Creating connection across the team quickly is an important part of building the capacity of a remote team, especially when they only get to see each other infrequently.

Today’s Effective Virtual Conversations tip invites you to consider using the question “What’s on your desk?”, to provide a wider perspective for the team to explore what is important and a priority for each team member. In the remote space, we may only see the backdrop to people’s workspace. What would it be like to have people pan real time their workspace, or share a photo of what’s physically on their desk? It might also be interesting to have people share the top 3 priorities for their week. This can help the team gain a new, and wider, appreciation of what’s important and happening in each person’s world. It can also help the team to make connections between their work and others that they may not have “SEEN” (no pun intended!) before.

What’s on your desk?
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What would a picture of your desk convey to others? ….here’s a shot of mine right now…

All the best, 
​Jennifer

It’s Sunday which means that it’s time to look back at the week. In case you missed some of the blog posts, today is your day to catch up. Take a look at:

• Saturday’s Weekly Journaling Prompt – “My favorite trip this year has been...”
• Friday’s Flashback Friday of Working with Strengths
• Thursday’s Team Building Tip
• Wednesday’s 4 Focus Areas for Remote Teams
• Tuesday’s What’s Below the Waterline
• Monday’s Effective Virtual Conversations Tip around Building Team Culture

​Best wishes, 
Jennifer

Happy Saturday! What do you have planned this weekend? When are you going to build in some time to reflect on your week?

Today’s Weekly Journaling Prompt gets you to think about your travels this year. The prompt is “My favorite trip this year has been….”. Travel has always been a passion for me, even when I was working and living overseas for more than a decade.

I love the learning and new insights caused by travel, as well as the freedom from my everyday routine.

I hope that this weekend you will find some time to reflect on your recent travels, and related insights/learning/observations.

With this now being #84 in the series, you may also want to dip into other posts including:
#81 – I want to put the following in my time capsule..
#77 – I am on the path to...

If you are journaling, are you also building in time to reflect and review what you have written? As you do so, you may want to be asking these questions:

• What journey have you been on as you’ve been journaling?
• What do you notice about themes across your writing?
• What connections do you see across the posts?
• What stands out/jumps out/emerges for you as you read it?
• What is significant?

Enjoy the reflection,
Jennifer

Supporting team members around strengths can help boost productivity, engagement and zest! What can we specifically do to spark that conversation? In today’s Flashback Friday post, I reach back to a post from 2017, where I shared the facilitated instructions from one of the exercises found in the 40 Ways to Work with Visual Cards. This exercise can get you sparking a new conversation around strengths. Here’s what I wrote in Teams365 #1387.

In today’s post, we’re exploring strengths for virtual teams. How do you make it happen?

Helping team members understand their strengths helps teams leverage their skills and harness their capabilities. Gallup has also found very compelling results when team members are able to bring their strengths to work every day.

In addition to the StrengthsFinder, teams may also want to investigate another strengths assessment that being VIA Strengths – Values in Action.

The following is a short warm-up activity to a more detailed discussion as a team around your strengths.

When I’ve seen you at your best….

Time: 15 minutes
Materials Needed: None

Instructions:
Virtual team members need acknowledgement as well, particularly as they may receive less feedback that teams who can see each other face-to-face.

Ask team members to think about one person on the team who they have liaised with, or worked closely with (virtually) in the last quarter. At one of your team meetings you will give people the opportunity to share with that colleague responses to the following questions:

1. I see one of your strengths as….
2. I appreciate …..
3. Going forward, as we work together, I’d like to ask you to ______
4. You bring ….. to our team.

​This is an activity which will cultivate positive emotion and will bring team members closer together. Teams need positive reinforcement, as well as constructive feedback. For more on the concept of constructive feedback, check out the Foundations of Feedback series I did. It will be of interest to teams of all kinds who are hoping to build more of a feedback culture.
 
Enjoy your conversations,
Jennifer

Today’s Team Building Tip gets you to think about and be in dialogue around “What you are aiming for” as a team? Having a clear line of sight around your goals and targets is key, particularly when you are a remote team.

Have you, as a team, clearly identified the goals you are working towards? Have you identified HOW you want to work on them? Have you clearly articulated who on the team connects in with each goal? Have you identified what “success” will look like from each team member’s perspectives and how their contribution is needed for another?

Working with goals should be done in tandem with your vision. Vision helps us connect in with aspirations around a task. Our vision usually is grounded in emotion and other aspirational energy. With that, it can help to keep us motivated around goals, even when things aren’t working as planned. Connecting our goals into the bigger picture helps when things get bumpy, in terms of smoothing things out.

Goals, and Vision, are two topics we’ve covered recently at the Remote Pathways Podcast. Do check out Episodes 3 and 4 for more on goals and vision for remote teams. You will also want to download the associated episode resources which include a One Page Plan and a Vision Worksheet. You could use both of these resources at the team level.

