DevToLead

team-culture

Leading Norm-Setting Conversations to Enhance Team Culture

team-cultureMid10–15 min
How to Use This: Run this roleplay with 2–4 people, or try it solo by voicing each role. Introduce curveballs to ensure adaptability. Reflect afterward to identify what worked well and what could be improved.

Roleplay Scenario

Scenario Overview

You're leading a team meeting aimed at setting or refreshing team norms. The goal is to make sure everyone feels comfortable sharing ideas and concerns, and that collaboration is smooth and effective. This involves handling different opinions and making sure everyone feels heard and respected.

Roles & Setup

Role A – Facilitator (You)
You're leading the norm-setting session.
Your goal: Guide the conversation to create norms that promote psychological safety and inclusivity.

Role B – Team Member 1
You’re someone who often shares your opinions strongly.
Your goal: Share your thoughts but also listen to others.

Role C – Team Member 2
You’re generally quieter and might need a bit of encouragement to speak up.
Your goal: Share your ideas and feel comfortable contributing.

Role D – Team Member 3 (Optional)
You’re focused on getting things done efficiently.
Your goal: Make sure the norms help us work well together without sacrificing team spirit.

Suggested Openers

Facilitator:

  • "Thanks for joining in! Today, we're going to talk about setting some team norms that make sure everyone feels safe and valued. I want to hear from everyone."
  • "Let’s think about what’s going well for us and what we could do better. What kind of norms would help us achieve our goals?"

Team Member 1:

  • "I think our team’s good at being open, but we sometimes make decisions too quickly. Maybe we should talk about how we handle that?"
  • "I’d like us to agree on how we give feedback to each other."

Team Member 2:

  • "I sometimes find it hard to join in when discussions move fast. Could we maybe make some time for quieter voices?"
  • "I think we should look at how our meetings go and see if we can make them more inclusive."

Team Member 3:

  • "I want us to stay productive, but we shouldn’t forget about team morale."
  • "Let’s make sure our norms help us stay focused but also flexible when needed."

Sample Roleplay in Action

Facilitator:
"Thanks for being here, everyone. Let’s talk about how we can strengthen our team culture by setting some clear norms. What’s working well, and where can we improve?"

Team Member 1:
"We’re usually open, but sometimes decisions happen too fast. Maybe we should make sure everyone has a chance to speak before we finalize things."

Team Member 2:
"Yeah, I agree. I often find it hard to jump in. Maybe a round-robin format could help during important discussions?"

Facilitator:
"That’s a great idea. Let’s try using a round-robin in key discussions to make sure everyone can contribute. Any other thoughts?"

Team Member 3:
"We should set a norm on feedback—make it constructive, specific, and timely. That way, we can keep improving without feeling criticized."

Facilitator:
"Love it. How about we have a monthly feedback session? We can also decide on how and where to share feedback to make it comfortable for everyone."

Team Member 1:
"Sounds good. Let’s also use these sessions to celebrate what we’re doing well."

Facilitator:
"Perfect. Let’s put down these ideas: making sure everyone’s heard, setting up constructive feedback norms, and having regular feedback and reflection sessions. Any last thoughts?"

Team Member 2:
"Just wanted to say thanks for setting this up. I feel more comfortable sharing now."

Facilitator:
"Thanks, everyone, for your input. I’ll draft these norms and share them. Let’s check in on them in a few months to see how they’re working."

Post-Scenario Tools

Curveball Mode (Optional)

Try one of these challenges during the roleplay to see how you adapt:

  • A team member dismisses others’ concerns as unimportant.
  • Someone suggests a norm that’s unrealistic and could slow us down.
  • A new team member joins mid-discussion with fresh ideas.

Reflection Checklist

As the Facilitator:

  • Did you make sure everyone got a chance to speak?
  • Did you help the conversation move toward useful norms?
  • Did you handle different opinions respectfully and inclusively?

As a Team Member:

  • Did you share your thoughts clearly?
  • Did you listen to others and consider their ideas?
  • Did you help build a positive team culture?

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Letting louder voices drown out quieter ones
  • Ignoring or dismissing someone’s concerns
  • Focusing only on productivity without considering team morale

Pro Tip

Revisiting and tweaking team norms regularly helps keep the culture positive. Encourage open conversation and be ready to adjust as the team grows.