Teams365 Blog - POTENTIALS REALIZED

TEAMS365 #2336 – Weekly Journaling Prompt #100

5/23/2020

We made it to milestone Weekly Journaling Prompt #100. It’s simply PAUSE.

I hope that you enjoy this week’s prompt and that it provides you some time to SAVOUR!

If you want, you may want to take a look back at all the entries you’ve written in sets of 10 perhaps. Note what the themes are and how they arc together.

Enjoy your time to PAUSE and relax!

Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders | Remote Pathways Podcast
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Everything DiSC
Phone (416)996-8326

Get your Q2 planning on with the PlanDoTrack Workbook and Planner or Coaching Business Builder

Looking to enhance your virtual conversations? Webinars? Pick up a copy of Effective Virtual Conversations at Amazon, or join me for the Virtual Facilitation Essentials program

Contact us to discuss how we can support you and your teams and organization with remote work.

Check out upcoming virtual programs on our calendar

PDF copies of PlanDoTrack now available! Get yours here.

TEAMS365 #2334 - Team Building Tip 245: What’s the question you want to ask?

5/21/2020

This week’s Team Building Tip gets you to think about the question – What questions do you need to ask? Thinking about the current opportunities and/or challenges right now, what will help you explore this in a different light? You may want to generate some new questions by asking new questions which will help you as a team:

Expand your thinking?
Create some new options?
Develop new possibilities?
Challenge the assumptions you are making?
Uncover something new?
Help you consider what you have not thought of yet?
Look at it from a different perspective?
Explore a deeper level of the challenge?
Look at it from the opposite angle?
Reverse engineer it?

What other type of questions might you explore?

Enjoy the conversation!
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders | Remote Pathways Podcast
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Everything DiSC
Phone (416)996-8326

Get your Q2 planning on with the PlanDoTrack Workbook and Planner or Coaching Business Builder

Looking to enhance your virtual conversations? Webinars? Pick up a copy of Effective Virtual Conversations at Amazon, or join me for the Virtual Facilitation Essentials program

Contact us to discuss how we can support you and your teams and organization with remote work.

Check out upcoming virtual programs on our calendar

PDF copies of PlanDoTrack now available! Get yours here.

TEAMS365 #2331 - Effective Virtual Conversations Tip 145

5/18/2020

We’re going back in time for this week’s Effective Virtual Conversation Tip. We’re winding back the clock and looking at EVC Tip #45. In Effective Virtual Conversations tip I was exploring 10 different pitfalls we can face with virtual conversations including #8 which focused on low ENERGY!

I’m sure this may have been something you have experienced recently.

Here’s what I wrote about approaching low energy back a few years ago:

Pitfall #8 of the ten pitfalls I share is one of “low energy”. This is a common one that can be experienced in virtual conversations of all kinds. Whether it is because we are on a platform that does not allow us to stream and see each other, or whether it’s because of the time of day we are calling in, or the topic we are exploring, there are a variety of reasons we can experience “low energy” in the virtual space.

The downside of low energy is that it leads to disengagement, disconnection, lack of focus, and an ineffective use of time.

Here’s what I wrote about pitfall #8 – low energy – in my book, Effective Virtual Conversations:

Pitfall #8 – Low Energy
Virtual programs can be challenging for new facilitators in terms of the energy and feedback you receive.

Solution: If you are using a phone-based system only, other than enabling people to raise their hands in response or signal their agreement on their keypad, it may feel like you are talking into a black hole. Your energy is imperative in keeping the flow going. Remember that it is critical to engage your group members every 5-7 minutes. Without involvement and engagement, it is challenging for anyone to continue to focus, let alone participate.

Flash forward to today and 2020 – here are three things that I’ve been doing to ensure we don’t have low energy for long:

#1 Send people to breakouts. Smaller paired or triad discussion is a great way to get energy flowing again. When we get to talk about the topics and issues which are important to us, they are an immediate activator.

#2 Invitation to participate in a stretch or mindfulness exercise to generate some new energy.

#3 Inclusion in a warm up exercise or energizer like – "What’s outside your window?", or an A-Z scavenger hunt in your immediate surroundings (gather up an item from each of the alphabet).

What else might boost some energy for your next call?

Enjoy!
jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders | Remote Pathways Podcast
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Everything DiSC
Phone (416)996-8326

Get your Q2 planning on with the PlanDoTrack Workbook and Planner or Coaching Business Builder

Looking to enhance your virtual conversations? Webinars? Pick up a copy of Effective Virtual Conversations at Amazon, or join me for the Virtual Facilitation Essentials program

Contact us to discuss how we can support you and your teams and organization with remote work.

Check out upcoming virtual programs on our calendar

PDF copies of PlanDoTrack now available! Get yours here.

