Creating a Project Charter

The quickest way to create project charters: [after creating 25+ charters in the last 3 years] I view the project initiation as a compass, not just a formality. Then, I begin with the end in mind. This method: -Aligns stakeholders -Sets clear objectives -Maps out project boundaries -Identifies potential risks -Establishes authority and accountability Here's each step of my charter creation: 1. Objective Define the core purpose: -Why is this project essential? -What business problem does it address? -Articulate the expected outcome: -Desired end state after project completion -Key performance indicators to measure 2. Scope Detail out project boundaries: -Inclusions: What's part of the project? -Exclusions: What's out of scope? Establish the deliverables: -Tangible outputs -Milestones to reach -Stakeholders Identify key players: -Who will benefit from this project? -Who has influence over its outcome? 3. Outline roles and responsibilities: -Who’s doing what? -Who holds which authority? 4. Risks & Assumptions Highlight potential pitfalls: -What might derail the project? -Assumptions made and their validation Plan for contingencies: -Risk mitigation strategies -Backup plans 5. Resources Allocate essentials: -Budgetary constraints -Required tools and technology -Team members and their skillsets 6. Timeline Breakdown of project lifecycle: -Start and end dates -Major phase completion dates -Dependencies between tasks 7. Communication Define the communication plan: -Who gets updated and when? -Preferred communication channels 8. Approval Establish authority: -Who signs off on project decisions? -Acceptance criteria for deliverables Outline the revision process: -Feedback loop -Change request protocol 9. Documentation & Archiving Detail out the documentation process: -Where are project files stored? -How to access historical data Establish a post-project review plan: -Lessons learned -Feedback collection -Continuous improvement Follow this charter framework to kick-start your projects with clarity and purpose. What are your project charter best practices?  Leave a reply in the comment section.

I've watched so many hours wasted because nobody talked about the basics upfront. A few years ago, I made the mistake of assuming everyone had the same idea of what "done" meant. By the time we found out, we had done three iterations, with much frustration on all sides. That's when I saw the value of using team charters. It’s like a relationship contract for your work team. You sit down together and hash out the stuff that usually stays unspoken: What are we actually trying to accomplish here?  How do we like to communicate?  What drives us crazy?  What does good work look like to us? The beauty of that isn't in the document itself. It’s more in the conversations you have creating it.  Suddenly everyone's speaking the same language. One of the best parts?  When someone new joins, they get the playbook.  Instead of trying to decode unwritten rules for six months. And the charter isn't set in stone. We update it when things change. Since none of us are perfect at team communication, we need tools like charters to help us get aligned. When was the last time your team had an honest conversation about how you want to work together?

Why Scaling Customer Marketing Without Systems Will Hold You Back Systems, frameworks, blueprints—call them what you want, but without them, scaling customer marketing becomes an uphill battle. What I love about systems is that they help you: Save Yourself Some Time, Energy, and Money By providing repeatable processes, systems deliver consistency, predictability, and measurable impact. That’s why I advocate for using systems to guide everything—whether it’s launching a customer program or aligning cross-functional teams. 💡 How Charters Fit Into the System 💡 A charter is a prime example of a system in action. It’s not just a document—it’s a strategic tool that connects your customer marketing team to a larger vision and purpose while offering clear execution steps. When built intentionally, a charter helps customer marketing teams: 🔎 Clarify what they do and why it matters 🤝 Reinforce who they collaborate with 💖 Articulate the value they deliver to the organization ♻️ Provide a consistent framework for alignment Without a system like this, every intro or alignment effort becomes a time-consuming one-off conversation. A charter acts as your team’s north star, ensuring everyone is aligned on your mission and the long-term vision while offering a repeatable way to showcase your work. 💡 Key Components of a Good Charter 💡 Here’s what I typically include when building charters: 1️⃣ Mission Statement – This defines your team’s purpose and answers: Why do we exist? A mission should reflect both your current role and future vision. 2️⃣ Core Pillars/Functions – The key focus areas of your team, serving as building blocks for delivering on your mission. 3️⃣ Metrics – Clearly define how success is measured. Showing key KPIs reinforces that your team is delivering real outcomes. 4️⃣ Collaboration Partners – Highlight the teams you work with. This ensures alignment and drives cross-functional impact. Why It Works To illustrate this, here’s my Customer Engagement Team Charter (with sensitive info removed): Every company I’ve worked at has adopted some version of this system because it works. When meeting with new leaders or peers, attention spans are short. A well-defined charter helps you quickly articulate: ✅ What your team does & doesn't do ✅ Why it matters (your vision and purpose) ✅ How you can collaborate to deliver value for customers Charters don’t just save time—they build trust, create alignment, and strengthen partnerships. They transform what could be ad-hoc explanations into a scalable, repeatable system that keeps your team focused on its purpose while ensuring others know how to work with you. If you’ve used a system like this before, I’d love to hear how it worked for you. And if you’re thinking of creating one, feel free to reach out—I’m happy to share templates. #CustomerMarketing #ScalingTeams #Frameworks #TeamAlignment #CrossFunctionalCollaboration #CustomerSuccess #CustomerEngagement #CX #Leadership #voc

