Teams365 Blog - POTENTIALS REALIZED

TEAMS365 #2315 –Weekly Journaling Prompt #97 – Systems Check

5/2/2020

As a coach who works with entrepreneurs (Remotepreneurs) and remote teams, I spend a lot of time in dialogue around systems. As I write in PlanDoTrack, systems create consistency which is so critical in the remote space. Systems also allow us to scale which is so important in the remote space as well.

This week’s blog post is a systems check. It gets you to think about the systems you have in place, as well as which ones you might want to, or need to develop.

Consider these different areas:

Recruitment
Financial
Sales
Marketing
Client support
Communication
Reporting

What else?

Enjoy your reflection!
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.

TEAMS365 #2299 Team Building Tip 283: Results Check

4/16/2020

Building onto yesterday’s mid-month touchpoint, today’s post is a results check. List out the top 10 things you have accomplished as a team – collectively? Individually?

Isolate what some of the common factors have been in getting you the results you’ve had.

If you haven’t received the results you wanted, what’s gotten in the way? What changes are needed? Where do you need to pivot?

What new skills are required?

Enjoy your conversations. You may also want to check out these additional blog posts –

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.

TEAMS365 #2284 – Celebrating 16 Years Here at Potentials Realized

4/1/2020

Happy April Fools Day! I always love April 1st as it marks the day I came back to live and re-establish myself in Canada. Back in 2004, I made the transition from my former world of global work with the United Nations and the international humanitarian sector and came back home. Six days later on April 7th, I registered my new business, Potentials Realized, and haven’t looked back.

A lot of people often ask me what led me to start this company. There were a number of factors which led me to establish Potentials Realized.

First, I had spent several years prior being asked by my employers to take on special projects and/or take on internal consulting roles. It validated at into the second decade of my career I was building a series of skills and areas of expertise that could be useful outside of my regular role.

A second major factor for me had also been the impact to my vision due to an eye infection I had sustained in 2003. That led to an effect on one of my eyes which still exists today. It’s one of the reasons why I established Potentials Realized as a virtual business – so I wouldn’t have to travel like I used to. Today so many of us are having to live and work virtually, especially with social isolation measures in place. I hope that you have been seeing some of the more creative ways we can continue to work and meet in the virtual space.

A final factor in terms of moving to being an entrepreneur was the belief that it was time to go out on my own and create the programming I had dreamed about. During the years I was flying around the world leading organizational retreats for groups large and small, I hoped that I would be able to create something similar under my own umbrella. One of the greatest things I have enjoyed is not having had to do the travel I used to – of how I can bring dozens of people together for great conversation and work in the remote space.

What is your beginning story?

As we step into the new month, what are your goals? What’s important to be focusing on?

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

TEAMS365 #2260 – Week in Review

3/8/2020

This week’s posts focused primarily on remote work. It included posts on:

Monday’s post on 8 Essential Meeting Questions
Outreach and Building Relationships Virtually – Tuesday
Boundaries in Remote Work – Wednesday
Thursday’s post on Digital Detox
Friday’s post on 7 Focus Areas for Remote Team Leaders
Saturday’s post on LOVE

Enjoy your reading!
Jennifer

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

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.
Check out upcoming programs on our calendar!

TEAMS365 #2225 – Weekly Round up & the Teams365 Calendar of Posts

2/2/2020

Welcome to Sunday! It’s time for a weekly round-up and also sharing the February 2020 Calendar with you. Now that the Teams365 blog is in it’s seventh year (yes!) there’s a lot of content you may find invaluable. This year I wanted to provide a monthly calendar to showcase some of the more interesting posts from our history.

If you didn’t see January’s calendar access it here.

And now, drumroll please…. Here’s February’s calendar!

If you missed this last week of posts, here’s what there was:

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and hope that you’ll enjoy looking through February’s calendar. This month we’re focusing on collaboration and relationships.

Don’t forget to download the calendar here!

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 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.
Check out upcoming programs on our calendar!

TEAMS365 #2222 – Team Building Tip 272

1/30/2020

This week’s Team Building Tip reminds you that small changes add up. It’s often the incremental changes which are cumulative over time. What are the changes you have been making as a team over this last six months? Year? How are they adding up?

One of the things that happens with incremental change is that we don’t see it when the shifts are small. This is where taking time to pause so you can note the changes becomes important.

When our teams are small, or when we are a solopreneur, or working remote, it can be very important to explore how these small changes add up. Unlike instances where we may have a huge amount of resources, being able to see the impact of the small shifts we are able to make is key to motivation.

What type of change is important for you right now? Here’s an interesting blog post from the Green Book Blog to explore the distinctions between incremental change and disruptive change.

What’s important for you as a team to explore?

A reminder that I will be hosting the month end review session for January tomorrow, Friday January 31st, from 3- 4 pm ET. During this time, you’ll have the opportunity to pause and take stock of your January accomplishments, while doing some planning for the month of February. You can learn more about this program and register here. Cost $49 US.

Best wishes,
Jennifer

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

Check out upcoming programs on our calendar!

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.

TEAMS365 #2192 – Saying goodbye to an amazing decade and saying hello to a new one!

