Welcome to the C of our Teams365 Team Development Activities A-Z series. This week we have started a new series focusing on activities you can undertake as a team leader, or internal/external facilitator/coach or trainer with teams.

​On Monday we looked at mining for assumptions, and yesterday with boundaries.

​Today I wanted to bring you the post by video to change it up a bit....sit back click on and enjoy this 9 minute video as I talk about boosting conversation with your team events through the Teams365 Team Sparker Cards, and the Conversation Sparker Cards.

​If you liked these ideas you may want to check out the 40 Ways to Work with Visual Cards e-manual.

​View the 9:30 video with C for Conversation at our Teams365 YouTube Channel or here:

What are your next steps in sparking new conversations in your team?

​Best wishes
Jennifer

​Jennifer Britton, MES, PCC, CPT
Potentials Realized - Leadership and Team Development, Coaching, Retreats
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010) and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (Jossey-Bass, 2013)
Email us to find out how we can support you and your team in getting your best results through coaching, training or a retreat program
​Looking for more cool things to do with your team? Check out our Potentials Realized store for books, emanuals, and the Conversation Sparker Cards.
(416)996-TEAM (8326)

Yesterday we kicked off our newest series - Team Building Activities A-Z, and explored a short activity to help teams identify assumptions.

​Today we are at b and I have a short activity around boundaries.

​What you'll need - a whiteboard or flipchart paper.
​This activity can be done on two levels - individual and or with the team as a system.

​In today's world of VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity) it can be useful in creating awareness around how boundaries help and hinder us in our work.

​Draw a large circle and have everyone write in what are the things you want to focus in inside the circle.
​Outside of the cicle identify things you are currently doing which really should be delegated, deferred or deleted.
​As you look at both sides of the circle consider the questions:
​Categorize each of the items outside of the circle. Is it something you are going to dump? Defer (until when?)? Delegate (to who?)
​What changes do we need to make in terms of how you operate as a team to focus on those areas in the inner circle? What conversations do you need to have? Relationships do you need to leverage?
​By focusing on those things in the inner circle, what's possible?
​What are the next steps we need to take as a team?

​Stay tuned for "C" in our journey of Team Building Activities.

With best wishes,
Jennifer
Jennifer Britton, MES, PCC, CPT
Potentials Realized - Leadership and Team Development, Coaching, Retreats
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010) and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (Jossey-Bass, 2013)
Email us to find out how we can support you and your team in getting your best results through coaching, training or a retreat program
​Looking for more resources to support you in your team development efforts? Check out the Potentials Realized store which has books, e-manuals and visual cards.
(416)996-TEAM (8326)

This week we're embarking on a new series called "Team Building Activities A-Z". This year I've hosted a number of series including our recent Virtual Facilitation Tips posts, and the Virtual Leadership A-Z series earlier this year.

​Many readers here at the blog are involved in team development at many different levels - whether you are a leader, mentor, coach or trainer. My intention is that this will "spark" some new ideas about what you might be bringing into your upcoming team development activities whether it's a team meeting, year end retreat, offsite or mentoring conversation.

​Let's start at A with Assumptions. Henry Winkler wrote the "Assumptions are the termites of relationships". Just like termites assumptions can weaken the team fabric. Many times we are not aware or conscious of what assumptions we are holding.  This activity gets team members thinking about this on the individual and team level, and in dialogue in identifying and exploring the assumptions they hold

What you'll need:
​A series of photo cards - such as the Conversation Sparker Deck, or Points of View The Coaching Game, or Visual Explorer.
​
​Time: 15 - 30 minutes

Instructions:
​Lay out a series of cards - approximately 4 for each person that is in the room.

​Have the team agree on the one focus area for this conversation. IT may be "What's our biggest challenge right now?" or "What we need to focus on"?" or "What's our biggest opportunity?"

​Get people to reflect on the question:
​"What is the one assumption we are making about this issue right now"

​Have them select a card which represents that assumption. Given them 1-2 minutes to look at it -make some notes around it. You may prompt them by asking "What's in focus?" or "What's dominant?" or : "What does the photo represent about the assumption"

​Have each team member share their photo and what it represents for them. After everyone has gone, get them to notice what patterns or trends have shown up across the team. Ask them "What's significant about this?".

