Contract Clarity Canvas
From Performance Is Personal by Chad T. Dyar, Ch.3. Psychological safety concept credited to Amy Edmondson.
Chapter 3: twelve cells and a plain record sheet
Four dimensions, three questions each. Complete the first two questions alone, compare, then discuss friction together. Not a performance review or a way to assign fault.
Purpose
Make expectations explicit without inventing clauses or assigning fault.
Examples
- •Manager-report autonomy clash
- •Peer recognition disagreement
- •Cross-team coordination failure
Exercises
- 1Each person completes questions 1 and 2 alone before comparing.
- 2Mark cells where one person's answer to 1 differs from the other's answer to 2.
- 3Complete question 3 together in plain behavior terms.
- 4Do not use it as a performance review or to assign fault.
Tags
Related Artifacts
Expected Outcomes
- ✓A record of explicit expectations and friction
- ✓A jointly chosen clarification and review date
Content Structure
Time & Attention
How we allocate our focus and responsiveness What do you expect from others? What do you believe others expect from you? Where do misalignments create friction?
Effort & Recognition
How work is valued and acknowledged What do you expect from others? What do you believe others expect from you? Where do misalignments create friction?
Truth & Safety
How candor and psychological safety coexist What do you expect from others? What do you believe others expect from you? Where do misalignments create friction?
Autonomy & Coordination
How freedom and alignment are balanced What do you expect from others? What do you believe others expect from you? Where do misalignments create friction?
How to use the Canvas
Each person completes questions 1 and 2 alone before comparing. Mark cells where one person's answer to 1 differs from the other's answer to 2. Complete question 3 together in plain behavior terms. Do not use it as a performance review or to assign fault.
Plain record sheet
Participants; date; mode (self, pair, team); dimension with the most friction; what we will make explicit; who agrees; review date.
Authors
Target Audience
Duration
30-45 minutes
Difficulty
beginner
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