Over the last few months, we’ve had a tsunami of professionals joining us in the virtual and remote space. One thing that most have become aware of is that virtual conversations are not uniform across the virtual and remote space. In fact, in my 2017 book, Effective Virtual Conversations, I share 9 different types of virtual conversations which vary across both level of formality and peer versus individual learning approaches.
 
In EVC, I differentiate between these nine different types of virtual conversations across the ecosystem:

1. Mentoring
2. Coaching
3. Peer Learning
4. Team Development
5. Goal Setting
6. ​Video Based Learning
7. Education – Webinars, Webcasts, Formal Learning, MOOCs
8. Meetings
9. E-Learning

What are the different types of virtual conversations you are engaging in? Are they synchronous – real time – or asynchronous – when the conversations take place at different times?
 
Chapter 4 of Effective Virtual Conversations dives more deeply into the different types of virtual conversations which exist.
 
Regardless of the type of conversation we are having, many of the same skills and practices underpin all of these. Last week I delivered a national webinar series for the Institute for Performance Learning and covered the 8 skill sets that underpin virtual conversations including:

1. Creating the Context
2. Communication
3. Process
4. Tools
5. Group Development
6. Ourselves as Facilitators
7. Technical
8. Design

(Copyright – 2017, Jennifer Britton, page 71)
 
What are the skills which are important for you to develop further to enhance your conversations?
 
For more on these skills, check out the Daily Reading Series I hosted during April and May of this year covering off chapters 1-3 of the book. You can listen in here at the Effective Virtual Conversations Blog. 

Enjoy!
​Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders | Remote Pathways Podcast
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Everything DiSC
Phone (416)996-8326

Get your Q2 planning on with the PlanDoTrack Workbook and Planner or Coaching Business Builder

Looking to enhance your virtual conversations? Webinars? Pick up a copy of Effective Virtual Conversations at Amazon, or join me for the Virtual Facilitation Essentials program

Contact us to discuss how we can support you and your teams and organization with remote work.

Check out upcoming virtual programs on our calendar
​
PDF copies of PlanDoTrack now available! Get yours here. ​

Welcome back to another Sunday post and the week in review. This week we’ve taken a look at these six areas:
 

• 2331 – Monday: Effective Virtual Conversations Tip
• 2332 – Tuesday:  Collaboration In The Remote Space
• 2333 – Wednesday: Conflict in the Remote Space
• 2334 – Thursday: Team Building Tip
• 2335 – FlashbackFriday: Four Past Collaboration Posts
• 2336 – Saturday Weekly Journaling Prompt: PAUSE

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!
​Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders | Remote Pathways Podcast
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Everything DiSC
Phone (416)996-8326

Get your Q2 planning on with the PlanDoTrack Workbook and Planner or Coaching Business Builder

Looking to enhance your virtual conversations? Webinars? Pick up a copy of Effective Virtual Conversations at Amazon, or join me for the Virtual Facilitation Essentials program

Contact us to discuss how we can support you and your teams and organization with remote work.

Check out upcoming virtual programs on our calendar
​
PDF copies of PlanDoTrack now available! Get yours here. ​

We made it to milestone Weekly Journaling Prompt #100. It’s simply PAUSE.
 
I hope that you enjoy this week’s prompt and that it provides you some time to SAVOUR!
 
If you want, you may want to take a look back at all the entries you’ve written in sets of 10 perhaps. Note what the themes are and how they arc together.
 
Enjoy your time to PAUSE and relax!
 
​Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders | Remote Pathways Podcast
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Everything DiSC
Phone (416)996-8326

Get your Q2 planning on with the PlanDoTrack Workbook and Planner or Coaching Business Builder

Looking to enhance your virtual conversations? Webinars? Pick up a copy of Effective Virtual Conversations at Amazon, or join me for the Virtual Facilitation Essentials program

Contact us to discuss how we can support you and your teams and organization with remote work.

Check out upcoming virtual programs on our calendar
​
PDF copies of PlanDoTrack now available! Get yours here. ​

Earlier this week I did a post on the importance of collaboration. That got me to thinking, what other posts I have shared around collaboration. It took me back to some posts I had written back in 2017 when I had focused on Collaboration for the month of February. Here are some of the posts you may want to check out.
 
