Initial Commitments
The Initial Commitments exercise establishes a foundation of shared accountability within new teams by explicitly defining expectations and responsibilities. This proactive approach helps prevent misunderstandings and fosters a culture of trust and open communication from the outset.
Use this method when forming a new team, especially in hybrid or remote environments, to create a shared understanding of expectations and prevent future conflicts arising from unstated assumptions.
Solves: Unstated expectations leading to conflict and mistrust; lack of shared accountability; difficulty in addressing performance issues.
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Step 1: Introduce the concept of Initial Commitments and swift trust. (5 minutes)
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Step 2: Present the standard set of Initial Commitments (Delivering what I promise, Speaking up when things are unclear, Welcoming feedback from others, Practicing respectful dissent, Demonstrating personal improvement, Calling others into accountability, Recognizing and rewarding others). (10 minutes)
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Step 3: Facilitate a team discussion to review each commitment, allowing for amendments and clarifications to suit the team's specific context. (45 minutes)
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Step 4: Document the final agreed-upon commitments and ensure everyone has access to them. (15 minutes)
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Step 5: Schedule a follow-up review after 60 days to assess the effectiveness of the commitments and make further adjustments. (Ongoing)
- Emphasize that these commitments are a starting point and can be adapted over time.
- Encourage open and honest discussion about each commitment.
- Ensure that the commitments are specific and actionable.
- Allow individuals to privately rank the importance of each commitment before the group discussion.
- Incorporate a check-in during team meetings to discuss how well the team is upholding the commitments.