COLLABORATION MODULE #1 Setting and Using Norms An online module developed by Pivot Learning Partners for the West Contra Costa Unified School District

This module is one of a series of six that focus on the foundational skills and tools for collaboration: Setting and Using Norms Assigning Roles in Meetings Planning Good Meetings Making Decisions Collaboratively Establishing Goals and Milestones Giving and Receiving Feedback ABOUT THIS MODULE 1

1 More about this module Each module includes a PowerPoint presentation a Quick Guide on the topic one or more tools or templates videos of teams at work (not included in some modules). Individuals or groups can use these modules in flexible ways, and depending on the group’s choices, they can take anywhere from 10 minutes to 1 hour to complete.

Every group of people has norms Norms are agreements about how we do things. Some norms are informal and never written down. Some norms are carefully negotiated and posted. Both kinds of norms impact behavior. Which norms—formal or informal—exist in your school or on your team? If you are working through this module as a team, take a moment to list some of the norms that come to mind. ABOUT THIS MODULE 1

Be explicit about norms to make group work go more smoothly. Sample norms: Arrive on time. Stay on task. Follow up on agreements. help people take on difficult issues. Sample norms: Be curious. Challenge ideas, not people. Assume best intentions. raise the quality of the work the team can accomplish. Sample norm: Make room for diverse perspectives. ABOUT THIS MODULE 1

Basic and advanced norms Teams that are just beginning to work together may need to adopt some basic norms that later become obvious and no longer need to be stated. Norms should be revisited periodically and updated to reflect the agreements the team is really working on. Norms should be something teams aspire to. Don’t hesitate to adopt more advanced norms that challenge your team members to do their best work! ABOUT THIS MODULE 1

Questions to think about Do your team’s norms need to be updated? Do they adequately reflect the team members’ aspirations for how they want to work together? Are there aspects of your school’s or team’s culture that could be improved? Which explicit norms would help with this? Example: If your school has a culture that values getting along more than getting better, could a norm about challenging ideas or exploring areas of disagreement help? ABOUT THIS MODULE 1

Responding to norms violations Teams need a norm about how to respond to norms violations! Possible ways to respond include assigning a process observer to reflect on norms at the end of each meeting agreeing that the facilitator will respond to serious violations when they occur being explicit that norms are about not just meetings but the whole organization and how people behave— that’s why norms matter. ABOUT THIS MODULE 1

Setting norms that make a difference Brainstorm: Make a list of norms ranging from the obvious to the challenging. Prioritize: Everybody votes for their top three norms, with the advice to choose the ones with the most potential impact for how work gets done. Discuss: Ask whether everyone can live with—and agree to live by—the resulting list. If not, explore why not and revise. Agree: Norms should be adopted by consensus if possible. ABOUT THIS MODULE 1

Thank You!