That month some of the most popular posts were:

• Teams365 #1152: Five Ingredients for Successful Collaboration - Listen into this audio post here.
• Teams365 #1149: Leveraging Peer Conversations for Better Collaboration - Click here to read the post
• Teams365 #1135: Six Barriers to Collaboration. Click here to read the post.
• Teams365 #1137: Flashback Friday - Skills for Collaboration. Click here to visit this post.

 
What post is your favourite?
 
Best wishes,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders | Remote Pathways Podcast
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Everything DiSC
Phone (416)996-8326

Get your Q2 planning on with the PlanDoTrack Workbook and Planner or Coaching Business Builder

Looking to enhance your virtual conversations? Webinars? Pick up a copy of Effective Virtual Conversations at Amazon, or join me for the Virtual Facilitation Essentials program

Contact us to discuss how we can support you and your teams and organization with remote work.

Check out upcoming virtual programs on our calendar
​
PDF copies of PlanDoTrack now available! Get yours here. ​

This week’s Team Building Tip gets you to think about the question – What questions do you need to ask? Thinking about the current opportunities and/or challenges right now, what will help you explore this in a different light? You may want to generate some new questions by asking new questions which will help you as a team:
 

1. Expand your thinking?
2. Create some new options?
3. Develop new possibilities?
4. Challenge the assumptions you are making?
5. Uncover something new?
6. Help you consider what you have not thought of yet?
7. Look at it from a different perspective?
8. Explore a deeper level of the challenge?
9. Look at it from the opposite angle?
10. Reverse engineer it?

 
What other type of questions might you explore?

Enjoy the conversation!
​Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders | Remote Pathways Podcast
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Everything DiSC
Phone (416)996-8326

Get your Q2 planning on with the PlanDoTrack Workbook and Planner or Coaching Business Builder

Looking to enhance your virtual conversations? Webinars? Pick up a copy of Effective Virtual Conversations at Amazon, or join me for the Virtual Facilitation Essentials program

Contact us to discuss how we can support you and your teams and organization with remote work.

Check out upcoming virtual programs on our calendar
​
PDF copies of PlanDoTrack now available! Get yours here. ​

​The most recent episode of the Remote Pathways podcast focuses on Conflict in the Remote Space. This is probably one of the most challenging topics for teams today as often it’s easier to pretend that conflict is not happening – avert our gaze, push it under the rug, or even hope that it will just go away – than address it.

In Episode 12 we are joined by Conflict Specialist Gayle Oudeh who is also the author of Conflict is for the Birds. She brings a wonderful metaphor to us in her writing of the different types of approaches to conflict.

Gayle also joined us for the May 7th Remote Pathways Community Call which I am embedding below.
 
If you weren't able to make the call live, catch up on the recording!
It's now available on YouTube.

Gayle is the author of Conflict is for the Birds: Understanding Your Conflict Management Styles.
 
As you’ll see in our call Gayle’s writing explores the varying ways we may approach conflict through the metaphor of birds. Listen into the call as she shares more about the different types of birds. What types are you?
 
Conflict is an inevitable part of change, innovation and disruption – three things which are characterizing business right now.
 
Our approaches to conflict are shaped by our socialization, experience and also knowledge of ourselves.
 
How do you approach conflict?

• What do you notice about how others on the team approach conflict?
• What’s important to take note of as a team right now?
• What are the conversations you want to have?

 
Be sure to check out episode 12 of the Remote Pathways podcast as Gayle shares even more about conflict in the remote space.  You can find it at your favorite podcast player or here.
 
Enjoy!
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders | Remote Pathways Podcast
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Everything DiSC
Phone (416)996-8326

Get your Q2 planning on with the PlanDoTrack Workbook and Planner or Coaching Business Builder

Looking to enhance your virtual conversations? Webinars? Pick up a copy of Effective Virtual Conversations at Amazon, or join me for the Virtual Facilitation Essentials program

Contact us to discuss how we can support you and your teams and organization with remote work.

