As we move into 2020, it’s easy to get swept up into the “doing” of work right away. Before the year gets further ahead, take a few minutes to be sure that you get these items scheduled in…

#1 – Team Meetings – Make them consistent and regular. It’s likely that you won’t be able to have everyone at the table (or the screen). Make sure that you create shared team agreements of what team members need to do if they are not present for meetings.

#2 – Meetings with Your Boss – Have you scheduled in time with your direct line manager? Keeping visible and being in regular communication is essential in today’s workplace. Corporate priorities can change quickly as can your boss’ priorities. How often are the two of you meeting? What format are you using? What’s important for them to know?

#3 – One-on-ones with The Team – While group and team meetings are great, team members still need some 1-1 time. Be sure to schedule in some time with your team on a regular basis. Are you aiming for monthly 1-1 conversations? Quarterly deeper dives? Daily touchpoints? As a team talk about expectations and make agreements about who is responsible for scheduling and follow up.

#4 – Team Development Time – As I shared in yesterday’s Effective Virtual Conversations tip, team development time is critical and is often overlooked for virtual teams. Teams don’t just excel by osmosis! They need time to get to know each other, clarify how they are operating and focus in on what’s important.

#5 – Strategic Thinking Time — Are you leaving yourself enough time for reflection and thinking? Be sure to leave in enough time for strategic thinking. This can include creating, or revisiting your VISION, MISSION and MANDATE. Taking time to think strategically is important so that you have a clear big picture with a longer-term horizon. With things changing rapidly, the strategic horizon of 1, 3 or 5 years down the road can be invaluable in helping us keep moving, and not getting too set back by the small changes which can feel frenetic.

#6 — Time to Get Things Done — With meetings, communication and email taking a lot of time, what time are you leaving for yourself to get things done? For some professionals, it means coming into the office early to tackle key tasks for 30-60 minutes before others arrive. For others, it means booking a conference room and closing the door. Notice when you are most productive and when it’s important to get things done.

# 7 – Learning Time – What are your learning and development goals this year? Embracing ongoing learning has never been more important. What are the skills, processes and approaches which are going to help you do your best work? Note that learning can take many forms: including in-person programming, virtual learning as well as on-demand learning. Finally, peer learning (see #9) is another set of approaches.

#8 – Feedback Time – What feedback touchpoints are you building in throughout the year? Feedback in many organizations has moved to an ongoing cycle, and it can be important to make sure that it is happening regularly. Block off time in your schedule to get it done.

#9 – Peer Learning Time/Mentoring Time — What is the peer learning you want to undertake this year? Is it possible to do some job shadowing or pair with a peer partner throughout the year to compare notes, share resources and learn from each other?

In addition to peer learning, what about identifying a mentor in your organization or industry who can share their experience in order to help you understand “what’s below the waterline”?

#10 – Time Within Your Industry or Outside Your Regular Scope of Work — Finally, industry connections are key. Keeping current in your area of work may be as important, or more important, in the medium- and longer-term. What connection into professional associations are going to support you this year?

As you think about this year, what is going to support you best?

Best wishes, 
​Jennifer

This week’s Team Building Tip gets you to think about different pitfalls which might exist in your work. Proactivity and thinking through what you might do to prevent them, or recover, if you don’t prevent them, can save a lot of time and energy.

Here’s a list of some of the common pitfalls I saw this year in the work that I did with leaders and teams:

• Team Pitfalls - Disengagement, people disconnecting because they always feel that they are the ones who have to flex (i.e. being the only team member who has to call in early or late all the time), not sharing information, not collaborating because people don’t know who is who.
• Communication Pitfalls - Messages not being understood as intended, overuse of different technologies, assuming everyone had read the email.
• Leadership Pitfalls - Not being clear in terms of process, message, outcome, not co-creating expectations with the team, not investing in one-on-one time, not being consistent with messages and meetings, not providing direction/information on the big picture and strategic direction, not being clear on how people connect and not providing time for the team to meet.
• Technology Pitfalls - Not keeping things simple in the virtual space, getting thrown off by tech challenges, not running through the technology before the conversation, not taking time to prepare, trying to fit too much in and not keeping it simple.
• Meeting Pitfalls – Not having an agenda, not getting input around the agenda, not rotating facilitation of it, not following up on accountabilities, not being consistent with meeting, not being clear on purpose of meetings.

What other pitfalls have you experienced this year?

Best wishes, 
Jennifer

​Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders | Remote Pathways Podcast
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Writing 
Phone (416)996-8326
 
As we step into the end of the year, get your 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.