TEAMS365 #2329 – Weekly Journaling Prompt 99

5/16/2020

“The reading of all good books is like conversation with the finest (people) of the past centuries.” – Descartes

Welcome back to another Weekly Journaling Prompt. This week’s post is all about getting you to think about your favorite saying, book or song. When was the last time you took a look at that book, or listened to that music?

Spending time enjoying the things we love can be an important part of life, especially if we are more isolated, or needing to remain at home. What are the things you haven’t picked up in a while?

As you think about that work of art, what’s important? What is the message behind it? How do you integrate it into your work and life?

I hope that you find these weekly Journaling Prompts useful to explore. Given that we are almost at #100, if you have been taking notes as we go, what do you notice about some of the themes which have emerged? Over time? Over the last few months? I hope that you will grab 15 to 30 minutes today to review your journaling notes and see what you have captured.

Enjoy your reflections and have a great Saturday,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders | Remote Pathways Podcast
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Everything DiSC
Phone (416)996-8326

Get your Q2 planning on with the PlanDoTrack Workbook and Planner or Coaching Business Builder

Looking to enhance your virtual conversations? Webinars? Pick up a copy of Effective Virtual Conversations at Amazon, or join me for the Virtual Facilitation Essentials program

Contact us to discuss how we can support you and your teams and organization with remote work.

Check out upcoming virtual programs on our calendar

PDF copies of PlanDoTrack now available! Get yours here.

TEAMS365 #2322 – Weekly Journaling Prompt 98: What’s Your Mantra?

5/9/2020

This week’s Weekly Journaling Prompt is MY MANTRA is….

What are the words you live, and work by?

Starting early in my career, when I was based in South America and the Caribbean, I found myself embracing the notion of a Mantra as both a leader and an individual.

While my leadership mantra was often “embrace the chaos” (in other words, don’t try to fight the effects of crisis, fluctuation and crisis, but roll with it and use the energy more proactively to see patterns, and options). I also held another mantra of “I’m only one person, I can only do so much”. This was an important acknowledgement and reminder or myself that as a leader I NEEDED to lean into my team, and the people around me to effect change and make a difference. I still return to these on a regular basis (and probably could benefit from revisiting more regularly), especially as a business owner.

My personal mantra during those years was often “Carpe Diem” or “Seize the Day”. This was really important as my life abroad was very dynamic, and I never really knew where they next day would take me. My work took me regularly to the highs and lows of life and living.

Both of these mantras were something I reminded myself of often and were visible in different ways – from a Carpe Diem token on my table to a photo one of my mentors had given me signifying what reminded me of “embrace the chaos”.

In this week’s journaling, you are invited to consider what your mantra or mantras are.

What are they?

How do they shape what you do? Where you put attention? What you choose to invest your time, focus and energy around?

How can these be enshrined or made more visible?

Enjoy your journaling!
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders | Remote Pathways Podcast
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Everything DiSC
Phone (416)996-8326

Get your Q2 planning on with the PlanDoTrack Workbook and Planner or Coaching Business Builder

Looking to enhance your virtual conversations? Webinars? Pick up a copy of Effective Virtual Conversations at Amazon, or join me for the Virtual Facilitation Essentials program

Contact us to discuss how we can support you and your teams and organization with remote work.

Check out upcoming virtual programs on our calendar

PDF copies of PlanDoTrack now available! Get yours here.

TEAMS365 #2319 – Remote Team Builder: Vision Mapping

5/6/2020

While some people are starting to go back to work face to face, many of us are still working in the remote space for a while longer. Today’s post shares with you one quick remote team builder. We know that teams excel when they have a clear focus on what results are needed, as well as who they are (their relationships).

One of the elements which is critical for success is that of having a clear vision that everyone can connect to, and keep in mind. Your vision as a team may be like a horizon – pulling you forward and getting more in focus the closer you get to it. For some teams it may be important to focus on creating a vision to the end of the year, for others, to the end of 2021.

So, what can we do to create this?

At your next team meeting, dedicate 15-20 minutes to working around vision. This may be the start of a multi-session conversation.

Make a whiteboard available and be sure to set annotation as “on” with your platform.

You might start by asking people to consider the current corporate goals and direction to do a series of sharing and writing around different questions such as:

Looking ahead to end of 2020 (or 2021), what are we known for? (think accomplishments)
Who have we served?
What have been our greatest accomplishments?
What’s important to us?
What are the things we do not waver on?
What do we go to bat for? (i.e. address until it’s right)
What else makes us unique?

To spark some ideas, you might even show some photographs and get people to choose from them. Today’s graphic incorporates an activity I recently shared at one of our Remote Pathways calls.

Doing an activity like this will also clarify your culture as a team. I like to define culture as WHO WE ARE and HOW WE DO THINGS.

Save screenshots of the different questions as you go so you have something to refer back to and bring forward to your next conversation.

