Effective groups, teams, departments or subsets of an organization are deliberate about addressing their own alignment as a group and their alignment with the larger organization. This is true for ongoing functional work groups or for task-forces that have a finite life.

Outlined below are some of the topics that are important to teams and groups

Mission or Purpose (clearly contributes to overall organization Direction)

Who we are
What we do
For whom we do it...customer linkage
Why we do it

Goals or Objectives (supports Mission/Purpose)

What's the work and how is it sequenced (milestones)?
How is success measured?
Priorities
Specific, time bound, with accountabilities

Roles (who does what)

Where does leadership for this team/group reside?
How is the work divided up?
Individual responsibilities, accountabilities, authority
How are roles addressed across interfaces?
To whom am I responsible and who is responsible to me?

Practices (define the methods and processes)

How is work organized?
How do we 'operate'...what are the important 'norms'
How and when do we communicate, and to whom?
All infrastructures: performance management, decision making,
        problem-solving, resolving conflict, organization structure,
        team/group versus individual practices, etc.

Relationships (clarifies how we work together and across interfaces)

How do we define our relationship with clients and customers?
How do we support one another, within this team
        as well as the larger organization?
What do we need from one another and what do we get/not get?
What are our expectations of one another and of the group?
How do we give feedback to one another?
Building trust...saying what we'll do and doing what we say