Teams365 Blog - POTENTIALS REALIZED

Teams365 #3016 - Week in Review

4/3/2022

This week’s focus has been on conflict management as we’ve moved into Chapter 14 of the book.

Sunday is always an opportunity to look back and see what you might have missed. Take a moment to check out these posts, particularly the Quarterly Review video which includes a 30-minute reflective activity you can follow along with, highlighting 17 questions to consider as you move into Q2.

Saturday – Weekly Journaling Prompt – What’s taboo?

Friday –Flashback to 4 Keys to Navigating Conflict and Teams365 #511

Thursday’s End of Quarter 1 Planning and Quarter 2 Review

Wednesday’s look at one of the principles for approaching conflict in the hybrid space, a well as a myth that has been shattered during the last few years

Tuesday’s focus on the Reconnecting Workspaces Tip on Conflict Management from Chapter 14 of the Book

Monday’s kick-off to the series with a quote from Bob Wall

Enjoy,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized |Reconnecting Workspaces | Group Coaching Essentials
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Retreats
Follow us on Instagram @ReconnectingWorkspaces
Phone: (416)996-8326

Check out my TEDx talk

Looking to bring your workplaces back together, whether you are remote, hybrid, or face-to-face? Pick up a copy of my new book, Reconnecting Workspaces, at Amazon.

Teams365 #3015 - Weekly Journaling Prompt 184: What is Taboo?

4/2/2022

This week’s Weekly Journaling Prompt is “what’s taboo”?

As we explore the topic of conflict it is important to notice that everyone’s approach and comfort with conflict is a little different. While some people love to jump into conflict and embrace competition as an approach, some team members may be much more conflict adverse and may shy away from even addressing conflict, suppressing it instead.

A question to consider this week is “What’s taboo”? What are the things you are not talking about?

Enjoy the conversation!
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized |Reconnecting Workspaces | Group Coaching Essentials
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Retreats
Follow us on Instagram @ReconnectingWorkspaces
Phone: (416)996-8326

Check out my TEDx talk

Looking to bring your workplaces back together, whether you are remote, hybrid, or face-to-face? Pick up a copy of my new book, Reconnecting Workspaces, at Amazon.

Teams365 #3014 - Flashback on Four Keys to Navigating Conflict

4/1/2022

As we explore the topic of conflict management this week I wanted to take us back to a blog post on the 4 Keys to Navigating Conflict from Teams365 #511 back in 2015. It’s is still as relevant today as it was then.

Here’s what I wrote back in 2015:
“We recently explored different approaches to conflict here at the Teams365 blog, namely accommodation, compromise, collaboration, avoiding and n completion when faced with conflict.

What else is possible? Today's post focuses on four things you can do every day when thinking and working around conflict.

Be proactive and address conflict early on – While easier said than done, many views navigating conflict as very challenging, in part because issues may have escalated even more than at the start.
Find the common ground – Finding similar vantage points or even “slivers” where you can see “eye to eye” is a starting point in navigating conflict. These mini-windows are opportunities to open dialogue and mutual problem solving, rather than raising walls.
Recognize that conflict can be a healthy thing when we have the tools to navigate it. Where cultures do not recognize that conflict is a normal and natural part of human relationships, it may be minimized and swept under the rug, or it can be seen as “abnormal” and “vilified” where something is wrong. What is the culture at your workplace around conflict?
Invest in your skills in navigating conflict. Conflict management is not always well modeled in our workplaces and families. If this has been your case it can be useful to invest in some professional development and/or mentoring so you have more phrases and even a model or process to follow. Where is conflict management well modeled? What tools and resources are people using?

Navigating differences is an important skill set for today’s global environment. What actions do you want to take towards building your skills and capacity?

Enjoy your reflections and have a great weekend,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized |Reconnecting Workspaces | Group Coaching Essentials
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Retreats
Follow us on Instagram @ReconnectingWorkspaces
Phone: (416)996-8326

Check out my TEDx talk

Looking to bring your workplaces back together, whether you are remote, hybrid, or face-to-face? Pick up a copy of my new book, Reconnecting Workspaces, at Amazon.