Enjoy the conversations!
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders | Remote Pathways Podcast
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Everything DiSC
Phone (416)996-8326

Get your Q2 planning on with the PlanDoTrack Workbook and Planner or Coaching Business Builder

Looking to enhance your virtual conversations? Webinars? Pick up a copy of Effective Virtual Conversations at Amazon, or join me for the Virtual Facilitation Essentials program

Contact us to discuss how we can support you and your teams and organization with remote work.

Check out upcoming virtual programs on our calendar

PDF copies of PlanDoTrack now available! Get yours here.

TEAMS365 #2313 –Team Building Tip 242

4/30/2020

The last month has been full of disruption for most of us around the world. It may be at moments like this that we need to activate our metaphorical “jet fuel” to move us to the next place.

It’s been commonplace for organizations, teams and businesses to be stuck, shut and simply out of gas this month. Coronavirus has impacted everyone.

Next steps for many after this passes may look very different than what you expected and had envisioned earlier this year. Is it time to revisit your vision and think about what you want to create? What if you had some "jet fuel" to move you into the next stratosphere? What if…?

If you are interested in making a shift, today’s question of “What could jettison you forward?” might be of interest to explore and consider.

Enjoy your conversation,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders | Remote Pathways Podcast
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Everything DiSC
Phone (416)996-8326

Get your Q2 planning on with the PlanDoTrack Workbook and Planner or Coaching Business Builder

Looking to enhance your virtual conversations? Webinars? Pick up a copy of Effective Virtual Conversations at Amazon, or join me for the Virtual Facilitation Essentials program

Contact us to discuss how we can support you and your teams and organization with remote work.

Check out upcoming virtual programs on our calendar

PDF copies of PlanDoTrack now available! Get yours here.

TEAMS365 #2309 Weekly Review

4/26/2020

Welcome back to our weekly reflection. This week I tackled a couple of areas key to the current moment.

Monday’s Focus on the Effective Virtual Conversations Tip around using the IS/IS NOT tool to clarify
Tuesday’s Remote Enablers – the 7 Cs from my Remote Working Whitepaper. Be sure to pick up a copy of the whitepaper here
How to Keep Conversations Going Virtually on Wednesday
Thursday’s Team Building Question around What Haven’t You Mastered Yet?
Friday’s Flashback Friday – Questions to Open up the Conversation
And Saturday’s dipping into five of my favorite posts -what are yours?

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders | Remote Pathways Podcast
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Everything DiSC
Phone (416)996-8326

Get your Q2 planning on with the PlanDoTrack Workbook and Planner or Coaching Business Builder

Looking to enhance your virtual conversations? Webinars? Pick up a copy of Effective Virtual Conversations at Amazon, or join me for the Virtual Facilitation Essentials program

Contact us to discuss how we can support you and your teams and organization with remote work.

Check out upcoming virtual programs on our calendar

PDF copies of PlanDoTrack now available! Get yours here.

TEAMS365 #2308 Weekly Journaling Prompt 96

4/25/2020

We’re into week 96 of the Weekly Journaling Prompts here at the Teams365 blog. I’m curious, what have you learned about yourself as you’ve been moving through these?

If you have been following for a while, now may be the time to reflect back on all that you have written. What’s important for you to note?

Some of my favorite prompts have been:

Enjoy the reflection!
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders | Remote Pathways Podcast
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Everything DiSC
Phone (416)996-8326

Get your Q2 planning on with the PlanDoTrack Workbook and Planner or Coaching Business Builder

Looking to enhance your virtual conversations? Webinars? Pick up a copy of Effective Virtual Conversations at Amazon, or join me for the Virtual Facilitation Essentials program

Contact us to discuss how we can support you and your teams and organization with remote work.

Check out upcoming virtual programs on our calendar

PDF copies of PlanDoTrack now available! Get yours here.

TEAM365 #2301 Weekly Journaling Prompt 95

4/18/2020

The era of social distancing and stay at home has impacted the way we interact with each other. To some, it’s created a strong sense of isolation. For others, it’s become an opportunity to reach out and reconnect with not only loved ones but friends we may have lost touch with.

This week’s Weekly Journaling Prompt gets you thinking about your most important relationships. Have you taken time to let them know how much you appreciate them? Why you appreciate them?

Have you also thought about how else you want to foster new connections?

Enjoy your journaling!
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders | Remote Pathways Podcast
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Everything DiSC
Phone (416)996-8326

Get your Q2 planning on with the PlanDoTrack Workbook and Planner or Coaching Business Builder

Looking to enhance your virtual conversations? Webinars? Pick up a copy of Effective Virtual Conversations at Amazon, or join me for the Virtual Facilitation Essentials program

Contact us to discuss how we can support you and your teams and organization with remote work.

Check out upcoming virtual programs on our calendar

PDF copies of PlanDoTrack now available! Get yours here.