​It’s Sunday and I wanted to share with you links to some of our more than 30 videos I’ve created in the last year, bringing to life some of the more than 1600 blog posts here at the Teams365 blog. I hope that you’ll take a few minutes today to check out these blog posts:

Teams365 #1440 – 12 Mentoring Questions – Watch it here - https://www.potentialsrealized.com/teams-365-blog/teams365-1440-12-mentoring-questions-teams365-video
 
Teams365 #1512 – Ways to Build Trust in Virtual Teams. Watch it here - https://www.potentialsrealized.com/teams-365-blog/teams365-1512-ways-to-build-trust-in-virtual-teams
 
Teams365 #1608: 4 Tips for Fluid Speaking. Watch it here - https://www.potentialsrealized.com/teams-365-blog/teams365-1608-video-tips-for-fluid-speaking
 
Teams365 #1307: Four Keys to Feedback – Watch it here -
https://www.potentialsrealized.com/teams-365-blog/teams365-1307-video-4-keys-to-feedback 
 
Teams365 #1489- Four Ways to Plan and Set Goals. Watch it here - https://www.potentialsrealized.com/teams-365-blog/teams365-1489-teams365-video-another-way-to-plan-and-set-goals
 
What has been your favorite Teams365 blog in the last year?
 
What posts would you like to have brought to life through a weekly video?
 
Let us know your thoughts and comment below!
 
With thanks,
Jennifer

​Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Effective Virtual Conversations |  Coaching Team Leaders  
We provide team and leadership development support through coaching, consulting and training services
Author of Effective Virtual Conversations (2017) 
Email: info@potentialsrealized.com
(416)996-8326

This month we have been exploring Feedback here at the Teams365 blog. It’s not our first exploration of this topic, and a few years ago I did a series on the Foundations of Feedback, which has led to a variety of further articles, training sessions and even on-demand programming for partner clients.
 
As we shift to providing feedback regularly, we move to creating a culture of feedback. In this week’s Teams365 FlashbackFriday I thought it would be interesting to revisit what I had written in Teams365 #869 – Creating a Culture of Feedback. If you are on this journey, think of how you are creating a culture of feedback in your organization. How are you at a different place today, than you were at the start of the year? Here’s what I wrote in Teams365 #869:
 
“Over the past few weeks we’ve been exploring the Foundations of Feedback. Feedback as I’ve mentioned in past posts is an area that both new and experienced team leaders can struggle in. While past posts have looked at the WHY and HOW of Feedback, today’s post explores things you can do to create a culture of feedback, where it is regularly and freely given and received, without fear. As in any culture change initiative the shift to this kind of culture is often gradual.

Three key things to consider in creating a culture of feedback is:

1. Creating an Enabling Environment for Feedback
In creating an enabling environment leaders and team members will want to keep in mind a number of factors including style, relevance, timing, and follow up. 
Just as in other communication and development activities, keeping in mind the style preferences of each team member can help in making feedback more meaningful, while pointing to areas for growth. As a big picture thinker myself, having my superior start by providing feedback around the broad strokes areas can open up the feedback conversation, and they can also help me by providing feedback on the “detail” areas that don’t work as well.
 
As mentioned in other posts, feedback should be relevant to current priorities, and work. If feedback is left too long it can become irrelevant. In this respect timing is critical. Past posts in this series have also explored how preparation on the part of those giving and receiving feedback is important. Finally, follow up is key. This was focused on in Teams365 #869 post. When there is no follow-through to how action steps are being undertaken to implement the changes asked for by feedback, it simply becomes a “rote” activity. Closing the feedback loop is essential in creating a culture which values feedback and learning.

2. Modeling feedback across the organization.
When feedback is modeled at all levels by asking for, and providing positive and constructive feedback, both formally and informally it creates a safety across an organization. Having senior leaders model healthy feedback conversations and their follow up, signals to other parts of the organization that feedback is important.
 
3. Making it a regular part of conversation
Rather than  just having feedback be “something you do once a year at performance review time” or “provide during employee engagement surveys”, building a feedback culture means that it becomes part of how everyone communicates. Talking about what’s working, and what’s not is common-place and the norm. 
Part of making it a part of every day conversation is also noticing what the reaction is to things not going right and failures. Shifting from a mindset of crisis to experimentation can support a culture where learning from mistakes is healthy, not something to be frowned upon.