Enjoy the conversation!
Jennifer

​In my former world of work as a remote leader with teams across ten countries, and in the last fifteen years of working remote a majority of the time, remote work is second nature, and is the primary focus of our support. As more organizations are gravitating to a remote work approach, it can be important to become more explicit with some of the nuanced differences in leadership and teamwork between in-person work and remote work. Today’s post explores four areas to pay attention to as a remote team:

1. Building everyone’s skill set and leadership capacity – In a remote team, it can be critical to equip all team members with skills and leadership capabilities even if they do not hold the title of leader. Given that remote team members may be the “face of the team or organization” or represent the organization to those locally, ensuring our team members are equipped with the right skills can make or a break an organization that is remote, or is moving remote. What are you doing to invest in team member’s development on an individual level?
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2. Spending time on team development – 2016 research done by Culture Wizard found that only about 1 in 4 remote teams benefited from any team development. This is an area that is often overlooked in terms of what might be possible. At Potentials Realized, we specialize in remote team support and bring years of experience in supporting remote leadership development, virtual skill development and remote team support. Reach out to learn more about the Remote TEAM DAYS we facilitate. From half day to full day virtual sessions, to strategic planning conversations, team development in the remote space is just as important, or even more important than that in the in-person space. Team development is a blend of both focusing on results as well as building relationships.

At Potentials Realized, we offer a suite of support services specialized for remote teams – from strategic planning, to team development, to virtual training in key leadership topics (link to map of remote team topics) or our Teams365 modules. From one-hour lunch and learns to multi-day sessions we’ll meet up with you in the remote space, designing and facilitating your event, without your team having to travel (unless they want to!). Set up a call to discuss.

Questions to consider:

• What opportunities do we have this year to bring the team together (virtually or in person)?
• What opportunities could be benefit from?
• What needs attention – building our relationships, clarifying our results, or both?
• Making things explicit – All teams may falter if things are not made explicit. When assumptions go unchecked. This is particularly true in the remote space when all of us may have “different pieces of the puzzle – i.e. different contexts we operate within, different skill sets, and different vantage points on the work we are undertaking. Being proactive in sharing our context, priorities and preferences builds trust and connection, and also supports a wider understanding of priorities, practices and approaches.

More questions to consider:

• What are the things that need to be clarified?
• What needs to be shared more?
• What are the assumptions which are not being named or checked?
• What else is not being seen?

3. Proactively taking time to build relationships – In the remote space it’s hard to meet colleagues as you head into the lunchroom or head to the water cooler. We usually only come together for formal events. Given that socializing time looks different in the remote space it can be important to be more proactive in building relationships. As an organization or team, you may want to take some time to create more informal connection points. Whether this is a virtual co-working space which opens up for short windows each week, or whether it’s an informal but facilitated series of conversations at lunchtime by a colleague (think virtual lunch and learns or book club calls). Remote workers need a sense of connection and identity (stay tuned for more on this topic tomorrow).

4. Be aware of what’s below the “waterline” – In my 2019 workbook/planner PlanDoTrack, I provide the metaphor of an iceberg as a valuable tool for self-development and team development. Where teams of all kinds can benefit it by exploring what’s below the waterline of their work.

Best wishes, 
​Jennifer

​​Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders | Remote Pathways Podcast
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Writing 
Phone (416)996-8326
 
As we step into the start of the year, get your 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.

Winter 2019 programs start this week including the Coaching Biz Growth Lab (an annual focus on coaching business development), GroupCoachingEssentials (8.75 CCEs), the Advanced Group and Team Coaching Practicum (10 CCEs) and the Virtual Facilitation Essentials program (8.5 CCEs) - geared to support you in creating more exceptional virtual conversations. Finally the Mentor Coaching Group for Winter 2020 will begin - aimed at coaches who are working towards their ACC, PCC or renewing.

Metaphorically, there are a number of elements “under the waterline” in our work that aren’t seen but contribute to both our behaviors and our results. In my 2019 work, PlanDoTrack, I encourage remote workers to think about what are the things that are shaping their behaviors, results and impact. This could include – habits, beliefs, assumptions, mindsets and values.

These become a rich focus area for the work I do with teams in Team Days and in extended coaching conversations.

Habits – the things we do regularly and often subconsciously. Our habits shape what we put attention on, what we do. What do you notice about your habits? What are the habits which are helping the team? Getting in the way of team results?

Our beliefs and philosophies also have tremendous influence on what we pay attention to, what we prioritize and how we approach our work. This is an area which warrants much greater exploration for teams and individuals. Our beliefs may be deeply entrenched. Our philosophies may not be made explicit. What is the work for you to explore in this area?

Our mindsets – Authors such as Carol Dweck have dedicated their work to exploring the field of mindsets. What mindset do you embrace around your work and elements of your work? Are you an active learner with years of experience under your belt, or are you an expert? Do you embrace experimentation or do things have to be perfect? If you haven’t explored the realm of mindset and the work of authors such as Dweck, this may be of interest to you.