​You will likely want to probe deeper and spark more conversation by having the team explore:
​What behaviors do these assumptions lead us to?
​What results are we getting from these assumptions?
​How is it helping us?
​Hindering us?
​What are the assumptions we want to bust?
​What are the assumptions we need to name?
​What are the assumptions we need to  lead from?

​This discussion may take 15 or 30 minutes. If you have time you may want the team to select a final photo which represents the ideal end result, or what more accurate assumptions are.

​Stay tuned for tomorrow as we look at an activity around Boundaries and Beliefs.

Best wishes,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, MES, PCC, CPT
Potentials Realized - Leadership and Team Development, Coaching, Retreats
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010) and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (Jossey-Bass, 2013)
Email us to find out how we can support you and your team in getting your best results through coaching, training or a retreat program
​Looking for more cool things to do with your team? Check out our Potentials Realized store for books, emanuals, and the Conversation Sparker Cards.
(416)996-TEAM (8326)

As we move into the last month of the year it is a popular time for parties, and other team engagements. Are you making the most of the time you have together? Check out my Linked In Article from this week on Four Best Practices for Year-End Retreats.  You can read it here on LinkedIn.

What tweaks or changes can you make to maximize the time you have together as a team this year end?

Best wishes,
Jennifer

​Jennifer Britton, MES, PCC, CPT
Potentials Realized - Leadership and Team Development, Coaching, Retreats
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010) and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (Jossey-Bass, 2013)
Email us to find out how we can support you and your team in getting your best results through coaching, training or a retreat program
(416)996-TEAM (8326)

In the spirit of simplifying and simplicity, each week I am sharing a question which I am terming "the one thing". We often feel like we need to set ourselves a long list of things to do, and this fall and winter on Tuesdays I am posing the one thing question on my twitter feed. I'll be sharing it here again on the weekend in case you miss it.

​The question this week is "Who is the one person you want to connect with?"

​For those who have celebrated Thanksgiving this week I hope you have enjoyed a series of rich conversations. Enjoy your weekend!

​Best wishes,
Jennifer

​Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Retreats
Follow us on Twitter @Teams365
Phone: (416)996-8326

Our thirtieth and final Virtual Facilitation tip for this series is simply TRUST. In any facilitation experience trust is key. Trust in yourself and you ability, as well as trust in the group's ability. This is especially critical when you are facilitating virtually. Early on in this series (Virtual Facilitation Tip #3), I wrote about how important creating connection was in building trust with a new group.  We need to ensure that people feel confident and comfortable in the learning environment, as well as connected with you and other learners.
​It's important to trust in your abilities, given that it's likely that things may not go as planned. The additional technical aspect can also be a constant worry on the part of newer virtual facilitators. Trust that it will work out, and if you do need to switch for any reason - always have a back up!

​Consider your upcoming programming and where you need to trust a little more. Take a look at other Teams365 posts which explore the topic of trust.

​Have a great weekend,
Jennifer
​
Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders
Follow us on Twitter @Teams365
​(416)996-8326

Today's Team Building Tip gets you thinking about the matrix management environment which is so common in virtual teams. Part of successful matrix management involves letting go - letting go of your ability to directly do things, know everything, and have all the details. This requires a certain level of confidence in both your staff's abilities and also your own.

​For many years I facilitated sessions for a multi-session leadership development program which ran over the course of 15 months. One of the mantras which emerged in almost every cohort was "micro-monitor, don't micro-manage". Especially in a matrix relationship, it's important to be aware of the key metrics, and it is essential that our role moves to one of troubleshooter, enabler and liaison with resources and people.

​If you have a team that you lead virtually, it may be a great opportunity this week in your meetings to discuss these questions:
​What do you need in order to be more successful?
​What if any issues do you need support on?
​Who can I help connect you with?

​You may also want to check out these past Teams365 posts on Matrix Management as well.

​Have a great Thursday,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders
Follow us on Twitter @Teams365
​(416)996-8326

In our 29th Virtual Facilitation Tip I'm getting you to think about how you can integrate more visuals into your virtual programming to boost learning, and engagement.