​In addition to these three factors, other things that will support a feedback-rich culture include providing all staff (not just leaders) with training in providing feedback and also enhancing their awareness around their strengths, triggers and blindspots. A feedback culture is created when feedback is rewarded and part of the expectations of how teams and professionals operate.

​While there are still a few more posts dedicated to the Foundations of Feedback I hope that you have enjoyed this series and found it useful! Please email me your comments or reach out and let me know how we can support you and your organization with training on feedback, enhanced coaching skills or strengths.”
 
Enjoy the conversation!
 
Jennifer

​Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Retreats.
Author of From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching(Jossey-Bass, 2013) and Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2009)
Follow us on Twitter @Teams365
Phone: (416)996-8326​

As we go to wrap up the month with our focus on feedback and performance conversations, I thought it would be useful to explore several additional resources.

This is an interesting article - Five Steps for Giving Productive Feedback by Scott Halford at Entrepreneur.com - click here. Note Scott’s point of the need for safety in any feedback or performance conversation

MindTools article on Giving Feedback : Boosting Your People’s Confidence and Ability. Click here. 

Aaron Levy’s Forbes article on Three Conversations Every Manager Should be Having – Read the article here. 

How to Get Started with Continuous Performance Management. Read it here from TLNT. 

Mary Cruze’s HDI article “Difficult Performance Convertions: The 5 Ws for Success – Read it here​.

What resources would you recommend to others on this topic?

Best wishes,
​Jennifer

​Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders 
Looking to spark more conversation with your team? Consider the Conversation Sparker(TM) Cards
Set up a conversation about how we can support you and your team best
(416)996-8326

​An increasing number of team leaders are managing staff who are part of remote working arrangements. Whether team members are working from home offices or part of matrix teams, virtual teams also deserve to benefit from feedback conversations. Many times, virtual team members do not receive feedback, perhaps because:
They are part of a matrix team, and the other team leader will provide feedback
No one knows or sees what they do
Scheduling does not permit enough overlap
 
These are all NOT good excuses for NOT putting a focus on feedback.
 
There are a number of nuances which exist with virtual teams namely:

1. Does the team leader cultivate a culture of regular feedback,
2. Is there a culture established around self- reflection, so individuals
3. How are peer partners being used as a support for remote workers, and can they provide valuable insights and feedback?
4. What are you doing to leverage virtual streaming opportunities. Feedback is always best received when face to face. How are you making sure you leverage feedback?

What do you notice about what’s important around feedback for your team members?
 
Enjoy your conversations,
Jennifer

​Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders 
Looking to spark more conversation with your team? Consider the Conversation Sparker(TM) Cards
Set up a conversation about how we can support you and your team best
(416)996-8326

One of the focus areas this week has been on preparing others on your team for ongoing performance conversations. This is not the first time I have written on this topic. For today’s FlashbackFriday post I wanted to take us back to Teams365 #862. Here’s what I wrote in that post, which was post #4 in the Foundations of Feedback series:
Link to: https://www.potentialsrealized.com/teams-365-blog/teams365-862-foundations-of-feedback-part-3-preparing-for-feedback
 
This week we are turning our attention to feedback, an area that I continue to hear is stretch point, and uncomfortable place, for both new and experienced team leaders.

​On Monday we looked at some interesting facts about feedback in Teams365 #860, and yesterday at why you are giving feedback.

​Today's post gets  you thinking about what you need to do in order to prepare for feedback and this involves not only what you as a leader can do, but also how you can support your staff in preparing for feedback. As I wrote yesterday feedback should be a two-way street.

​Several things you will want to do or put attention around before you sit down to have a feedback conversation are:

​1. Know what the person's role, project and main goals have been so that you can provide feedback that is relevant, timely and strategic.  Providing feedback in areas that are not linked to a person's role and/or activities is not that useful.

​2. Get people thinking about what their own performance has been like - What strengths have they leveraged? What opportunities do they see for growth/development/stretch? "Priming" people for the conversation makes this a two way conversation, where you can supplement self-reflection with personal observations.

