It’s March 15th which historically has been known as the Ides of March. My father always has said we can usually expect one more snowfall in Toronto on, or around this date. I’m always happy when it gets to be this time of year as I start seeing that spring is (usually) just around the corner.
 
For today’s FlashbackFriday I wanted to reach back to a former blog post (in fact one from the precursor blog to Teams365 – the BizToolkit blog), on a topic which I think has major significance today – Meetings!
 
Meetings can be the “bane” of most employees existence, and aren’t always held effectively. It’s not uncommon for leaders I work with, scheduled into 30 or more hours of meeting a week, leaving them little time for work they need to accomplish, strategic thinking and other discussions.
 
Here’s what I posted in March of 2014 as Teams365 #86: 

Five Ways to Keep Your Meetings on Track 
Copyright Jennifer Britton, All Rights Reserved, 2013 : Originally published on the BizToolkit blog, 2013

Meetings are a huge time-consumer in today's workforce. What is the state of your meetings? How efficient are they? Today's blog post includes five ways to keep your meetings on track, so you can avoid what Patrick Lencioni describes as "Death by Meeting" syndrome.

Some key tips to keep in mind are:
1. Assign a meeting facilitator. Facilitation comes from the Latin word "facilis" or to make easy. The facilitators role is to keep an eye on the process. As the facilitator, the focus is on:

• starting and ending the meeting on time, 
• keeping the flow moving, 
• summarizing and capturing key discussion points,
• identifying issues which may need to be shifted to other events (use of a parking lot)
• summarizing key action steps

It can be very useful to have a rotational facilitator role if meetings are held regularly with the same group. This supports capacity and skill development, and also recognizes that the facilitator's power is related to that role, not the role people usually inhabit. Who will be the "facilitator" for your next meeting? How will this be rotated?

2.  Have an agenda, and assign timelines to it. Does each meeting have an agenda, which has been circulated before the meeting to ensure that nothing else needs to be added? Putting time-frames on each item, and sticking to them, helps to manage time, as well as identify issues which may need to be carried into other venues. What does the agenda for your next meeting look like? How much time will it take? 

3. Ensure who you need is at the table. A common challenge in effective meetings is not having who you need at the table. This may be someone who has specific information, background on  a topic, or authority to sign off/give approval. Who needs to be at your meeting, based on the agenda?

4. Confirm Action Steps and Responsibilities - A common pitfall is that action steps, and who is responsible for moving things forward, is lost in the dialogue. Key action steps, and those who will take responsibility for making sure they are done, should be summarized at the end of each meeting. What are the major next steps? Who will be responsible for them?

5. Circle Back to Make sure Actions are being Actioned. What is the status of the action steps? How are they being moved forward immediately, and in the longer term. Who needs to know? Who is accountable? Action Plans are only as good as they are tracked and followed. What will support the implementation of decisions, and the reporting out of these actions? 

As you consider your upcoming meetings, in which context might you be able to incorporate some of these ideas?
 
As much as the meeting content may have changed in the last six years, I think a lot of these pointers remain the same. What’s the one tweak you could make to your meetings which would help them become more productive and efficient?
 
Enjoy your conversations,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton – Potentials Realized 
Leadership | Teamwork | Business Success
Author of multiple books including Effective Virtual Conversations (2017), PlanDoTrack (2018) and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (2013)
Follow along with the #90DaysPlanDoTrack series over at Instagram @CoachingBizBuilder 
Now available – PlanDoTrack Workbook and Planner - Order a copy today on Amazon
Join the conversation at the Conversation Sparker Zone - our online community where you can explore virtual and team issues, coaching, productivity and business development).
Check out the new 19 Tips for Productivity On-Demand Course. If this is your year to get things moving, check it out now. Join Jenn for bi-weekly live group calls until July. $129 US. Learn more and enroll here.
​

This week’s Sunday post takes us back to some of the varied Sunday audios I recorded for the Teams365 blog. Many of these posts are “Evergreen” and haven’t dated too much. I’ve selected a few to spotlight as I think they are a good reminder for us at this time of year. Let’s take a listen back into them again:

Four Tips to Overcoming Procrastination 
Three Key Facilitation Skills 
Gratitude, Recognition and Month-End Reflection
Your Vision and Goals – while this post was for 2015, it still works for 2019. Listen into this if you are now turning attention to your vision for 2019…You might also want to join me for a year end PlanDoTrack Virtual Retreat. Here’s the link to the Vision and Goals session.
Ten Questions Team Leaders Should Be Asking 

As we move into the end of the fifth year of the Teams365 blog, I wanted to thank you for joining us. Whether you’ve only read a few posts, or followed along with many, it’s been a pleasure to join you on a daily basis for 2014 -2018. I look forward to continuing to provide regular sparks here at the Teams365 blog.

