Beyond the Poster: Making Team Norms Real - Ep 77
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This episode of 'Building a Culture of Collaboration' dives into the critical next step after establishing team norms: unpacking them to make them meaningful and actionable. Hosts discuss how simply listing norms isn't enough—teams must clarify the 'why' behind each norm, define what it looks like when it's being followed (and when it's not), and agree on proactive responses when norms are broken. The conversation emphasizes moving from assumptions to shared understanding, using real-life examples such as late arrivals and distracted behavior to illustrate how teams can respond with care and consistency. The episode highlights the power of co-creating norms with the team, ensuring ownership and clarity, and introduces a template for unpacking norms as a practical tool. The hosts stress that norms become living documents only when they're regularly revisited, reinforced, and applied with empathy and intention.
Clarify the 'why' behind each team norm to deepen understanding and commitment.
Define what norms look like in action—both when followed and when broken—for greater clarity.
Proactively agree on responses to norm violations to avoid blame and maintain psychological safety.
Use co-creation and regular reflection to keep norms alive and relevant.
Respond to norm breaks with care first—check on the person’s well-being before addressing behavior.
Introducing the Power of Unpacking Team Norms
“When we go about unpacking, we're just getting further and further clarity, deeper and deeper ways that we'll be working effectively together.”
Why Norms Matter: From Assumptions to Articulation
The hosts explain how norms help replace assumptions with shared understanding, especially in teams already functioning well, by making implicit behaviors explicit.
The 'Why' Behind Norms: Building Purpose and Clarity
“Sometimes just putting that simple why is so critically important so that we know why is that norm important.”
Defining Norms in Action: What They Look Like (and Don’t Look Like)
“We will see people making eye contact with one another. We will see people arrive before the start time.”
Responding to Norm Breaks: Proactive, Caring, Consistent
“Are you OK? Yeah. And then the next thing is, what are we going to do about this?”
“Are you OK? Yeah. And then the next thing is, what are we going to do about this?”
“When we go about unpacking, we're just getting further and further clarity, deeper and deeper ways that we'll be working effectively together.”
“We'll always stop to make sure the person's okay. And then ask them to commit to one thing that they'll do to ensure that that norm is respected moving forward.”
Host
Guests
Lorna Hewson
person
Curtis
person
Jigsaw Learning
organization
Teach Better Podcast Network
organization
Are We a Group or a Team
other
Collaborative Leaders Toolkit
other
Unpacking Team Norms Template
other
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