Brave New Work Podcast Notes: Working Agreements

Welcome

• Hosts: Aaron Dignan & Rodney Evans
• Episode Topic: Working Agreements
• Key Question: Why do some teams get explicit about how they want to work together, and others don't?

Check-In Question

• Question: What would your last meal be?
• Aaron: Medium number one with orange Hi-C from McDonald's (Big Mac with fries)
• Rodney: Fried chicken and waffles

Introduction to Working Agreements

• High-performing teams are explicit about how they work together
• Working agreements: written and agreed upon guidelines for team functioning
• Common agreements include:
  • Meeting structure: Purpose, design, facilitation
  • Decision making: Methods and dynamics
  • Tools: Platforms used for communication and task management
• The lack of working agreements can lead to misunderstandings and inefficiencies

Common Foundational Working Agreements

• Meetings: Purpose, frequency, facilitation
• Decision-Making: Advice process, consensus, etc.
• Tools: Usage guidelines (e.g., Slack, email)
• Roles: Clarifying who does what
• Expectations: Response times, communication norms

Importance of Explicit Agreements

• Defines how work gets done, not just what work gets done
• Reduces tension by clarifying expectations

Dealing with Violations of Agreements

• View violations as data, not personal affronts
• Revisit the agreement: Is it clear? Is it still relevant?
• Establishing a culture where it’s safe to propose new agreements

Power Dynamics

• Higher-ups can create expectations without explicit communication
• It’s important to avoid making team members feel they need to guess the preferences of their leaders
• Encourages participatory change vs. hierarchical dictation

Encouraging Team Participation

• Leaders should model openness to different approaches
• Proposals should be invited from all team members
• Default to work principles, illustrate them clearly, allow for team modifications

Example of Real-World Application

• Slack’s internal culture and working agreements
• Work hard, go home: no messages after hours unless it's urgent
• Communication norms in Slack: public channels over DMs, use of emojis for responses
• Explicit training on Slack usage

Adapting & Evolving Agreements

• Regularly revisiting and updating agreements based on feedback and changes in work dynamics
• Using onboarding to teach new team members the common agreements

Mike Bravort’s Insights from Slack

• Slack ethos: unity in essentials, liberty in all else (quoted, possibly misattributed to St. Augustine)
• Examples of working agreements: work hours, communication protocols, use of emojis
• Default behavior vs. more rigid standards

Recommendations for Establishing Working Agreements

1. Start with a conversation: Discuss what's working and what's not.
2. Identify tension points: Where clarity is needed.
3. Document agreements: Write them down and treat them as experiments.
4. Evaluate and iterate: Regularly check and adapt as needed.
5. Proposals before politics: Encourage proposing solutions to problems.

Conclusion

• Working agreements are foundational for high-performing teams
• Encourage open dialogue, documentation, and continuous improvement

Final Thoughts

• Team success is tied to the clarity and adaptability of working agreements
• Aim for both structure (unity) and flexibility (liberty) in team dynamics