Check out upcoming virtual programs on our calendar
​
PDF copies of PlanDoTrack now available! Get yours here. ​

One of the current challenges and stretch points for many teams right now is how do we collaborate better? With not all workplaces returning to normal and remaining in a virtual workspace, collaboration has become an increasingly important skill set.
 
Who do you need to collaborate with?
 
Some of the core components which are needed to make collaboration successful are:​

• Trust
• Connection
• Communication
• Candor
• Finding common ground and leverage points

Let’s look at each one off these in turn.
 
For several years now I have delivered a 90 minute keynote on Collaboration: The Sum Is Greater Than Its Parts to many organizations, associations and groups in person and virtually. I often poll the audience and ask them “What are the skills you need in order make your collaborations really work?" #1 on the list is often TRUST, quickly followed by the rest. In the past six months I had noticed that CANDOR was starting to make it’s way up the list pretty close to trust.
 
Candor is an important topic to explore and if you have read the writing of Kim Scott in Radical Candor, you would know that it involves being both KIND and FIRM or as she says Caring Personally, and Challenging Directly.

What are you doing as a team to have the important conversations of the moment? Are these moments of candor happening, or are they being “swept under the rug”? Tomorrow’s post is going to link into this with a focus on conflict.
 
Connection and finding common ground is critical for success in the virtual and remote space. While our differences may appear to be vast, we need to make a concerted effort in discovering and leveraging our common elements. This takes time and needs to be intentional. Regular touchpoints are important as well – characterized by quality and frequency not length of time.
 
Going hand in hand with connection is communication. What are you doing to use the different communication channels available? What do you know about different team member’s preferences? What are you doing to communicate changes, adjustments, successes and challenges regularly?
 
Collaboration is an art form as well as a structured process. In most of my books it shows up as a significant theme.
 
If you have a copy of PlanDoTrack check out pages 54-56 as well as sections on strengths.
 
If you have a copy of Effective Virtual Conversations check out Chapter 12 – Partnering and Collaboration.
 
If you have a copy of From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching check out Chapter 11.
 
You’ll note in EVC a focus on structured questions to consider as you move through the different stages of the partnering phase.
 
Enjoy the conversations and hope you’ll check back tomorrow with the focus on conflict in the remote space.

All the best,
​Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders | Remote Pathways Podcast
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Everything DiSC
Phone (416)996-8326

Get your Q2 planning on with the PlanDoTrack Workbook and Planner or Coaching Business Builder

Looking to enhance your virtual conversations? Webinars? Pick up a copy of Effective Virtual Conversations at Amazon, or join me for the Virtual Facilitation Essentials program

Contact us to discuss how we can support you and your teams and organization with remote work.

Check out upcoming virtual programs on our calendar
​
PDF copies of PlanDoTrack now available! Get yours here. ​

We’re going back in time for this week’s Effective Virtual Conversation Tip. We’re winding back the clock and looking at EVC Tip #45. In Effective Virtual Conversations tip I was exploring 10 different pitfalls we can face with virtual conversations including #8 which focused on low ENERGY!

I’m sure this may have been something you have experienced recently.

Here’s what I wrote about approaching low energy back a few years ago:

Pitfall #8 of the ten pitfalls I share is one of “low energy”. This is a common one that can be experienced in virtual conversations of all kinds. Whether it is because we are on a platform that does not allow us to stream and see each other, or whether it’s because of the time of day we are calling in, or the topic we are exploring, there are a variety of reasons we can experience “low energy” in the virtual space.

The downside of low energy is that it leads to disengagement, disconnection, lack of focus, and an ineffective use of time.
 
Here’s what I wrote about pitfall #8 – low energy – in my book, Effective Virtual Conversations:

Pitfall #8 – Low Energy
Virtual programs can be challenging for new facilitators in terms of the energy and feedback you receive.

Solution: If you are using a phone-based system only, other than enabling people to raise their hands in response or signal their agreement on their keypad, it may feel like you are talking into a black hole. Your energy is imperative in keeping the flow going. Remember that it is critical to engage your group members every 5-7 minutes. Without involvement and engagement, it is challenging for anyone to continue to focus, let alone participate.
 
