Template · Free download

Team charter template

Agree how your team works together, in one hour. Each section has a prompt to discuss and a filled-in sample to show what good looks like.

How to use it

Run it with the whole team in the first month of a new manager or a new team. The leader facilitates, but the team writes it. Review it every quarter, or whenever someone joins.

10 minPurpose and what you own
20 minHow you work and decide
20 minFeedback and expectations
10 minSuccess measures and review date

Team charter · Sample

Payments Platform

Leader: Priya Shah · 6 people · Agreed [date] · Review [date + 3 months]

1. Why we exist

In one or two sentences: what would the company lose if this team disappeared tomorrow?

We make sure every payment our customers take arrives safely and on time. When we do our job well, nobody notices us.

2. What we own

The work, systems and decisions this team is responsible for. Also name what you don't own, to avoid gaps.

We own: payment processing, payouts and the reliability of both. We don't own: billing and invoicing (Billing team), fraud rules (Risk team).

3. How we work

Your rhythm: meetings, where work is tracked, how and when you communicate.

Planning every other Monday. Short written updates on Fridays instead of a status meeting. Weekly one-to-ones that belong to the report, not the manager. Urgent: page or call. Everything else: the team channel, answered within a working day.

4. How we make decisions

Who decides what, and how decisions are shared. Be explicit about which calls the leader makes.

The person closest to the work decides, and asks for input when it affects others. Priya decides on priorities and staffing. Every significant decision gets a short written note: what we decided, what we considered, and why.

5. How we give feedback

When and how feedback happens, in every direction, including to the leader.

Early, specific and in private. We assume good intent and talk about the work, not the person. Every one-to-one ends with "anything I could do differently?", and the team gives Priya structured feedback once a quarter.

6. What we expect of each other

Three to five commitments the team makes to each other. Tie them to your company values where you can.

Say early when something is at risk.
Leave things better documented than we found them.
Protect focus time: no meetings on Wednesday mornings.
Ask for help before we're stuck for a day.

7. What we need from our leader

The team's asks of their manager. The leader listens, then commits to what they can do.

Share the why behind decisions, not just the what. Shield us from last-minute priority changes where possible, and tell us early when you can't. Make time for career conversations, not only project updates.

8. How we'll know it's working

Two or three signals you'll check at the review. Mix results with how the team feels.

We hit our reliability target every month. Nobody is surprised by a decision that affects their work. In our quarterly check-in, everyone says they'd recommend joining this team.

Get a charter drafted for your team.

Rally drafts a team charter for every leader, using their team's name and what came up in their feedback.

See how Rally works