Teams365 Blog - Potentials Realized

#TEAMS365 # 1885 – Virtual Team Practices

2/27/2019

Today’s post is around Virtual Team Tools. In January I hosted a call for the Effective Virtual Conversations book on 5 Virtual Team Builders. What are the things you are doing to build your virtual team? What are the things you want to focus on as a team? Be sure to take some time focusing on virtual team development.

As I wrote in yesterday’s post – Teams365 #1884 -having an intentional focus on virtual team development can be important for virtual and remote teams who are less apt to have a focus on team development.

Some examples of virtual team practices are:

Weekly coffee breaks which the entire team attend. You could incorporate one of the weekly Thursday Team Building Tip Questions I share to spark dialogue across the team. View them here.
Virtual Co-working times – for example, quarterly I host a Virtual Get Things Done afternoon. People are invited to bring their list of things to do and join us for a 4-hour co-working block. We meet at the top of every hour to check in. Benefiting from peer accountability and a focused support, hourly check ins also serve to keep the focus and push people through work which might not be as focused.
Structured team meetings to build connection and focus on work.

What other types of virtual team practices will support the team in maintaining and building relationships, keeping the team moving, and getting things done?

Best,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Author of Effective Virtual Conversations (2017), PlanDoTrack Workbook and Planner for Virtual and Remote Team Leaders (2019)
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Retreats
Connect on Instagram @CoachingBizBuilder
Follow us on Twitter @Teams365
Phone: (416)996-8326

#TEAMS365 #1883: Effective Virtual Conversation Space #83

2/25/2019

This week’s Effective Virtual Conversation tip gets you thinking about the statement “Virtual teams need attention too”. It is often thought that “out of sight = out of mind”. Virtual teams receive a lot less attention and focus than intact, face to face teams. A 2016 study by Culture Wizard (insert link) found that approximately 22-23% of virtual and remote teams surveyed actually benefited from virtual team support.

Virtual teams need just as much attention, and perhaps even more focused space for dialogue and greating shared agreements and norms. Discussion around “how we do things” ensures consistency across a team, and a focus on what’s important.

What are the conversations important for the team to have? What things need to be clarified or agreed upon?

Best wishes,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Retreats.
Follow us on Twitter @Teams365
Phone: (416)996-8326

#TEAMS365 #1733 - Weekly Journaling prompt #17

9/29/2018

This week’s weekly journaling prompt is “The relationships which are important are…."

“Relationships are the currency of business” They are the vehicle through which we get things done. It can be valuable to consider :

Which relationships have you developed in the last 3-6 months?
What relationships would help you get the results you need?
What relationships need attention?
Who is missing in your network?
Who have you not connected with in a while, and might benefit from being in connection with?

Best wishes,
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 several books including the 2018 Coaching Business Builder Workbook and Planner & Effective Virtual Conversations (2017)
Email: info@potentialsrealized.com
(416)996-8326

#Teams365 #1538: Teams365 Video:

3/18/2018

This week's Teams365 Video explores the Forming Stage of any team and group development process. Whether I am working with groups or teams virtually or in person, I continue to see how Bruce Tuckman's model of Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing and Adjourning plays out in teams which exist for special projects or groups that are together for extended periods.

In today's Teams365 Sunday video we explore the first stage of Tuckman's model - the FORMING Stage. In this first stage of group or team development, members are looking to connect with others, learn more about what lies ahead, and are eager to start developing trust. Without trust and connection, it's unlikely that a group or team will move beyond the next stage of group development which is commonly referred to as the storming stage.

Throughout this month here at the Teams365 blog, we are exploring different ways that teams and leaders can expand their connection. Do take a look at the different posts I have shared, and stay tuned for more in the last half of this month.

Leave a comment. What are you doing to build trust and connection, or support your team/group through the forming stage.

Best wishes,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton - Host of the Teams365 Blog
Potentials Realized - Leadership and Teamwork Issues
Group Coaching Essentials.com our site dedicated to Coaching Skills Training for Leaders and Team and Coaching Skills Training for Coaches (ICF CCE approved)
Author of Effective Virtual Conversations - Available at Amazon
Contact us to discuss how we can support your team, leaders, or coaches in having better conversations for different results

#Teams365 #1081: Team Development Activity: L is for Lifecycle

12/16/2016

Today we are at L in our a-z of team development activities. L stands for lifecycle and as teamworkers it is important to recognize and support teams where they are at. Decades ago, Bruce Tuckman evolved a five stage proess of team development (originally 4 stages) starting with Forming when teams come together, moving to Storming as they start to figure out who they are collectively, and moving into norming as they figure our their roles and how they want to operate. Eventually teams get to "perform" where they get their movement, and sometimes teams will adjourn when they disband.

Listen in as I share a short 5 minute video walking you through the different stages of team development, including some quick ideas of things you can do with teams at each stage. For more on this, please refer to chapter 8 of my book, From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching.

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
(416)996-TEAM (8326)

#Teams365 #266: Article: Team Building Tips

9/23/2014

Today's post is a link to an article I wrote several years ago on Team Building Tips: Take Your Team from Great to Extraordinary. In it I cover 10 tips and focus areas team leaders can have dialogue with their team around.

Click here to read the article online. You can also download a copy of it here.

As you read through these ten ideas, which ones have you completed already? Which ones do you need to put some attention around?

Team development is one of the tasks many new team leaders feel uncomfortable with. Armed with questions and a few facilitation techniques, new team leaders can confidently open up the dialogue with their team.

