Navigating leadership expectations and psychological safety with a Team Charter

Psychological safety is crucial for high-performing teams — or any team, for that matter. Teams excel when members feel safe to share ideas, take risks and learn from mistakes without fear of repercussions. However, creating this safety requires more than good intentions; it demands a clear, shared understanding of team values and behaviours, typically outlined in a team charter.

What’s a Team Charter, and why does it matter for psychological safety?

A team charter is a foundational artifact that outlines the team’s purpose, goals, values and agreed-upon behaviours. It serves as a blueprint for how the team will operate, make decisions and collaborate. Elements of a team charter often include the team’s mission, roles and responsibilities, communication protocols and conflict resolution strategies.

In the context of psychological safety, the team charter plays a crucial role. It creates an environment where everyone is aligned on how they will treat each other, communicate and work together. By having these expectations clearly stated, team members feel more secure in voicing ideas, taking risks and learning from mistakes — key aspects of psychological safety. A well-crafted team charter sets the tone for a supportive culture that allows innovation and collaboration to thrive.

The PM tightrope: Juggling psychological safety and leadership pressure

Imagine you’re a project manager (PM) leading a team with a culture that promotes openness, risk-taking and learning from mistakes. Within this supportive environment, your team thrives — collaboration is strong, and innovation flows. But when interacting with senior stakeholders, the rules shift. There’s less tolerance for mistakes, a greater focus on immediate results, and often a culture of perfectionism. Now, you’re walking a tightrope between these conflicting mindsets. You’re caught between what senior stakeholders want and what is good for your team.

Why leadership must be part of drafting Team Charters

A team charter should break down barriers and create a shared understanding of how to work together. If senior leadership isn’t involved in drafting the charter, it’s like performing without half the band knowing the setlist. Here’s why their involvement is crucial:

Alignment of expectations: Leadership and the team often have different expectations, with leadership focusing on high-level outcomes. Without their input, these expectations can clash, leading to frustration on both sides.

Unified culture: Psychological safety thrives when it’s consistently felt across the board. If leadership demands results at all costs while the team values growth and learning, you end up with conflicting cultures. Managing this tension often falls to the PM, creating an unsustainable situation.

Preventing burnout: PMs can only handle so much pressure before it impacts their performance and well-being. Involving leadership in drafting the charter helps them understand their role in fostering a supportive environment, reducing the risk of burnout.

Empowering the team: Stakeholders should be active participants, not just observers or critics. By involving them in creating the charter, you set a precedent for their role as co-creators of the project.

What happens without buy-In?

Without alignment between senior stakeholders and the team charter’s values, the system can falter. The team might still operate in a safe environment, but external pressures from leadership can erode that safety. This misalignment creates a fragile charter, where team members may feel less comfortable speaking up or experimenting due to visible tensions.

The PM ends up defending from all sides — protecting the team from unreasonable demands while trying to meet those demands. This creates a challenging situation that jeopardises both the project’s success and everyone’s well-being.

Creating a shared understanding

To avoid this clash, involve senior stakeholders from the start in drafting the team charter. When leadership actively participates, it ensures a shared understanding of project management priorities and team support.

This approach benefits everyone: the team feels empowered with genuine backing from leadership, the PM feels supported, and leadership achieves a high-performing team that can take risks, adapt and deliver results without burnout.

The Charter as a bridge, not a barrier

A team charter can act as a bridge between the project team and senior leadership, creating a shared language and understanding. When everyone — from the newest team member to the most senior leader — is involved in drafting the charter, it becomes a powerful tool for fostering psychological safety, driving innovation and ensuring long-term success.

In the end, psychological safety is a two-way street. The team needs it to thrive, and leadership needs it to achieve results. By involving stakeholders in the team charter, you create a unified direction where everyone contributes to a healthy, high-performing project environment.

So get your team — yes, the full team, even the senior stakeholders together and start creating your charter.  A little time spent doing this now (or yesterday, if possible) will save you serious heartache later.