High performing teams have rules or codes of conduct. The best teams actually formalize them in some way (e.g. writing them down, posting them, etc). The rules provide clarity on what is expected of each team member to be a part of the team. These rules may include simple things like being on time to meetings, turning off blackberries at meetings, how feedback needs to be delivered and how often, etc. With clear rules in place the team can then also provide feedback to members who are not following the rules.
However – there are many teams that have unwritten rules in place. A lot of these rule are unproductive. For example the unwritten rule that it is ok to be late for meetings. How does this get established? It gets established when people start to attend meetings late and no one says anything about it. By showing up late and no one on the team saying anything, the unwritten message is it is ok to be late. By virtue of it being ok for one person, it is all of a sudden ok for everyone. In some cases, we are subconsciously saying – if I don’t call someone else out on this behaviour then they won’t call me out either.
So whose responsibility is it to change the unproductive unwritten rule? Everyone’s. Whether you are doing it yourself or allowing it to happen you are equally responsible to create the change you see as positive change for the team.
While the unwritten rules need to be addressed, this video shows how NOT to deliver feedback when unwritten rules disturb a team meeting…
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