Last week we talked about clarity in the team playbook and stating why your team exists, how it behaves, what it does, and how it succeeds.

This week, we will discuss focus, because without focus, your team might still be confused.

Continuing where we left off last week, let’s discuss the following sections of your team playbook and how to create them:

Start with the Main Goal

Every team needs a most important thing. This isn’t a wish list, multiple priorities, or a list of work to do. It’s the main goal for right now, or maybe the next few months.

Ask:

• If we could only win at one thing, what should it be?
• What outcome would make us say “this period/quarter/etc. was a success”?
• What problem must be solved before anything else really matters?

This goal should feel a little uncomfortable, but achievable. It should force you to consider giving something else up.

Write down what’s most important right now in plain language your team will understand.

Define the Objectives that Make the Goal Real

Once the main goal is clear, write down the few defining objectives that support it.

These should be meaningful outcomes, not just tasks.

Ask:

• What must be true for this goal to be achieved?
• What will change if we are successful?
• How will we know we are making progress?

Great objectives create alignment and help team members say “no” to the wrong work without guilt.

Separate “The Goal” from “The Work”

This is where many teams get stuck.

While your team is chasing a main goal, the business still has to run and operate. Customers still need support. Systems still need care. Meetings still have to happen.

That’s why your playbook should clearly list your standard operating objectives. These are the day-to-day activities that must continue, even while you push toward something new.

Ask:

• What must we do consistently to keep the lights on?
• What responsibilities don’t go away, even during change?
• What work is essential but not strategic?

When teams fail to separate goal work from operational work, everything feels urgent and burnout is likely.

Healthy teams know:

• What they’re trying to achieve right now.
• Why that goal maters more than others.
• What work supports the goal.
• What work keeps the organization going.

When that’s clear, decisions get easier. Conflict gets healthier. Progress becomes visible. People stop feeling like they’re busy and going nowhere.

Next week, we will talk about two more sections of the playbook focusing on roles and team member profiles.

PS: Microsoft SharePoint is a great place to create, store, share, and edit team playbooks. For more information on how to get started using SharePoint for team playbooks or help creating a team playbook document, reply to this email!

Perry Myers
​The Outlier Team​