​It’s that time where we start rolling into year end conversations, holding one on ones (coaching conversations) individually and with the team.
As we move into the end of the year, it is invaluable to schedule some one on one time with each team member. Today’s post includes a selection of 18 questions you might include in those conversations (pick and choose as appropriate). Great year end conversations help to create a pause to reflect achievements, synthesize learning and look ahead to the future.
You may want to incorporate these questions into your conversation:

1. What are the key achievements you have been most proud of this year?
2. What projects worked well?
3. Which projects didn’t go so well?
4. What was your learning there?
5. What connections/relationships have been most valuable this year?
6. Which relationships need attention next year?
7. What’s been your biggest learning this year? What experiences provided that?
8. What has worked well with the team this year? What hasn’t?
9. What feedback do you have for me as the leader? (What’s worked and what hasn’t)
10. What’s one suggestion for how we could do things differently as a team next year?

Looking ahead to next year:

1. What are you excited about?
2. What habits do you want to cultivate or lean into?
3. What do you want to do to keep growing your skills?
4. By December 31, 2019 what do you hope you will have achieved? OR by January 1, 2020, what do you hope you will have achieved? (Notice the impact of the difference one day makes!  Yes, we are wrapping up a decade next year)
5. What are your top 3 priorities next year?
6. What feedback and support are you looking for?
7. What would be useful in terms of our 1-1 time?
8. What else is going to help you do your best work?

What else do you like to ask at this time of the year? Please let us know by sharing in the comments below.

Best wishes,
Jennifer

​As part of our wind down for the year, I wanted to post several very practical and tactical resource posts. Posts around books, apps and other resources  I have seen teams and leaders leaning into this year.
As a writer and avid reader, I am starting first with books as I am usually on the search at the library and bookstore for different offerings. Here are ten that I’ve found myself recommending a lot!
Emotional Intelligence – The EQ Leader – Howard Stern. Emotional Intelligence continues with its popularity for good reason. These are the skills we need to succeed in an ever changing world – relationship building, self-management, understanding others and ourselves. Earlier this year I picked up  a copy of the EQ Leader and have found it an invaluable read.
The Coaching Habit – Michael Bungay Stanier – I love the way Michael’s book breaks down coaching into bite sized pieces for professionals of all kinds. A definite great read!
Thanks for the Feedback – Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen – Feedback seems to be an ongoing thorn for leaders, teams and anyone who is in relationship with others (i.e. ALL OF US!). This is a great book which gets you thinking about what feedback can look and sound like.
For those that do like to plan – take a look at the Bullet Journal  - Ryder Carroll.  I’ve been a convert of the Bujo  (short form for Bullet Journal) Movement for several years now, finding that the blank planning spaces create a pause in my otherwise busy day. While I use a variety of different planning resources including my own upcoming Plan.Do.Track, I always have my trust Bullet Journal nearby which houses some of the Meta Learning and Themes of the Year.
Amy Edmondson –  Extreme Teaming. I’ve continued to recommend the writing and research of Amy Edmondson for many reasons to teams this year. Her research has focused on both the notion of psychological safety, as well as the concept of teaming, which captures the active evolution of teams today. Any of Amy’s books are a great read and an important primer for teams in understanding what she calls the 4 pillars of teaming – Speaking up, Collaboration, Experimentation and Reflection.
What are the books you have been recommending to others this year?

Best wishes,
Jennifer

As we step into November the wave of year-end activities, celebrations and push may be rearing it’s head. Today’s post is a reminder of five key things to get in your team calendar for 2019 right now. As we’ve explored here at the Teams365 blog over the last 5 years, certain skills are critical for success – teamwork skills, coaching, difficult conversations, team development and reflection time.
Five different things you may want to get into your calendars right now for the next year are:
 
Team meetings – Whether the entire team, or some of the team, attends, spending time on a regular basis to plan, and update, is key for alignment, communication and noticing what’s working and what’s not. Even if the team is remote, team meetings do need to happen on a regular basis.
For further ideas on team meetings, check out the post on 8 Questions to be asking before any team meeting.
 
Team development – Regular team development meetings are critical – not just for
 
Feedback conversations – Once a year performance reviews are being replaced in many organizations with ongoing feedback conversations. With this shift, it’s common for organizations to be experiencing:

1. A sense on the part of the leader that coaching and feedback conversations are happening more frequently than they really are. Block in time to your schedule for these key 1-1s, being clear on whether you are coaching or providing feedback.

2. Feedback and coaching are often getting blended together under the same umbrella. These are actually two separate activities and the danger of them being lumped together is that the staff member may not know what type of conversation they are part of.  Regardless off whether performance is good or not, it’s key to indicate when a performance conversation is a performance conversation. If changes are needed, this should be clear and non-negotiable.

On the other hand, coaching is voluntary initiative. The person being coached is the one “at choice” in terms of what they want to do. Coaching is about encouraging change. If a leader wants to prescribe change for the employee, coaching is not the right modality. That’s telling!

​Like other activities, it is important to get key 1-1 time and conversations into your calendar. What have you noticed about what’s worked in terms of time, availability and openness to these types of activities? Block out some time right now.

3. Mentoring – Mentoring is beneficial to us at all stages of our development. Having a variety of formal and informal mentoring relationships is key to ongoing career progression. Whether we are mentoring or being mentored, it’s common for both parties to benefit from a balanced mentoring relationship. Have you scheduled mentoring into your calendar for 2019?

4. Team development – Beyond team meetings, we all benefit from formal and informal team development opportunities. Some research, including the 2016 Culture Wizard Survey, found that only 22% of virtual and remote teams benefited from team development. What are the activities you have scheduled for 2019?  

5. Skill Development and ongoing learning – Whether we are a leader, or a team member, ongoing learning and skill development opportunities are key to keeping us equipped for the ongoing landscape of work. As I explored in Effective Virtual Conversations, the Virtual Learning Ecosystem today is vast. From attending MOOCS (Massive Online Open Courses) at Universities for Credit, to micro-learning modules, from webinars, to virtual team development, skills development and ongoing learning can take many forms.  
​
As a team have you discussed what skill development and ongoing learning each team member wants to undertake in the next year?
What doesn’t get scheduled, doesn’t get done. Be sure to block dedicated time in your calendar for these five activities during 2019.
​
Best wishes,
Jennifer

As we step into October, the first teamwork skill which is essential for today’s context is “Trust”. Trust is like oxygen. Without it, you are not able to do anything.
 
Over the past few years here at the Teams365 blog I have shared a number of posts around trust including one cartoon developed for us by Steven Ravensfeller on the Duality of Trust. Let’s take a look at it again - you'll see it in today's post. What do you notice about the skills and behaviors which show up on either side of the body? What is the flipside of trust/distrust?

​In his book, The Speed of Trust, Steven Covey writes that trust is like a bank account. You can put in resources, and quickly deplete them.
Trust is like a web across a team. When one link is broken or weakened it can have the effect of weakening the entire system.

What are the things you are doing as a team to build trust? Are you following through? Providing feedback? Creating Expectations? Building regular communication channels? Adjusting things for each person’s style?
At the same time we can be cultivating an environment of low trust. What is the state of feedback? Transparency? Follow through? Expectations?
What items could benefit from having more attention around right now?

Best wishes, 
Jennifer

​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