Rules of engagement are simply an agreement with the teams on what type of visibility the leader needs in order to give the teams the space they need to work. What information does the leader need in order to trust? What context does the team need to understand to be successful? What does the team need to feel safe in surfacing risks and problems early or asking for help? It’s important to emphasize that these rules of engagement typically evolve as the trust and learning is built over time, but establishing some agreement around what information to communicate when, can help both the leader and the teams to work out effective ways for each party to get their needs met.
Marty Cagan and Chris Jones in Empowered