With an increasing number of professionals leveraging the power of virtual conversations and meetings, I thought it would be a good idea to include a post this month focusing on five ways you’ll want to jazz up your virtual conversations. Still too often virtual calls are plagued by poor connection, multi-tasking, being “talked at” rather than being engaged in discussion. It’s what I call the Death by Conference call mindset in my 2017 book, Effective Virtual Conversations.

With this in mind, let’s take a look at 5 ways to break the habits of bad conversations:

1. Get everyone on the same platform – We’ve all been there. Too often. In a call where some people are in a room together (physically) with a few outliers who are in the virtual space. The boomerang connection does not mix. Can we either:
   1. Bring everyone onto the same platform by moving the conversation completely into the remote space where everyone has their own window.
   2. Use a technology which will give a clear, 360 view of the room. I just heard about OWL Labs technology and WOW – what a game changer! (And no, this is not a paid endorsement for them.)
2. Get people co-designing and co-creating together – using annotation. Given the fact that we are often “Alone with our thoughts” many days, and don’t have the collaborative stimulation of a lunchroom or water cooler, would it be possible to dedicate some time for the group/team to create some learning together. Perhaps it’s doing some visual brainstorming work, or having people identify what they want to explore together. Use annotation throughout your calls and get people to see how co-creating visually may be of benefit beyond your calls. 
3. Use breakouts – Most remote workers are hungry for connection, and to be heard, given the isolated nature of work. What can you do to connect group members with each other for deeper levels of dialogue? Incorporating the use of breakouts, where people can be paired with one or two others for a few minutes to discuss a question or topic of interest, can leave a memorable impression. Check out this 2017 call I did on Breakouts. 
4. Make sure it’s the right type of meeting for the conversation. Also be discerning with whether a large group meeting is the right type of conversation. Does everyone need to be there? Could you connect people in different ways?
5. Signal it will be different – and make sure it will! Most important, be sure to grab people’s attention at the start of the call. What can you do to signal from the start that it’s NOT going to be Death By Conference call? You may be amazed at how quickly you develop a reputation for a MEH call, or an engaging call.

What type of environment do you want to create? What is important for you to note?

Best, 
Jennifer

​Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders | Remote Pathways Podcast
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Writing 
Phone (416)996-8326
 
As we step into the end of the year, get your 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.

It’s Monday which means that it’s time for another Effective Virtual Conversations tip. This week’s tip is a remote team tip. 

A 2018 survey carried out by Indeed.ca found that 65% of employers surveyed found that their employees were more productive when working remote. While many employees want to work remote for flexibility reasons (less commute time, more focused break, being able to navigate caretaking responsibilities), some remote workers may be concerned that they are less visible.

I’ve been enjoying working and writing more in this topic area of remote work and if you listen to podcasts, I would invite you to connect in to the new Remote Pathways Podcast I am co-hosting with Michelle Mullins.

In the remote space, consistency is key. When we see things through micro-windows (i.e. the short amount of time we are on the screen) and given the vast balance of time spent working individually and alone, CONSISTENCY can take on a new level of importance.

On a remote team level, consistency can include a focus on consistency as it relates to meetings, process, procedures, systems, and communication.

Consider:

• Meetings - How often are you meeting as a team? It can be beneficial to get in the habit of holding meetings consistently. For example, every Tuesday morning at 9 am ET. For those on the west coast it may mean an earlier start time, but people can start to plan their day and schedule around this. Booking in advance can help to anchor and protect those time windows.
• Process and systems - Consistency is key for a remote team, spread across multiple levels. Investing time in clear processes and systems ensure a consistent output and standardization across a team. We know that it’s important for team members to have shared goals and performance measures. What do you need to look at as it relates to creating consistency around process?
• Procedures - Related to process, there may be procedures which need tightening up, as the team grows and expands. Consider reporting and sharing of information. What are the things that need to be looked at?

Communication is most likely the one that can benefit from the enhanced focus. Consistently communicating messages that are important is key, especially when team members may have different preferences in terms of how they connect in. What do you notice about communication needs and preferences?

All the best,
​Jennifer

​​Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders | Remote Pathways Podcast
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Writing 
Phone (416)996-8326
 
As we step into the end of the year, get your 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.

This weeks’ Flashback Friday brings us back the January Productivity Tips. Series. During the first 19 days of the year I covered 19 different areas for boosting your productivity. Given that many of us will be stepping into what’s commonly known as “the second new year” or the back to school time of year, it might be useful to take a look at the 19 Productivity Tips for 2019.

