, the team strengthens its Right-Minded Thinking and moves away from adversary behavior towards a unified, effective working style.
Action
To create your team’s Communication Work Agreement, follow the suggestions in the book How to Facilitate Teamwork Agreements: A Practical, 10-Step Process for Building a Right-Minded Team That Works as One.
In there, you will find two real examples, one of which is a team Communication Work Agreement.
Download the ebook package here at Right-Minded Teamwork
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