12/31/2019

As I go to write this post it’s a bit bittersweet. I’m sure many of you are feeling the same. The 2010s were a great time – personally and professionally.

I’m excited to step into a new decade and leave a few things behind, as well as carry forward many of the lessons learned of the last decade. While my memories of moving from 2009 to 2010 aren’t as clear, I vividly remember the eve of Y2K. Twenty years ago, as a much younger professional I was based in South America. My original four months in a country had turned into almost seven years at that point. I remember wondering what the new decade would bring. As it turned out amazing things – 3 years as a Manager with the UN, and then transitioning into establishing Potentials Realized in 2004.

What are you hopeful for?

As we step into 2020 as a business, we’ll be continuing our focus on providing teams and leaders with exceptional learning experiences grounded in coaching, mentoring and conversations. Our focus on remote work will also continue to expand with:

The Annual Remote Pathways Lab meeting on Fridays during the 2nd and 4th week of the month.
Team Days being custom designed for remote teams – focusing on strengths-based work, team effectiveness, clarifying result and boosting connections.
In-person team days focusing on strengths-based work and team effectiveness.
Our Teams365 series of programming – delivered as virtual modules.
On-demand learning – short, video-based primer courses – Feedback and Team Effectiveness available.
Support to coaches throught the 60 Day Coaching Business Builder Accelerator which starts on January 1st 2020. Coaches - hope you'll join us!

Thank you for visiting and spending time here at the blog. Stay tuned for some exciting changes for 2020 writing.

Wishing you an amazing start to the new decade!
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 end 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.

Coaches - Don't forget we start the 60 Day Coaching Business Builder Accelerator January 1st - I hope you'll join us for this blended -live and on-demand - program.

TEAMS365 #2185 – Traditions

12/24/2019

As many of us wind down for the next few days or weeks, it’s gotten me to think about tradition. Traditions were always important in my family – from weekend road-trips to the cottage and seasonal openings and closings, as well as making a point of celebrating with friends and loved ones at key seasonal holidays. It’s always created an anchor of certainty even in a changing world of work, and locations. In continuing these traditions with my own family, I can see how important it’s been.

On a business level, I’ve also aimed to maintain certain traditions including an annual year end call taking a look back at the landscape of group and team programming. This year was my 15th annual call. That’s a lot of calls and conversations, AND I know that it’s an important milestone marker for my community as well as myself.

What are the traditions you engage with on a personal level? As a leader? As a business?

What are the milestones you want to celebrate? What’s important to note for yourself?

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 end 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.

TEAMS365 #2152 – Team Building Tip #262: What's Getting in the Way?

11/21/2019

This week’s Team Building Tip gets you to consider the question – “What’s getting in the way?” As a team, what are the things which have obstructed you from what’s really important?

It’s at this time of year that we may become really clear about the SHINY RED OBJECTS which have become an alluring focus but may not have translated to business results. OR WAIT? Have they?

It can be important to think about activities not only from an immediate impact, but also in terms of the longer-term activities and seed-planting work which needs to go into bigger projects. For those reading the Teams 365 blog who are solopreneurs you will probably know what I mean. Many times, we take on creative projects which may not be revenue generating but actually are key in moving the business forward. The challenge is to make sure that there is a good balance between those activities which need to happen NOW and generate revenue, as well as those activities which are key to business growth but may only pay off in the long run.

This week consider the question – What’s getting in the way? Is it a closed road, or an important detour?

What do you need to say YES to? NO to?

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 end 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.

TEAMS365 #2138 – Team Building Tip #261

11/7/2019

This week’s Team Building Tip is a systems check. Systems are key in the remote and virtual workspace. They are the things that keep us doing things in a consistent manner, creating a seamless experience for our team members and customers. Consider a team that is spread across Los Angeles, Toronto, London, Paris and Shanghai. We want to ensure that a customer will have a similar experience across the different areas.

In my PlanDoTrack Workbook Planner and the Coaching Business Builder Workbook Planner, I explore five systems which can help remote workers and solopreneurs.

They are:

Financial systems - Invoicing, Accounts Payable, Cash Flow, Accounts Receivable etc
Client systems - Welcome Kits, other supports
Onboarding systems - Questionnaires, Agreements, Welcome Letters
Marketing - Websites, Social Media Feeds, Frequently Asked Questions
Content - Do you know what you have created? Do you have an accessible listing of what there is?
Sales - What do you notice about sales? What can generate more? What follow-up do you have with those you have sold to?

What is the current state of these five areas? What could use attention?
What systems do you as a team have in place? What needs focus?
What new systems could benefit the team?

All the best,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton – Potentials Realized
Leadership | Teamwork | Business Success
Author of multiple books including Effective Virtual Conversations (2017), PlanDoTrack (2019) and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (2013)
Follow along with the #90DaysPlanDoTrack series over at Instagram @CoachingBizBuilder
Join the conversation at the Conversation Sparker Zone - our online community where you can explore virtual and team issues, coaching, productivity and business development.
Pick up a copy of Volume 1 of the Weekly Journaling Prompts in a digital format. Print it out and take it with you for some inspiration and writing on the go! Available at the Potentials Realized Store.
For those looking for tips, tools and ideas about remote work and support for your remote teams, be sure to check out these tags and resources.