In addition to posting these as blog posts, I also created two related resources:

• An eBook which you can pick up over at the Teams365 store.
• And a short on-demand video-based course which you can follow here.

As a reminder, here’s what I wrote in the 9th of the 19 tips around amping up your meetings. 

Tip #9 – 8 Essential Meeting Questions
 
"The majority of meetings should be discussions that lead to decisions." -Patrick Lencioni

We can spend upwards of 40% of our time in meetings. Spending time to get focused on what make meetings work well can mean the difference between things getting done and decisions made, versus a sense that things were not working well.

In Effective Virtual Conversations, I shared 8 Essential Meeting Questions to ask at the start or end of any meeting. These include:
1.      What’s the purpose?
2.      What takeaways do we want?
3.      Who needs to be on the call?
4.      What preparation is needed for us to be most effective in the meeting?
5.      What pace to do we want in order to keep it engaging?
6.      What will help keep the focus?
7.     What’s absolutely essential? (What’s essential, versus what will be nice to cover? If you can’t cover it, where can people go for more information around topics?)
8.      What follow up might be required?
(Reference: Jennifer Britton, Effective Virtual Conversations, pp 304, 2017)

Meetings don’t have to be an ineffective use of time. In fact, a verbal meeting or call (face to face, or one held virtually) can replace a series of less effective emails. 

Activity:
Consider the upcoming meetings you have. Work through the 8 Essential Meeting Questions. Note any changes you want to make.
·        What is working well about the meetings you hold?
·        Who do you need to be meeting more frequently with?
·        What meetings need to be retooled?
·        What follow-up would be more effective?
·        Are you always clear on next steps?
·        What meetings do you need to say NO to?

Track how much time you are spending in meetings on a regular basis. What changes would you like to make?

Conversation Sparkers:
·        What changes do you want to make to your upcoming meeting?
·        What changes do you want to ask your meeting participants to make?
·        What is your commitment to making meetings more effective this year?

Enjoy your conversations!
​Jennifer

This week’s posts had us explore the terrain of meetings, appreciations and also what you are putting your attention around.

Be sure to check out this week’s blog posts, if you have not done so:

2051 – Monday August 12 – Effective Virtual Conversations 106: Minimizing Digital Distractions and Creating More Focus
2052 – Tuesday August 13: Teamwork Foundations – Alignment
2053 – Wednesday August 14: Teamwork Foundations - Meetings and Other Team Practices
2054 – Thursday August 15: Team Building Tip 249: What are you putting your attention around?
2055 - Friday August 16: Flashback Friday: Focus, Distraction 
2056 – Saturday August 17: Weekly Journaling Prompt 63
​
Enjoy the rest of your weekend,
Jennifer

As I have written in other Teams366 blog posts, shared team practices are critical for high performance. Shared team practices are the ways teams communicate with each other and share information and build trust and connection.

Shared team practices could include:

• Weekly team meetings
• A monthly pot-luck meal (virtual or in person)
• Getting together monthly to share information about programming and focus areas
• Informal and/formal peer learning events

One of the main vehicles teams use for communication is meetings. As many find, meetings may not be held most efficiently or effectively. Next week I’ll share more on meeting pitfalls.

In today’s post, I wanted to remind you of the 8 Essential Meeting Questions I share in Effective Virtual Conversations. These are questions you will want to get in the practice of asking before each conversation you have:

1. What’s the purpose?
2. What takeaways do we want?
3. Who needs to be on the calls?
4. What preparation is needed for us to be most effective in the meeting?
5. What pace do we want in order to keep it engaging?
6. What will help keep the focus?
7. What is absolutely essential (versus what will be a nice to cover) where people can go for more information?
8. What follow-up might be required?

(Source: Britton, Effective Virtual Conversations, page 304)

As you consider your meetings and/or team practices, what is important to note? To adjust as you step into September?

Best wishes,
​Jennifer

As you may recall, this month we’ve been exploring several mid-year topics – the Team Tune Up (link to that post), along with others encouraging you to do some mid-year stock taking.

One area which I think often gets pushed to the side is that around presentations. Whether we are being formally asked to lead a webinar, or present something “on the fly”, brushing up on our presentation skills can go a long way.