​Several studies have found that visuals are processed at a much faster rate than text and auditory information, some studies finding it up to 60,000 times faster.  While this has been deemed an "internet hoax" note for yourself how you take in photos versus text.

​In terms of both application and integration of learning in the virtual domain, consider what can you do to boost visuals in your programs by integrating more:
Animations
​Video - i.e. Ted Talks (videos are noted to have greater engagement than text)
​Using photos  (check out Conversation Sparker.com for our photo deck)
​or by bringing in a Graphic Recorder to bring to life your training and learning process
​Metaphors

​This week, take a few minutes to outline what is possible in including more visual materials. What would this take?

With best wishes,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders
Check out our newest on-demand course: Teams365 Teamwork Foundations
Follow us on Twitter @Teams365
​(416)996-8326

In our 28th virtual faciltiation tip we're going to look at maximizing the impact of the virtual learning process by considering how supervisors and mentors can also support the learning transfer. We know that informal learning opportunities in organizations (coaching, mentoring, on the job applications) far surpass the amount of time and resources dedicated to training. How can you make some small changes so supervisors and mentors are better placed to support the training that's occurred.

When you consider how supervisors can support what's being learned in the virtual classroom consider:
1. What is the level of skill the supervisor has in this area? Would they benefit going through a similar course?
2. What do they need to know about the virtual training? Would they benefit from a discussion guide with prompting questions to ask
3. What opportunities can they set up for their staff to apply what they are learning?
4. What additional supports do they see their staff members needing?

Mentors are also likely to be supporting those in your virtual classroom. Mentors typically can provide further detail about how they have approached leadership and work situations. Consider the same four questions as posed above for mentors?
What is most important for you to note about how mentors and supervisors can enhance the transfer of learning from the virtual space to the in person work place?

Have a great Tuesday,
Jennifer
​
Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders
Check out our newest on-demand course: Teams365 Teamwork Foundations
Follow us on Twitter @Teams365
​(416)996-8326

Last Monday's post on Year End Team Building Prompts was one of our most popular posts of the month so far. Today's post is going to explore more possible ideas for year end team activities. If you are on Linked In you'll also want to check out my Linked In Pulse post later this week that will focus on year end activities. Stay tuned - it will be out in the next few days.

​in the hustle and bustle of year end wrap up we often push team development to the side, yet this is often one of the richest times of the year to create a pause and take stock of what the year has been like, as well as do some planning or focusing for the future. It's also a great time to have some fun together as a team. What we know about high performing teams is that they are great at getting results and having solid relationships with each other. In the relationship category, it doesn't mean that everyone has to be the same, but that they can work effectively across the differences which inevitably exist within teams.

​Three areas I like to focus on with team development at the end of the year includes:

​Fun, light activities getting people to know each other and/or working together. The activity  you see in today's photo is an activity called Tower Building. I've used it for years with teams of all industries and geographic locations. It's a useful initiative task which helps teams get much clearer on roles, communication, initiative, innovation and even problem solving. For a treasure-trove of different group activities check out the Wilderdom.com site which has a great list of links to hundreds of group activities.

​Another area  you may want to explore together is that of strengths. We often do quite a bit of work in this area, whether it's with an individual leader, a group of leaders or a whole division. As we continue to see, teams that leverage strengths are more productive, and usually more engaged. Check out the Gallup Strengths Center for more details on strengths.

​The final fun and purposeful team development year end process I wanted to share today was in the area of styles. One of the main challenges of team work today is helping people become more aware of their natural affinity for work and the impact of this. Are they more big picture thinking, or detail oriented? Do they want to work quickly or more methodologically? Providing support in the area of styles work through an Everything DiSC or other can be not only insightful, but can help change the conversations happening across a team. There is real power in the self-awareness generated when you learn about not only your own styles but those that you work with, so that it's easier to adapt to the needs of the group. Contact us to learn more about the Everything DiSC and how we could support you on bringing this in for individual, group or team development.

​As you consider what you have planned for year end team development, what do you want to add or change?

​Have a great start to the week,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders
Check out our newest on-demand course: Teams365 Teamwork Foundations
Follow us on Twitter @Teams365
​(416)996-8326