Teams365 Blog - Potentials Realized

#TEAMS365 #2028 – Weekly Journaling Prompt 59

7/20/2019

This week’s Weekly Journaling Prompt gets you to write around the prompt of “I appreciate….”

Appreciations can range from:

Taking stock about the things that are working can be important
Saying thank you to others in your work of life on a regular basis
Making a practice of taking stock at the end of the day three things you are grateful for. This exercise which comes from positive psychology has been shown to have positive impact.

Here’s an article you might want to explore from Forbes entitled: 10 Reasons You Need To Show Appreciation Daily By David Sturt and Todd Nordstrom

What are you going to do to focus on appreciation this week?

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.

#TEAMS365 #2026 – Team Building Tip 245

7/18/2019

This week’s Team Building Tip gets you thinking about the questions “What questions do you need to ask?”. This is a valuable way to expand our thinking and get out of the rut of how we might be looking at things.

As you go about thinking of your most important questions, ask yourself the 5 W's + H.

Who?
What?
Where?
When?
Why?
How?

To expand your thinking this week, consider asking yourself questions along the lines of…

Who is important?
What is the one thing that might work best for you?
What are the elements that could distract/detract?
When do you want to focus more?
Where do you need to look?
What do you need to embrace?
Where do you need to let go?

Best wishes,
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.

#TEAMS365 #2025 - Digital Detox

7/17/2019

As a business owner I am regularly thinking about systems and processes for the business. In structuring the way I work here at Potentials Realized, I’ve been intentional since the start of the business to earmark the summer months for extended periods of work in my remote northern office. Early on in the business this included a series of short long weekends, and now fifteen years later includes a five to six week block of time. I have found that as the pace of business has increased, these blocks of time have become even more important for focus and recharging.

The nice thing about working remote this that it also provides more of an opportunity to undertake some “digital detox”. This involves:

Shorter, and more focused, periods of being online (helped by a much slower connection speed!)
Changing my work schedule so that I check emails at the start of the day and towards the end of a regular workday
Letting people know that for a certain period of the year, I am working even more remote and won’t be as available (this is key for managing expectations)

While some readers might think – I couldn’t do that – I have come to realize that “I simply CANNOT not do this!”. It’s critical for my own productivity and also satisfaction with my work.

What’s going to help you detox digitally?

For more great resources on this do check out Cal Newport’s Digital Minimalism Book. It’s a great read.

Wishing you 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.

#TEAMS365 #2024 – Simplification

7/16/2019

This week’s theme is emerging to be “simplification”. In yesterday’s post I shared several strategies to simplify your virtual conversations.

Simplification is also a useful strategy in a context where disruption, change and distraction is prevalent. The cost of these things on productivity, and cognitive load is high.

Simplification in work can look like a number of things. Consider the work of Jane a project manager. To her simplification might include:

Dedicating blocks of the day (i.e. the first few hours of each day or all day Tuesday) to certain projects and/or tasks
Delegating tasks that are not essential during critical phases of the project
Creating a series of templates for reporting and/or tasks which need reporting regularly
Batching other “unlike” tasks to certain times of the day when she can move quickly from task to task, without feeling like it is getting in the way of deeper work

Other team members might include these items on their list of simplification:

Unsubscribing from lists that are not of interest anymore
Dedicating certain blocks of time to social media
Dedicating a certain day of the week to a focus on certain tasks – i.e. professional development or networking

During times of change, consistency also plays an important role. This can include consistency of message, consistency of touchpoints, and consistency of focus.

Consistency of message can include reinforcing key messages in several channels - so sharing something in a team meeting, then following up a day or two later with an email, and also reinforcing in a 1-1 conversation.

Consistency of touchpoints can involve letting people know that each month you’ll be scheduling a 1-1 with them for 30 minutes. This can help to get people into the regular routine of meeting and noting their key issues of discussion.

Consistency of focus is not always easy to achieve. This might involve helping the team focus in on certain key tasks, while minimizing others until the bigger projects are completed. It could also involve dedicating certain team members to certain projects, and having other team members focus on a different, unrelated task.

What are that things you can do to create more simplification and consistency in your work?

Best wishes,
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.

#TEAMS365 #2017 Focusing On A Creative Project

7/9/2019

A few weeks ago, I shared a post about potential different summer projects you might want to focus on. This is the one time of the year where we may have a bit more space to focus on projects that are “nice to do” rather than “have to do”. What are the summer projects you have in mind?

In determining a possible summer creative project, you might want to focus on these questions:

What’s the one thing you wish you had done/completed, but never have had time for?

As you consider your career, what is the one area you wish you had more experience in, or knowledge of?
As you consider your next step in your career, what is one thing that would help you expand your skills, or deepen them?
What would be a fun project to work on this summer?
What could be a legacy project to leave at your workplace? One of the projects I worked on in my last year of employment was a training guide for new staff who had to run their own training and onboarding programs for teams. Interestingly enough, it became a baseline for some of the work I have done in the last fifteen years of business. I was able to dedicate a little bit of time every week on that project, which like many things, does add up to something specific, when we are intentional and have a plan (see yesterday’s post around goal setting).

