How To Set Better Boundaries as a People Team (Part 2 of 3)

Step 2 - Align as a team & make it open

Note: This is Part 2 of 3. If you want to read Part 1 first, you can find it here.

Reminder- This 3-parter is for you if any of the following are true:

• You and your team are stuck in 'people pleaser' mode and are stretched thin

• There's murmurings about your team like: "what do they even do?" / "How does HR/People team spend their time?"

• You are struggling to articulate the value of your team to the business

• You are struggling to communicate how you operate so that expectations from other teams on your time are managed

Resonate on some level? Let’s dive in together…

In Part 1 we covered what you need to do to achieve genuine job clarity in your role. Now you (hopefully) have that, or at least a clear path to how you get that, we can kick on. This next phase is all about aligning with the rest of your people team (if you’re lucky enough to have one!) and publishing something that the rest of the org can see & understand.

Aligning With Your Own Team

Here’s what I’d do:

1. Async - Share a 1-pager upfront with your team to absorb. Ideally the exact expectations doc and notes you complied with your CEO / Founder for full transparency. Get them to:

   1. Individually self-assess and spot any rogue activity, responsibilities, time being spent in places it perhaps shouldn't

   2. Problem-solve together - are there things that can be done to avoid being dragged into certain activities that aren't the most important use of team time

2. Sync - Build a shared understanding of the team's principle accountability, primary and secondary priorities, key results, who is owning what, ideal pie chart of focus

You basically want to get to a place where:

1. The team can say "yes we can commit to that. That's us, as we should be focusing on those things and working in that way"

2. They understand what they can say "No" to WITH your full support.

3. You understand if there are particular teams or individuals who put a strain on your own team's ability to set boundaries. Take this as a personal action to resolve.

If you can get here… you’re ready to document & share something with other teams. Let’s talk Team Charters…

Build & Launch Your Team Charter

So what is a team charter? TL;DR..

It’s a doc that helps others quickly understand your teams purpose, goals, priorities, boundaries and set up.

We love how Posthog approach their team charters. You can see theirs here

Your job now is to co-create a team charter/profile that expresses what your team are about, how they do their best work and what others can and should expect from them.

Here’s three things that might help you here:

1. Check out Posthogs for inspo

2. Have a peek at this Miro Team Charter Template

3. Consider using these sections if you want a launchpad:

   1. Mission

   2. Goals + metrics of success

   3. Pie chart of focus

   4. Owners

   5. Link to roadmap

   6. How you work / how others can and should engage

Once you’ve built this out you should make sure you share it with other teams and do what you can to encourage others to follow suit if they are also finding similar challenges in their own teams. Remember: you’re not the only ones who are likely struggling to set boundaries.

Next up, Step 3 - which is all about how you manage this long term to course correct if needed.

📔 In the meantime if you want a much deeper solution to boundary setting then you should check our Setting Boundaries Playbook, available via Open Org’s Content Pass here (£120/year), which gives you access to things like:

• 12x People & Culture Playbooks including this one (Plus new ones each quarter)

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Feel free to check it out here: www.openorg.fyi/content-pass