Again, our mindset will influence the activities we undertake and what we do.

Our values – What we value and what we take a stand for also influences our values. What are the values you hold as a team? An organization? An individual? If I hold a value of experimentation, I may be willing to try a lot of things that don’t work. This would be in contrast to (and potential conflict with) a team that values quality and would never let something go out the door before it was vetted multiple times. Our values will have a significant influence on our behaviors and therefore results. They may influence speed etc.

I hope that you will take a few minutes to map out your iceberg. If you are interested in exploring this more, contact us to discuss working 1-1 via coaching, or by bringing this into a team day session.

All the best, 
​Jennifer

​This week’s Effective Virtual Conversations Tip explores the topic of building team culture. Creating a strong team culture as a remote team is of benefit in many ways. First, it helps boost a sense of identify and belonging. Many remote workers today feel isolated or disconnected. A strong team culture can be one element in helping people feel connected to others and to a bigger purpose.
Team culture consists of several elements including HOW we do things. Our team culture includes our agreements, our norms – what’s acceptable and what’s not, our values (which help with decision making, prioritizing, as well as the more visible elements of culture – the way we sign our emails, how we hold meetings, plus any other team differentiators.

In addition to boosting a sense of belonging, team culture is critical when remote team members may be part of multiple teams. For example, if I am part of a Central North America Team, as well as being part of the learning team. The learning team may have values around communication, expedience, learning and experimentation. This may translate to agreements around how fast we communicate, how we share alternative points of view, and how much autonomy we have in getting things done. A strong team culture will help us understand these elements as well.

Given that my learning team culture is distinct from the North American team culture, I can differentiate in the different relationships, meetings and tasks what’s important. In contrast, the NA team may value metrics, efficiency (different than expedience), business cases, and brevity. What is prioritized and what is expected will be different.

Culture in a remote space can be invisible unless we make a point of making it visible and tangible. It can be seen in our processes, our communication, our language and even branding. Making it as explicit as possible, and naming it is also an important part of remote team success.

What can you be doing to make your remote team or organizational culture more visible and intentional?
​
For more on culture, check out the past posts I have written on Team Culture.

Enjoy!
​Jennifer

​​Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders | Remote Pathways Podcast
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Writing 
Phone (416)996-8326
 
As we step into the start of the year, get your 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.

Winter 2019 programs start this week including the Coaching Biz Growth Lab (an annual focus on coaching business development), GroupCoachingEssentials (8.75 CCEs), the Advanced Group and Team Coaching Practicum (10 CCEs) and the Virtual Facilitation Essentials program (8.5 CCEs) - geared to support you in creating more exceptional virtual conversations. Finally the Mentor Coaching Group for Winter 2020 will begin - aimed at coaches who are working towards their ACC, PCC or renewing.

Welcome back to a Sunday week in review. As we move through the 2nd weekend of January, what do you notice about your routines?

This week we covered a variety of posts including:

• Saturday’s reflective journaling prompt of “___ makes me happy”. Read it here.
• Friday’s Flashback to Teams365 1245 of Things New Remote Teams Need – a great checkpoint for teams of all types and “age”. Check it out here.
• Thursday’s Team Building Tip – Start of Year Checkpoint. Read it here.
• Wednesday’s post on Accelerating Your Teamwork This Year. Read it here.
• Tuesday’s post on 10 Things You’ll Want to Schedule in Before It Gets Too Busy. Take a look at it here.
• Monday’s Effective Virtual Conversations – Remote Team Tip. You can read it here.

​A reminder to also head on over and listen into the first 4 podcast episodes of the Remote Pathways Podcast. In this podcast I co-host with Michelle Mullins, we explore the people, pathways and practices to exceptional remote work – including leadership, teamwork and entrepreneurship.

In the latest episode, released January 1st, we explore the pathways of Sales Professionals, Virtual Project Managers and the topic of vision. Listen in to the Remote Pathways podcast on any of your favorite podcast players.

All the best!
Jennifer

Knowing what makes us happy can be important for quality of life and work. Many times, we can get so in the flow of life and busyness that we don’t stop to pause and think about what makes us happy. Before we get too far into the year, this weekend’s Weekly Journaling Prompt gets you to think about, and write about, what makes you happy.

What can you be doing to bring more of these happy moments and activities into your work and life? One way to do this might be by creating rituals. As Tony Schwartz and Jim Loehr write in the Power of Full Engagement, “Building rituals requires defining very precise behaviors and performing them at very specific times – motivated by deeply held values.”

Perhaps getting outside on the weekends makes you happy, or fitting in a podcast over lunchtime. What are the habits and rituals that are going to support you around this?

I hope that you will enjoy thinking about not only what makes you happy this weekend, but what you can also do to cultivate more of that through habits and rituals.
​
Enjoy!
Jennifer