I hope that these questions will be useful as you start to consider what possible projects you could undertake.

The beauty of summer projects is that you likely have 7-8 weeks of work time to complete it. These are rarely projects that can be done in one sitting but are completed over time.

After identifying possible options, take some time breaking it down into more concrete milestones that you can aim for in shorter cycles. Be sure to schedule time in your calendar to work on this. As is commonly asserted “What doesn’t get scheduled, doesn’t get done”. Enjoy!

Enjoy the creative process,
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.

#TEAMS365 #2015 - Weekly Round Up

7/7/2019

It’s Sunday, and part of simplifying this summer means that I am pointing back to weekly posts on Friday. Whether it’s here at the Teams365 blog, or at my other feeds including PlanDoTrack.com, this month I will be doing a weekly round-up of posts.

Be sure to check out the following from this week:

Last Sunday June 30 – Month End Reflection and Quarterly Planning Questions.
Monday July 1st – Effective Virtual Conversations Tip #100 – Celebrating a Milestone
Tuesday July 2nd – A kick off to July, highlight our themes this month
Wednesday July 3rd – Simplification in Business
Thursday July 4th – Team Building Tip 243
Friday July 5th - FlashBack Friday: Developing Your Team Through Mentoring, Coaching and Leadership
Saturday July 6th – Weekly Journaling Prompt: The One Thing I Want To Complete By Year End

Wishing you 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.

#TEAMS365 #2012 - Team Building Tip 243

7/4/2019

Achieving greatness is not always about doing more, it can be about focus. This week’s Team Building Tip gets you to consider the question “What would be possible if you had more focus?”.

Some of the tangential questions to consider this month are:

What does focus mean for you?
What can focus look like?
What do you need to let go of or say NO to in order to focus?
What’s important about creating more focus in your work?

As Bruce Lee wrote, ““It’s not the daily increase but daily decrease. Hack away at the unessential.”

Enjoy!
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.

#TEAMS365 #2011 - Simplification

7/3/2019

As many of us step into some holiday time, today’s post gets you to think about simplification. Simpler does not always mean simple. In business, simplification can help with focus, clarity and standing out.

In marketing, simplification may mean smaller chunks, more focused messaging. Consistently on a channel.

In service offerings, simplification may mean one thing instead of three.
In systems, simplification might mean streamlining.

In content creation, simplification may mean repurposing and repackaging what you already have, rather than focusing on creating something new.

Around habits and work style, simplification may mean letting something go, or doing something less frequently.

What does simplification mean for you? What would be beneficial about simplifying right now in your work?

Best wishes,
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.

#TEAMS365 #2010 - Renewal

7/2/2019

Welcome to the month of July! This month is about simplification, and reconnecting to renewal and well being. As we know from high performance research, great teams and leaders need renewal in order to go hard.

With this in mind, this month’s posts are going to focus on items such as:

Digital Detox
Work-life
Focus
Simplification
Habits
Creativity

This month I work from my northern office. I crave these six or seven weeks a year where I get to work really remote. I practice many of the topics we are going to touch on today – from simplification, to digital detox. While I work most days, I’m off the line by 1 or 2 in the afternoon, creating space and a pause to reconnect with my creative passions, and renewing after a busy year. The digital detox is the part I enjoy the most - checking email strategically throughout the week. The most challenging part of it is managing other's expectations. I've found that clearly communicating to clients my "offline" summer availability has made it a realistic way of working - and many of them opt to pick up the phone rather than shoot off multiple emails.

What do you do at this time of year to renew?

Enjoy!
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.

#TEAMS365 #2008 Month End Reflection

6/30/2019

As we step into the end of the month, we’ve had a number of core focus areas here at the blog -Mid-Year Stock Taking. A reminder to check out these posts if you haven’t done so already:

Team Tune Up
Systems Check
Feedback and Performance Check
Coaching and Mentoring
Presentations
Navigating Disruption
Downshifting and Renewal

I’m going to save my anticipated post on Knowledge Management – Capturing Successes and Strategic Issues for this coming week.

Given that it’s the end of the month and the quarter, let’s take a look at some core questions:

What were my major achievements this month?
What do I want to celebrate?
As I consider my goals (and resolutions) I made at the start of the year, how am I doing with these on a scale of 1-10? Which ones are becoming new habits or something I can check off?
Which ones need to be let go of?
As a leader, what have I noticed about my team this month?
As a leader, what notes should I make about performance issues (if I haven't done it already!)
The thing that has helped me be most productive this month has been ______
The thing that has helped me be most successful this month has been ______
The thing that has helped me be happiest this month has been ________
The thing that has helped me be most healthy has been _______

Quarterly Review Questions:

My major achievements this quarter have been _________
Key projects/tasks I started/completed/will continue…
Critical success factors were:
Key relationships I leaned into were:
What I need to carry forward to the next quarter is…
One thing I want to continue doing to ensure my success next quarter is…

Be sure to also take a look at the Quarterly Review Questions I posted at the end of March 2019. These can be used as Q2 reflections as well.

Looking ahead to July:
My priorities are:
My goals are:
I want to......
I'll be really happy at the end of summer when I.....

Enjoy your reflections and the wrap up of the month!

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.