We have three upcoming opportunities for you to develop some strength and skills in this area:
1. The Teams365 Stepping Into Your Leadership Capacity module which explores your strengths and style as a leader. It's also the first of the Teams365 series of virtual learning modules, geared to equip you with new skills, tools and insights. Our next public session will start on Friday October 3rd at 12 noon ET, running for 6 weeks. Calls are one hour each. Learn more about the program here.

2. The Facilitation Skills Intensive which will be delivered online on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 -8 pm Eastern/New York for 10 weeks starting on October 8 and running to December 10th. This is a virtual train-the-trainer program and will be of interest for those who may need to facilitate group and learning interventions virtually. You also benefit from not having to travel to participate.

3. The Group and Team Coaching Intensive - Geared for those leaders who may be playing more of a coaching role within their organization, I will be holding a two day in person training program in Toronto, CANADA on Group and Team Coaching. This program will run November 1-2, and is approved by the International Coach Federation for 15 hours of CCEs. Click here for more information. Early bird rate ends September 30th and spaces are limited.

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized - Leadership | Teamwork | Coaching Skills Training for Leaders
Supporting Team Leaders One Conversation at a Time(TM)
Contact us to learn more about our team retreat services or the Everything DiSC
(416)996-8326

#Teams 365 #189: Four Ways to Build Connection in the Team

7/8/2014

Four Ways to Create Connection within your team:

Trust is a foundation for successful teams. In order to trust each other, people need to know each other within a team. Today's blog post includes four quick activities you can use to create connection within your team. You may want to bring one of these into an upcoming team meeting, or use at an annual retreat session.

1. On a rotational basis have each team member provide a short (and informal) presentation about their work/role, priorities and what connections they see between their work and others on the team. This might only take 10-15 minutes of the meeting, and can be invaluable in helping each team member get to know each other, as well as understand the myriad of priorities which exist on the team.

2. Use a visual deck and have each team member select a photo of what their vision is for either their work or the team. Use the same question for each team member. Enabling people to choose from photos often makes the sharing feel less risky than leaving the question hanging wide open. CoachingToys.com has a variety of decks to choose from. I've also spotlighted the Conversation Sparker Deck we have created which includes both photos and questions team leaders can select from.

3. Ask each team member to share one thing about their past experience that they are really proud of. We know that allowing people to lead from strengths boosts productivity and also positivity within a team. Another way to phrase this question is "What is one strength you bring to the team?" See past Teams365 posts on strengths here.

4. Have people create a logo which represents what they uniquely bring to the team. I call this the personal logo activity and expand on it in my book Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010).

This month bring consider bringing in one of these activities to your regular meetings. What's the impact for team members - in the short term? Longer-term?

Have a great week,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized
Authorized Partner of the Everything DiSC and Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team
Leadership | Teamwork | Retreats | Coaching Skills Training
(416)996-8326
Starting Soon - Teams365 Coaching Groups - new groups starting in August and September

Facilitation Skills Intensive/Train the Trainer - Toronto: June 2-3

5/13/2014

One of the themes and skills we have explored for team leadership is the ability to facilitate groups, teams and meetings.

I wanted to let you know of a two-day in person train-the-trainer I will be holding in Downtown Toronto in a couple of weeks on Monday June 2 and Tuesday June 3rd - the Facilitation Skills Intensive.

This is a two day program where we explore and practice group facilitation skills, including how adults learn, how to open and close training/presentations/meetings, how groups develop and working with a wide variety of participants, including those that are difficult. We will also be exploring some of the logistics of creating powerful learning experiences (media use, room set up) as well as tips for virtual facilitation.

You will also have several opportunities to practice over the course of the two days, and receive feedback on your skills. This program is suited for those that need to facilitate meetings, trainings, presentations and other events such as strategic planning.

We are still accepting registrations for this program which will be of interest to learning professionals, team leaders and those that work with teams and groups. Registration includes the two days of

You can learn more about the program, and register at FacilitationSkillsIntensive.com. I hope that you will join me!

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)
Contact us to find out how we can support you and your team in getting your best results through coaching, training or a retreat program
(416)996-TEAM (8326)

Teams 365 #74: The Adjourning Stage

3/15/2014

There will come a time when teams disband, whether it is because a project finishes, or whether team members change.

As much as possible it is important to pause and provide an opportunity to celebrate and acknowledge successes. For team members and leaders staying together, a dialogue of what has been working and what needs a change is useful, to reorient for new team members coming in.

As you move through closure with teams also focus on lessons learned, and make sure this information is documented and shared with relevant parties, so that the same issues do not re-emerge.

What is important for you to remember or keep in mind about the adjourning or closure stage?

How will you celebrate your successes? How will you capture your lessons learned and carry these forward?

Have a great weekend,
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 enhancing your collaboration through coaching, training or a retreat program

#Teams 365 #72: The Norming Stage of Teams

3/13/2014

The third stage of team development is the norming stage. During this stage team members are finally figuring out the different roles which will lead to success for the team, and also how they want to operate.

As a team leader it is important to facilitate the conversation regularly about roles needed within the team, especially as context changes. Continued conversation about expectations (shared expectations) and roles is critical. Note that teams can regress and slip back to the storming stage throughout this dialogue.

What do you notice about norming in your team? What will support the team the most?

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 enhancing your collaboration through coaching, training or a retreat program