Family constitutions or charters help enterprising families stay aligned on their mission, vision, and values, yet only 30% of family businesses have one in place, according to a PwC study. This is a missed opportunity—not only to create governance clarity but also to involve the Rising Gen in a process that strengthens alignment across generations. My Wingspan Legacy Partners colleague Vicki Morton explores this in her latest Wingspan Insight, "Family Constitutions: A Rising Gen Opportunity." She highlights why family constitutions matter and how families can use them as a tool to engage and prepare future leaders. For families without a constitution—or those due for an update—giving the Rising Gen an active role presents a meaningful opportunity to: ✅ Learn more about the family’s history and values ✅ Ensure their voices are heard in shaping governance and decision-making ✅ Align the constitution with the family’s future needs ✅ Develop leadership skills through strategic planning, compromise, and conflict resolution ✅ Foster long-term commitment by creating buy-in across generations A family constitution doesn’t have to be a 100-page formal document—it can take many forms, from a simple set of guiding principles to a more structured governance framework. What matters most is the process of creating it and the intention behind it, as both foster alignment and continuity. Vicki’s article also outlines best practices for drafting and maintaining a constitution, ensuring it remains a useful tool for the family over time. If your family hasn’t yet created a constitution, this is a great opportunity to start the conversation. Read "Family Constitutions: A Rising Gen Opportunity" here: https://lnkd.in/e3s7s7y8 #FamilyEnterprise #FamilyBusiness #FamilyConstitution #FamilyValues #RisingGen #NextGen #NextGenLeadership #FutureLeaders

Key Elements of a Powerful Agile Team Charter 📌 1. Purpose What contribution does the team make? How do we create impact? 📌 2. Team Type & Responsibilities What areas of the solution are we responsible for? What’s our role within the broader organization? 📌 3. Working Agreements How do we collaborate to create a positive, productive environment? (This is crucial for fostering trust and ownership.) 📌 4. Success Measures What are our key indicators of success? How do we track progress? 📌 5. Definition of Done What criteria must be met for work to be accepted? (This prevents ambiguity and rework.) 📌 6. Key Interactions Which teams do we need to work closely with? 📌 7. Key Stakeholders Who are our key stakeholders, and how will we keep them informed? 📌 8. Team Members Who’s on the team? What are their roles and responsibilities? 📌 9. Distinctive Competencies What are we uniquely good at? What can we help others with? 📌 10. Team Events When and how do we meet, plan, and inspect progress? Agile Success Begins with Alignment A team without a charter is like a ship without a compass It may move, but without direction. Setting up an Agile Team Charter isn’t a one-time activity; it should evolve as the team grows, faces challenges, and learns. Does your team have a charter? If so, how has it helped? If not, what’s stopping you from creating one? Let’s discuss!

In a time when so many companies can feel toxic, it's our responsibility in leadership to double down on team culture.  I'm not talking about escape rooms and icebreakers. 🗝️ 🗺️ I'm talking about a team charter.  It's not just an exercise. It's a collaborative agreement on your team's purpose, roles, goals, and how you want to treat each other.  Sit down together and ask your team to answer the following questions: 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲  - What is the point of what we do? - Why does it matter that we showed up today?  - What value do we provide? 𝗚𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗢𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀  - How do we know when we're winning - what metrics are we looking at? - Are our goals crystal clear? - Do we know how to achieve them? 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀  - What matters to us? - What do we want to be known for?  - How do we want to treat each other? 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗼𝗹𝘀  - What does each team member need to know? - How do we keep each other informed? - What are the expected turnaround times on emails and slack messages?   - Do certain things get communicated only in certain channels? - Are after-hours messages okay? 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗗𝗼 𝗪𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀? - What is decided as a group and what needs to be decided by leadership? - How do we work on strategy together? Having a sense of purpose, and a say in how you want to work together makes a HUGE difference in how people show up every day. Have you ever done this with your team?

