Great groups don’t just happen. They’re shaped—intentionally—through shared expectations, clear communication, and mutual accountability. Whether you’re leading a coaching cohort, a small group, a ministry team, or a task force, the foundation of healthy collaboration is a set of guidelines and ground rules. These agreements help create psychological safety, build trust, reduce misunderstandings, and ensure that every person can show up fully and contribute meaningfully.

Think of guidelines as the “relational scaffolding” that holds the group together. They set the tone for how we treat each other, how we make decisions, how we disagree, and how we move the work forward. When guidelines are well-crafted and co-owned, people feel more engaged, more respected, and more committed to the group’s purpose. Below is a menu of guidelines you can customize and select from based on the culture you want to create:

The most effective guidelines are those created with the group, not for the group. Co-creating them builds ownership, clarity, and shared responsibility. Here’s a simple process:

• Begin with purpose. Explain why guidelines matter: they help the group stay safe, focused, and aligned.
• Brainstorm together. Ask: “What agreements will help us work well together?” Capture all ideas without editing.
• Prioritize. Select 8–12 guidelines the group agrees are essential.
• Clarify the meaning. For each guideline, ask the group to define how it looks in action.
• Record and share. Put the finalized list in a shared document, binder, or slide deck.
• Review periodically. Revisit the guidelines at the start of each season, quarter, or when tensions arise.
• Use them as accountability tools. When norms slip, return to the agreements—not to blame, but to realign.

Groups don’t need perfect guidelines—they need shared ones.

Guidelines aren’t a “one-and-done” exercise. They are living agreements. Over time, teams drift. New people join. Priorities shift. Patterns need adjusting. Build a rhythm of revisiting your guidelines every few months:

• Ask what’s working well.
• Ask which guidelines have fallen away.
• Ask what new agreements need to be added.
• Reinforcement keeps expectations clear and creates a culture where conversations about norms feel natural rather than confrontational.