The Power of the Unwritten Rules - Creating a Team Culture

I was first introduced to UGRs (Unwritten Ground Rules) nearly 20 years ago when I heard Steve Simpson speak at a conference - and the idea has never left me. It was one of those 💡“lightbulb”💡 moments that change how you see culture forever.

The concept of UGRs was developed by Steve Simpson (Australia) and Dr. Stef Du Plessis (South Africa). They described UGRs as the unwritten, often unspoken rules that shape workplace culture - essentially, “what really happens around here.”

Every team has its own set of unwritten rules - how people communicate, make decisions, or celebrate success.

The real question is: are those habits helping us move forward or holding us back?

Creating clear team norms is one of the most powerful things a group can do.

It’s not about new policies — it’s about shared understanding.

❓ How do we want to talk to each other?

❓ What does “being accountable” actually look like here?

❓ How do we keep the energy alive when things get tough?

We see it time and again: when alignment happens, a group of individuals becomes a TEAM.

When everyone understands “the way we do things around here,” collaboration feels natural - and trust grows.

Take the time to define it together.

 It’s worth it.

👉 PS: One of the UGRs at Icing Training is that making people feel like they belong is really important to us. 🫶