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫? A Project Charter is the foundation of any successful project. It formally sanctions the project, outlines its objectives, and identifies the roles and responsibilities of the key stakeholders. Without a clear charter, projects are likely to suffer from misalignment, scope creep, and lack of adequate stakeholder support. It's most project managers' attitude: the charter is just another sheet of paper. But it helps you get permission, alignment, and direction before you begin the work. Why You Need a Project Charter Stakeholder buy-in is the very first and primary goal of a Project Charter. Without a clear document explaining purpose and value, approval and acquiring resources are difficult. A sound charter provides guidance on scope, deliverables, and measures of success, so everyone is working towards the same goal. Apart from approval, a Project Charter is also a direction document throughout the project. When things go wrong—scope creep or budget troubles—the charter holds teams accountable and makes sound decisions. It is not a document to be used once; it is a point of reference throughout the entire project. The Most Important Parts of a Successful Project Charter Project Overview – A brief description of the purpose and goals of the project. Scope Definition – Specify what is in and what is out to avoid confusion. Stakeholders & Responsibilities – Determine major stakeholders, sponsors, and project team members. Business Case – Describe why this project is needed and how it aligns with business objectives. Risks & Constraints – Determine potential issues early to create risk mitigation plans. Budget & Timeline – Give a rough estimate of costs and project length. Best Project Charter Writing Practices One of the most common errors project managers commit is crafting a too-verbose and terminological charter. Decision-makers wouldn't have the time to get through thick texts, so cut it short and to the point. Use simple and precise words so that anyone for whom the charter is drawn can have a ready understanding of the charter. Instead of saying, "The project is aimed at creating operational efficiencies," say, "This project will improve workflows and reduce costs." The active voice in writing makes it easier to read and comprehend the charter. Also, keep the charter easy to read. Provide concise headings, short paragraphs, and bullet points to make the document easy to read. An organized document helps increase the approval chances by the stakeholders. Project Charter is no ritual—it is the door opener to approval, team alignment, and success. Done correctly, it is a strategic roadmap that keeps teams pointed in the direction of success and projects on schedule.

Contents of a Construction Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) Plan: Introduction: Overview of the project. Purpose and objectives of the HSE Plan. Project Organization: Roles and responsibilities of key personnel. HSE responsibilities of contractors and subcontractors. Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment: Identification of potential hazards on the construction site. Risk assessments for different activities. Safe Work Practices: Specific safety procedures for various tasks. Use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Emergency Response Plan: Procedures for responding to accidents, injuries, or emergencies. Evacuation plans and assembly points. Training and Induction: HSE training requirements for personnel. Site induction procedures for new workers. Communication: HSE communication protocols. Reporting mechanisms for incidents and near misses. Environmental Protection: Measures to minimize environmental impact. Waste management procedures. Equipment Safety: Inspection and maintenance procedures for construction equipment. Safety guidelines for equipment operation. Subcontractor Management: HSE expectations for subcontractors. Coordination of safety efforts between contractors. Monitoring and Audit: Regular safety inspections and audits. Performance metrics and reporting. Legal Compliance: Adherence to relevant health, safety, and environmental regulations. - Documentation of compliance efforts.

Traditional strategy often fails to account for the dynamic and independent actions of external players, our competitors, regulators, and even allies. This static, internally focused view assumes stability in the external environment. However, as complexity and uncertainty rise, effective strategy demands leaders adopt a broader, ecosystem-based, and future-focused approach. As outlined in my latest article, understanding and responding to complexity in strategy requires advancing through distinct levels of thinking. Unfortunately, most organisations do not pass Level 1 internally focused, assuming a static, passive world. Many traditional strategies are built here, but this is simply not enough. As competitors evolve, market demands shift, and regulations adapt, ignoring external dynamics leaves organisations at a strategic disadvantage. It's imperative that leaders consider the entire ecosystem, recognise the cumulative effects of all interactions, and aim to adapt within this broader system. Embracing a genuinely adaptive strategy means acknowledging the independence and unpredictability of external actors. Here are a few foundational questions to consider in this shift: ➡️ Who are the key actors, and how do they interact? Understanding the ecosystem requires mapping out regulators, competitors, and other partners and identifying how each actor's strategy may impact your own. ➡️ What is the 'direction of travel' within the ecosystem? Recognising who leads and who lags offers insights into where to focus adaptation efforts and potential areas for proactive intervention. ➡️ Where are the critical value exchanges? Identifying where value is generated and exchanged can help pinpoint areas where collaboration or innovation may yield significant advantages. ➡️ What dynamics are in play, and how quickly are they changing? Strategies must be flexible enough to respond to direct actions from competitors and second-order effects, like regulatory shifts or market disruptions that ripple across the ecosystem. ➡️ What scenarios could shape or disrupt your strategy? Explore potential outcomes as risks and opportunities for your organisation to build resilience into your approach. Effective strategy today requires seeing the external environment as not a static backdrop but an active, interdependent system. This shift necessitates strategies rooted in agility, learning, and continuous adjustment, embracing the complex reality of an ecosystem filled with independent, ever-evolving actors. #Emergentstrategy #Complexity #Ecosystemthinking #Rethinkstrategy #Adaptiveleadership #Strategicthinking