Ninety logo

Boost Team Collaboration with Agreements-Based To-Dos

Written by • Published: June 27, 2024 • 4 Minute Read

Often, To-Dos are presented as a “task list,” items that are expected to be completed by a certain time or under criteria set with little context or discussion. We believe, however, that setting such expectations can lead to disappointment. For example, if an expected due date slides by and the To-Do isn’t complete (even if there’s a good reason), leaders and team members will likely feel disappointed. 

That’s why we’ve reimagined To-Dos as Agreements-Based To-Dos, a tool for mutual agreements, commitments clearly made between team members.

Setting Agreements-Based To-Dos strengthens teams and fosters better communication, transparency, and collaboration among team members. These are the kind of team norms you’ll find at the core of every high-trust company.

Why Incorporate Agreements-Based To-Dos Now?

According to a study by Interaction Associates, high-trust companies are 2.5 times more likely to be high-performing revenue organizations compared to low-trust companies, showing that trust has a significant impact on organizational success. When setting To-Dos as agreements, you prepare your team and your company for success. 

Reasons to Love This Feature

  • It enhances trust and commitment
    Agreements-Based To-Dos foster high-trust relationships between leaders and team members. They enable mutual commitment to work, aligning competency and increased human connection.
  • Collaborative negotiation 
    This new feature introduces teams to an acceptance-based workflow and provides a clear, structured process for review.
  • Improved task alignment and completion
    The ability to see pending or accepted To-Dos promotes up-front alignment, helping teams complete tasks with ease.

How It Works

First, an Owner or Admin on your account will need to enable the Agreements-Based To-Dos feature within Company Settings:

  1. Navigate to Company Settings.
  2. Click Configuration.
  3. In the To-Dos section, toggle on the Agreements-Based To-Dos feature.
Once Agreements-Based To-Dos have been enabled for the company, anyone can create a To-Do and assign it to the person who will own the task (“owner”). You’ll see two avatars denoting the creator/sender and the owner/receiver. Those avatars will include icons showing whether the To-Do is “Pending” or “Accepted” for each party. The owner will then take one of two actions:
  • Review the To-Do and click the “Accept” button to agree with the To-Do as is. This means it’s ready to be worked on, with the creator and owner both accepting the terms of the To-Do. 
  • Review the To-Do, update the name, description, and/or due date, and click “Accept.” Leave a comment to explain the reason for the scope change.

Helpful Hint 1: As the owner/receiver, if you receive a To-Do that you are unsure of or can't commit to, consider creating an Issue to discuss further.

Helpful Hint 2: Many To-Dos are discussed and created in the course of a Weekly Team Meeting. Assuming there was discussion and agreement in the meeting for the To-Dos created between team members, you can accept them all at the conclusion of the meeting simply by entering a meeting rating for each attendee present and then clicking “Accept All To-Dos” under the ratings section. Any meeting invitee who was not present will not have their To-Do automatically accepted until they’ve had a chance to review it.

Want to learn more about Agreements-Based To-Dos? Check out the full Help Article.