While there is a whole art and science behind presentations, I like to always bring it back to KEEP IT SIMPLE. I’m going to model that in today’s posts as well, sharing with you five key areas to keep in mind when you go to design or lead your next presentation:

1. Connect people early on with their WIIFM – What’s In It For Me? What’s important about this topic for people?
2. Use real-time examples. If you have time, is there an opportunity for people to share a real-time example of how they are focusing on this topic. The question might be: “Who can share an example you are currently working around, as it relates to this topic?”. This helps make it not only meaningful, but relevant and usually a lot more urgent than if you were talking about the topic in a more conceptual way.
3. Consider the start, middle and end. We tend to remember the start and end of things. Really think through how you want to start the presentation and how you want to wrap it up. What are
4. What are the top 3 bullet points? We operate in a fast-paced business context, where direct communication can be an advantage. What are the top 3 bullet points you want to share during the presentation, or have people retain?
5. Use graphics that capture attention. Media use in many presentations is an expectation and can bring to life many of the ideas you are covering. What are the graphics that are going to provide a focus and inspiration?

​Finally, as a bonus tip, remember that most people prefer to bring their own voice into the presentation and talk about the issues that are relevant to them, rather than passively sitting back and being talked at. What can you do to bring their voices and experience into the room?

Best wishes,
​Jennifer

This week’s Effective Virtual Conversations tip asks you to consider the question: “What opportunities are you not seizing?”.

Remote work and virtual conversations are becoming increasingly important in today’s workplace. Whether disruption is occurring because of impact on travel (consider things like the wild weather events of the last few months which has impacted not only air travel but location sites), or due to opportunities emerging, what opportunities are you not seizing?
​
Consider these ideas:

• Experimenting with remote workdays. What happens with productivity when people move to one or more remote workdays? What do you
• Declaring meeting free days or time windows. With meetings becoming an immense time sucker for so many professionals today, what would it be like to declare meeting free time. Time when people could focus on getting work completed, rather than meeting on work for the next day. Some organizations might consider with earmarking an entire day meeting free, while others might note that they meet in the afternoon only, keeping the morning free for high impact work. There may be times of the day which could naturally be better for collaborative work such as mid-afternoon, rather than times of day when deep thinking is required – which brain science is showing could be in quieter windows, and when the brain is more fresh.
• There may be opportunities to use different platforms. Consider shifting to a streaming service (where you can see everyone) rather than doing a phone only. The visual cues of being seen may shift focus and attention, and also dissuade some team members from doing more than one thing at a time.
• Incorporate more interaction. Rather than simply having a report back, consider how to involve insights from the team regularly using annotation (sharing ideas on a white board) or using chat as a way to focus on  

Enjoy! 
Jennifer

​It’s Sunday and time to borrow from the PlanDoTrack blog. Earlier this week I shared this week’s Effective Virtual Conversations tip around honing listening. I recently shared this blog post over at the PlanDoTrack site. 

Here’s what I wrote about listening for Virtual and Remote Teams:
​
Last week I focused on the first of three coaching skills which can be important to equip all virtual and remote team members with. While these are often considered “coaching skills for leaders” in the virtual and remote environment, building this capacity in our virtual team can enhance productivity, peer support and results.
​
Last week I explored GOALS. This week let us look at listening.
​
Communication occurs in many channels in the virtual space – from conversations by phone, to texts, to email and IM (Instant Messaging).

Each one has its advantages and disadvantages.

Research shows that a significant portion of our understanding comes from tone, which is lost when we lean into digital channels of communication – text, email and IM. This can lead to a lot of misunderstandings, misinterpretations and lack of clarity.

Our listening can be heavily influenced by a number of factors:

• Distractions (what we have on our plate, not reading things fully)
• Our relationship with the sender (what do we know about their context, their intent, their focus and priorities)
• Our understanding of the topic
• Thinking about what we want to say, rather than listening for what is really being said

When we are able to meet for voice conversations, we may hear the tone, if we are listening for it. Adding on visual cues – like streaming for a meeting instead of just using the phone – can add additional layers on to the conversation. Being able to share our screen and work together real-time can also help us understand the full context.

What are the things that are helping and hindering your virtual conversations?
Are distractions getting in the way? How are you using all the tools you have available?  What are you doing to increase your understanding of other’s context and priorities?

There are many more tools and ideas available for virtual teams in these various resources from me:

• Part 3 of my 2017 book, Effective Virtual Conversations, focuses on virtual team development, meetings and communication. 
• Check out the posts related to Coaching Skills and Virtual and Remote Teams over at the Teams365 blog.

Let me know how I can support your virtual team development. From virtual retreat facilitation, to offering virtual team coaching services, we specialize in virtual team support.  

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.
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