​3. Ask team members what areas they are going to value feedback in.

​4. Have specific examples in the areas you are providing feedback in, making sure that these are things you have observed and/or are validated. When providing feedback we want to make sure it is specific, and grounded in observable behaviors, not stories.

​5. Making sure that time has been allocated not only for the conversation but for preparing for it. This is not an activity you want to rush, so be sure to allocate sufficient time and space to have the conversation. Making sure you won't get interrupted within the conversation is also an important consideration. This is not one meeting you want to have to shift or change.

Activity:
​Consider what steps you want to take to prepare for upcoming feedback conversations. What is important for each team member as well?

Enjoy your conversation,
Jennifer

​Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders 
​Author of From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (Jossey-Bass, 2016)
Looking to spark more conversation with your team? Consider the Conversation Sparker(TM) Cards
Set up a conversation about how we can support you and your team best
(416)996-8326

In any performance conversation, it’s important to set the stage for a great conversation, and a two-way one between the leader and their team member.

 While being able to ask great questions is key (and will be the focus of tomorrow’s blog post) it is key that you set the stage for a good feedback and performance conversation. To prepare the team member themselves you will want to consider:

Having dialogue with the team to help them think about how they are doing. “Priming people to think through and be taking notes for themselves by using questions such as:

•  What have been your successes?
• What’s working well?
• What’s not?
• What could you be doing differently?

 
Additional ways to support your team members to prepare for the performance conversation are:
1.       To support team members to monitor and capture their successes and things that don’t work as well regularly;
2.       To feel safe to be able to voice concerns without fear of impact on their job
3.       To create regular reflective pauses around how their performance is going? This may involve a number of ways team members can self-monitor, and self-assess
4.       Getting team members to consider how they will receive feedback best – do they need time to digest, do they like to hear it first and then see it written out (or vice versa)

As you think about your team, what will help them create more of an ongoing performance culture?

With best wishes,
​Jennifer

It is Monday and time for another Effective Virtual Conversations tip. This week we come to tip #25. In Effective Virtual Conversations I write "Feedback from your group is essential to facilitation growth and mastery". Whether you have been facilitating for one month or several decades, facilitation is a skill set where we are constantly refining our craft. Feedback is an important vehicle to hone our approaches and techniques, based on what our learners/groups like and don't like.

Many facilitators leave evaluation for the last session, when in fact you will want to ask for feedback throughout. Feedback about:
pace,
interactivity,
how the material/content is connecting with people,
the platform you are using,
and activities and techniques you are using.

What else might you be looking to ask for feedback around?

AT the end of my first session with groups I generally ask them these three questions (which we'll revisit again for longer programs):
1. What worked well for your learning today?
2. What are you taking away (or what has been reinforced for you)?
3. What should we do differently next time?

What I love about working with groups is that every conversation is different, because every group is different. This keeps our work every fresh!

What are the questions you want feedback on? How will you be evaluating your groups? For more on this topic refer to multiple sections of Effective Virtual Conversations including chapter 6 (Preparing for Blast Off) and 7 (Activities)

Have a great week,
Jennifer

Over the last month I've been exploring activities and questions for 20 different focus areas for Virtual and Remote Team Development. Today brings us to peer feedback, and area that is connected with the post I wrote a couple of weeks ago on Difficult Conversations. If you have not read that post yet, check it out here.

Moving to a peer feedback culture is likely in a virtual team where your peers may see you more than your leader. Helping team members gain skills in providing feedback, asking good questions and listening are important as you make this shift.

Today's post is less an activity than a series of questions for peers to be in dialogue around. As you go to have a feedback conversation, consider discussing the following:

What areas will you welcome feedback around?
What kind of feedback will you value?
Do you prefer to receive feedback in writing? By email?
What level of feedback – granular? Broad strokes?
What feedback can you provide to me?

As with other posts I have written on feedback (See the Foundations of Feedback series a few years ago), you will want to make sure that it is focused, that there is an appropriate amount of time (free from distractions) to have the conversation, and that you have a chance to circle back and follow-up on this.

What feedback conversations are important to have with your team?

Have a great week,
Jennifer