How confident are you in your team’s alignment? The truth is that some teams plug along for years before management notices that team members aren’t stepping in the same direction. Alignment is a foundational aspect of team success that needs to be present across the board as part of the employee experience. When teams are aligned, they are more efficient, hit goals, and employees are happier at work. 

Is misalignment slowing your team down? It might be time to implement a Social Contract. Here’s what you need to know.

Why Teams Get Misaligned

In a tension-filled world, workspaces are no exception. Everything from generational differences to disagreements about how processes should be handled can make it seem like you’re managing a dozen different “micro” teams within a single team.

Creating Your Organization’s North Star: Social Contracts Correct Alignment in Teams

Alignment should never be assumed. After all, you’re nurturing a team of people with different experiences, ideals, and expectations. A Social Contract can play an integral part in establishing alignment by setting up shared principles and expectations. A Social Contract removes any excuses about perceptions or intentions. What exactly is a social contract for a business team? While the idea isn’t complicated, execution needs to be flawless in order for this “living document” to be effective. A Social Contract is a document that defines an agreement regarding how a team will jointly pursue shared goals. When it’s done properly, this document will succeed at establishing:

• A shared vision and purpose.
• Alignment of responsibilities.
• Mutual accountability over leadership-forced accountability.
• Committed team members.
• Disciplined execution designed for exceptional results.

The important distinction here is that a Social Contract doesn’t just publish clear core values. It also establishes agreed-upon principles of performance that the entire team follows. Of course, the real power in a Social Contract is that it doesn’t come across as a top-down mandate from leadership. An effective contract is one that has the fingerprint of the entire team.

Presenting the Concept of a Social Contract to a Team

The creation of a Social Contract should be performed as a collaborative endeavor. It is built by a team working together to identify their shared prioritized values. As a team works together, the values that they share will come into focus. Many leaders are surprised to discover just how “wanted” a social contract is once the process begins. It can seem as though team members felt that they were truly wandering in the dark when it came to expectations before the idea of creating the document was introduced.

Activating Your Social Contract: What Does It Look Like?

Once a Social Contract is created, it is not intended to be something that is shoved away in a drawer. The document should be referenced often. In fact, it should be included in all major meetings and conversations. When team members are acting out of alignment, the document should be referred to bring them back into alignment with the group’s shared process.

Create a Social Contract to Get Your Team in Alignment for Success

Teamalytics can bring our proven four-step process for effectively creating and implementing a Social Contract with culture-transforming results to your organization! We create an intensive and rewarding experience for teams that includes a Social Contract workshop. Once the contract is in the final stages, the team commits to turning it into part of your organization’s official canon of information.

Misalignment leads to missed goals! Bring the brilliance of a social contract to your organization for an internal rebrand that gets results. Contact Teamalytics today to book a consultation.