Fast Team Formation

Borrowed from the "6 Team Conditions" framework.

Source.

Purpose

This agenda is useful when assembling a group of people who do not already constitute a formal team to accomplish a task together. It can take as little as 10 minutes, or as long as 90 minutes, depending on how much time you have and the scope of the task you're trying to accomplish.

Principles

A few rules for the meeting before you jump in:

1. Privacy: Hold the briefing in a place where others cannot overhear it.

2. Presence: Begin only when all participants are present.

3. Faces: Members are identifiable to each other, and making eye contact.

4. Fast: Each step (below) takes no more than 20% of the total time allotted for the meeting.

5. Facilitator: One person is responsible for facilitating and keeping time.

Steps

If one person is mainly responsible for convening the group, it may be appropriate for them to drive the conversation and prescribe some answers, especially if time is very short. Otherwise, each person should speak in rounds.

1. Primary Purpose

What is our primary objective?

Does anyone have questions or elaborations?

2. People and Resources

Each person gives his or her name (no need for pedigrees), and briefly describes any special training or experience that could help the team achieve its purposes.

3. Team Roles & Norms

What is each person’s role on the team?

What must we be sure to always do as we work together?

What should we be careful never to do?

4. Special Circumstance

Are there any special complexities or constraints we need to attend to?

How will we deal with them?

5. Uncertainties and Concerns

What remaining questions or concerns should we address before we begin?

Important: Each team member is asked in turn for any questions/concerns.