Flash forward to today and 2020 – here are three things that I’ve been doing to ensure we don’t have low energy for long:
 
#1 Send people to breakouts. Smaller paired or triad discussion is a great way to get energy flowing again. When we get to talk about the topics and issues which are important to us, they are an immediate activator.
 
#2 Invitation to participate in a stretch or mindfulness exercise to generate some new energy.
 
#3 Inclusion in a warm up exercise or energizer like – "What’s outside your window?", or an A-Z scavenger hunt in your immediate surroundings (gather up an item from each of the alphabet).
 
 
What else might boost some energy for your next call?

Enjoy!
​jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders | Remote Pathways Podcast
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Everything DiSC
Phone (416)996-8326

Get your Q2 planning on with the PlanDoTrack Workbook and Planner or Coaching Business Builder

Looking to enhance your virtual conversations? Webinars? Pick up a copy of Effective Virtual Conversations at Amazon, or join me for the Virtual Facilitation Essentials program

Contact us to discuss how we can support you and your teams and organization with remote work.

Check out upcoming virtual programs on our calendar
​
PDF copies of PlanDoTrack now available! Get yours here. ​

It’s Sunday and what are you going to do to relax, recharge and refocus? Sunday is one of my favorite days of the week and this year I’ve been taking time each Sunday to review my successes of the week before, carry over tasks and think about my strategy for the week ahead. I try to do this in about 15-20 minutes each week. If you have a copy of PlanDoTrack you may want to use the week in review to track this…

My hope is that you also will take time today to focus in on some of the blog posts from this last week. This week we explored:

• Monday’s Effective Virtual Conversations Tip around Matrix Meetings and Quarterly Events
• Tuesday’s focus on Remote Conversation Starters
• Wednesday’s Remote Team Development – Process Mapping
• Thursday’s session on the Team Building Question of "What needs clarification?"
• Friday’s focus on 3 types of Remote Team Builders: getting to know each other, tools to focus, and creating connection
• Saturday’s post getting you to think back to what your favorite book, music or saying is

 
Enjoy your Sunday, reflection and planning!
 
With best wishes,
​Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders | Remote Pathways Podcast
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Everything DiSC
Phone (416)996-8326

Get your Q2 planning on with the PlanDoTrack Workbook and Planner or Coaching Business Builder

Looking to enhance your virtual conversations? Webinars? Pick up a copy of Effective Virtual Conversations at Amazon, or join me for the Virtual Facilitation Essentials program

Contact us to discuss how we can support you and your teams and organization with remote work.

Check out upcoming virtual programs on our calendar
​
PDF copies of PlanDoTrack now available! Get yours here. ​

“The reading of all good books is like conversation with the finest (people) of the past centuries.” – Descartes

Welcome back to another Weekly Journaling Prompt. This week’s post is all about getting you to think about your favorite saying, book or song. When was the last time you took a look at that book, or listened to that music?

Spending time enjoying the things we love can be an important part of life, especially if we are more isolated, or needing to remain at home. What are the things you haven’t picked up in a while?

As you think about that work of art, what’s important? What is the message behind it? How do you integrate it into your work and life?

I hope that you find these weekly Journaling Prompts useful to explore. Given that we are almost at #100, if you have been taking notes as we go, what do you notice about some of the themes which have emerged? Over time? Over the last few months? I hope that you will grab 15 to 30 minutes today to review your journaling notes and see what you have captured.
​
Enjoy your reflections and have a great Saturday,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders | Remote Pathways Podcast
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Everything DiSC
Phone (416)996-8326

Get your Q2 planning on with the PlanDoTrack Workbook and Planner or Coaching Business Builder

Looking to enhance your virtual conversations? Webinars? Pick up a copy of Effective Virtual Conversations at Amazon, or join me for the Virtual Facilitation Essentials program

Contact us to discuss how we can support you and your teams and organization with remote work.

Check out upcoming virtual programs on our calendar
​
PDF copies of PlanDoTrack now available! Get yours here. ​