Best,
Jennifer

This week’s Effective Virtual Conversations tip focuses on a key factor which helps teams excel. In both the virtual  and in-person team space helping teams understanding their ROLES on the team, is a key activity. This becomes even more important when teams are remote and people may not have a sense of how their work fits together. This can lead to duplication, or impact when things are not done to time or scope, and have a domino effect.
Facilitating the conversation with your team about roles could be part of an upcoming team meeting.
Today’s post includes a short excerpt from Effective Virtual Conversations on page 353, As I write in the book, you might consider exploring questions such as:

• What are our roles?
• Where is there overlap?
• How do our roles leverage people’s strengths?
• In our work, what do we need to do?
• How are our roles supporting the performance goals, supporting our practices and supporting our WHY?
• What else is important for us to notice around our roles?
• What else is important for you to notice about roles?

Enjoy the start to your week,
Jennifer

It's time for another FlashBack Friday. This month we've been exploring teamwork skills required during times of complexity. A key theme has been to equip all team members with skills so they can do their best work. Earlier thsi week, I focused on skills for problem solving. If you have not checked out an older audio post #Teams365 #488, I invite you to do that now. Likewise, decision making skills are also important. Check out Teams365 #495 for another audio post on 2 Decision Making Skills.

​If you enjoyed these two posts, and are looking for more facilitation tools and processes to share with your team, do check out some of my past series including these posts on Facilitation. The posts range from virtual conversations to in person events. Check them out here.

​With best wishes,
Jennifer

​

Part of the workplace today is the ongoing change and complexity. This not only  impacts leaders but many of the team members we work with as well. Given this, it's important to take time to equip our team members with skills in a variety of areas including today's focus, problem solving. Given that team members may be working remote, or may be working more autonomously, equipping team members with skills in this area is key.

Earlier this month we've looked at other kills such as curiosity and open-mindedness as well as experimentation. What other skills do you think your team could benefit from?

​Problems can take a number of forms - from not having enough resources, to not having the information we need. Equipping team members in this area could involve using problem solving skills like:

​Lewin's Force Field Analysis - this process helps us explore the forces that will both enable us in change, as well as hold us back. 

​The Fishbone - Originating out of Toyota, the fishbone helps us explore the varying factors around an issue. For example, if poor customer service is occurring, what are the issues feeding into this from a people, process, environmental standpoint. Identifying each of these factors helps us explore what is at play.

​Is/Is Not - As I wrote a short while ago, the is/is not tool, allows us to get clearer on parameters. Part of problem solving also involves this. Think about the problem or challenge you are facing, and make a list of what "it is" and what "it is not".

​Five Whys - The Five Whys tool gets us to unlayer an issue by asking WHY around each of the layers. If customer service is poor ask WHY? If that points to lack of training - ask again WHY? With that response - explore the next layer with WHY. Many coaching models also encourage this unpacking or unlayering of issues to root cause.


​What tools will help your team thrive?

With best wishes,
​Jennifer

It's time for Flashback Friday and I've dug into the vault for a past post on core skills for virtual facilitators. This month our focus here at the Teams365 blog is Virtual Leadership. Whether you are a team leader or team member, working in the virtual space places emphasis on a series of augmented skills in virtual facilitation.

Let's take a look at what I said in Teams365 #964: Virtual Facilitation Core Skills, and note for yourself, where your strengths reside and where your skills could use some shoring up:

"I spend a lot of time working with other trainers, coaches and leaders in helping them create more engaging and effective virtual learning. in the first decade plus of my career I spent a lot of time on the road, in the sky, in the field. As technology started emerging in the late 1990s with the advent of the internet I was keen on seeing how we could leverage tools and platforms for not only learning but also team development. Since 2004, when I started Potentials Realized, a bulk of our training and learning programs have been delivered virtually. In some months of the year - like July and August  - a 100% of our programming with teams and groups is done virtually.

Creating engaging and effective virtual learning environments is an art form as well as a science. In the next few weeks we'll be looking more in-depth at virtual facilitation - skills, best practices, platforms etc.

Today's post starts with some of the core virtual facilitation skills. What do we need to bring to the table in order to create more interactive, and engaging learning events, meetings and team sessions?

Here's a list of some of the top skills which help to make a virtual facilitators shine:
* Flexibility and adaptability (to navigate things that probably won't work the way you think they will)
* Process facilitation skills
* Exceptional communication skills - clear, concise, ability to adapt the message for different audiences
* Listening skills - being able to listen for the nuances, energy, distinctions and synergies in groups which are remote and often multi-cultural
*Creating connection with group/team members virtually
* An understanding of different cultures
* Being a great  host - there's an important host function as a virtual facilitator
* Confidence and knowledge of their presence (and the ability to be a chameleon)
* Strong observational skills and ability to integrate multiple pieces of information
* Technical skills with different platforms

and while it is not a skill, a robust toolkit!

What else do you see as core skills for virtual facilitators?"

I explore this topic much more in depth in my new and forthcoming book on Effective Virtual Conversations which will be out later this spring/early summer. Stay tuned and be one of the first to know about pre-release special events.

With best wishes,
Jennifer

We're back with another A-Z of Team Development Activities today, finally reaching O. O stands for opportunities and options.

Listen in as I walk you through a quick facilitated activity which you can use with your team to expand ideas around options with current opportunities. What you'll need for your team are:
Post it notes
Blank space (wall or table)
Thick markers for each person
And of course, an area you want to focus and generate some ideas around.

Here's today's video post (approx 4 min):

How might you use this activity to generate some new ideas for you and your team?

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 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)

A couple of weeks ago I started a new series here at the Teams365 blog around different team develompent activities team leaders, trainers, coaches and facilitators can bring into their work with teams. Team development is an ongoing process and it's likely that many readers are eager to try or find something a little different. That was the impetus behind this current series.

Let's take a look back at the A-Z of Team Development Activities so far:

Teams365 #1074: H is for habits. Watch this video at our Potentials Realized YouTube Channel (6 min)

Teams366 #1072: G is for Goals. Watch this video at our Potentials Realized Channel. (4 min)
Teams365 #1071: F is for Foil Modelling. Read the post here.

Teams365 #1070: E is for Exceptional. Watch this video. (4 min)

Teams365 #1068: D is for Decisions. Watch this video. (5 min)

Teams365 #1065: C is for communication.

Teams365 #1064: B is for Boundaries. Read this post.

Teams365 #1063: A is for Assumptions. Read this post.


Which posts have been your favorite so far?

Have a great Sunday,
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)

Today's post explores four key mistakes virtual facilitators can make. These are things that can be useful to always keep in mind, regardless of the size or time of our next virtual event.

Mistake #1 - Not being prepared. A lot of things are going on when you lead a virtual meeting, training session or event. Keeping people's focus is #1 and because group members may not see you , they may be more attuned to the nuances of your voice. If they can see you while you are streaming everything will be picked up on.

Prior to any virtual event, consider what is going to support you in your preparation. How well do you know your materials?

Mistake #2  - Not Knowing the Technology
Every virtual platform has different nuances. Being confident and knowledgeable about your platform is a best practice. Take time in advance to check it out, even if it is only you on the line. most platforms come with detailed video tutorials and FAQs. Have these on hand and consider what could possibly go wrong, and if so, what you will do about it.

Mistake #3 - Not Knowing the Audience
Knowing your audience and helping them connect early on with the WIIFM (What's in it for me? ) sets everyone up for success. In the virtual domain, trust and connection plays an even more critical role in engagement. What can you do to meet or connect with the audience before you get started? This could be as simple as a personal email introducing yourself and the purpose of your meeting, or as elaborate and time intensive as short pre-calls with each person.

Watch out for these assumptions you might be holding about your audience"

• They know what the purpose of this call is.
• They came prepared
• They are not multi-tasking
• They know how to use the technology
• They all have the same needs
• They will follow up immediately with what they have said they would do
• Silence means they are getting it
• Silence means they are following you

Mistake #4 - Not having a contingency plan in place

Masterful virtual facilitators operate within the realm of contingency planning. In almost every post or speaking engagement I have given on virtual facilitation, expect the unexpected. What are the possible things that could happen with your program and what will you do if it does?

In my book, Effective Group Coaching, i introduced the accordion principle to facilitation. Where can you shorten the program if things are taking too long, and where can you elongate the program if you need more time?

If you haven't done so I'd also invite you to read Teams365 #972 and #973 which cover ten pitfalls you may face as a virtual facilitator and how to avoid them.

Have a great weekend,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders
Check out our newest on-demand course: Teams365 Teamwork Foundations
Follow us on Twitter @Teams365
Join us this fall for a 15 hour Virtual Train-the-trainer in the Virtual Facilitation Skills Intensive program. We'll be covering the best practices of designing and leading virtual calls. The program will be held on Fridays from 3 - 4:30 pm ET starting September 23. Click here to learn more and reserve your spot.