Teams365 #3013 - Quarterly Wrap-Up: Q1 review and Q2 planning

3/31/2022

This week we are exploring the topic of conflict management here at the Teams365 blog, drawing from Chapter 14 of Reconnecting Workspaces. Today we take a pause as it’s the last day of Q1 and time to do some quarterly reflection as well as planning for the quarter ahead.

I thought it would be interesting to share a video from back in 2019 and the PlanDoTrack body of work. PlanDoTrack is a workbook/planner for virtual and remote professionals, and this book is a sibling to Coaching Business Builder.
As you work through these 17 questions I hope you will get some new insights as to what is important and what needs to be prioritized from your perspective over the next few months.

Quarterly reflection is a critical process in high performance so we can pause, take stock of learning and then move forward.

Enjoy your reflection today!
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized |Reconnecting Workspaces | Group Coaching Essentials
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Retreats
Follow us on Instagram @ReconnectingWorkspaces
Phone: (416)996-8326

Check out my TEDx talk

Looking to bring your workplaces back together, whether you are remote, hybrid, or face-to-face? Pick up a copy of my new book, Reconnecting Workspaces, at Amazon.

Teams365 #3012- Principle and Myth around Conflict Management

3/30/2022

This week we’re exploring Chapter 14 of my book, Reconnecting Workspaces, which addresses Conflict Management.

Address issues quickly and surely. “Molehills can become mountains.” In virtual teams, being proactive around conflict is critical. When conflict is not addressed directly and quickly, issues fester and grow much larger than they need to be. Virtual teams are often more diverse than co-located teams, which often means more diverse perspectives, contexts, and opinions. Open communication is key.

It's important to address issues quickly and swiftly. Common issues which are easy to let slide include:

Lateness/tardiness at meetings
Gossip
Lack of preparation
Lack of follow-thought
Not sharing information with others
Poor/sloppy attention to details
Distraction during meetings
Not flagging issues early enough, potentially leading to issues snowballing and impacting others
Inappropriate behaviors or comments
Derogatory statements made about gender, religion, race, age, or other factors

All of these issues are flags and a signal that swift action needs to be taken. Some, like derogatory statements, may also have legal repercussions if action is not taken.

What are the flags you are noticing in your team right now which need to be addressed?

Enjoy the conversation!
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized |Reconnecting Workspaces | Group Coaching Essentials
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Retreats
Follow us on Instagram @ReconnectingWorkspaces
Phone: (416)996-8326

Check out my TEDx talk

Looking to bring your workplaces back together, whether you are remote, hybrid, or face-to-face? Pick up a copy of my new book, Reconnecting Workspaces, at Amazon.

Teams365 #3011 - Reconnecting the Workspace Tip: Conflict

3/29/2022

This week we are exploring the topic of Conflict, a significant topic for today’s workspace. In today’s post, I want to share the “Reconnecting the Workspace Tip” I provide at the end of Chapter 14, Conflict Management, of Reconnecting Workspaces. Here’s what I wrote on page 270 of the book.

“Conflict is a challenging topic in the virtual, remote, and hybrid world, given that there may be different preferences in terms of giving and receiving feedback. Additional challenges can be the sense of not knowing others well enough, or feeling like we don’t “see them in action.” Finally, in some workspaces, there may be a sense that there are no channels available in which to raise issues.
What is your common ground and commitment to addressing and resolving the conflict? This can include asking questions like:

• What’s your part of the equation?
• What’s important?
• What’s the connection to the bigger picture?

As you think about reconnecting the workspace, what is important to note about conflict?”

Enjoy the conversation,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized |Reconnecting Workspaces | Group Coaching Essentials
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Retreats
Follow us on Instagram @ReconnectingWorkspaces
Phone: (416)996-8326

Check out my TEDx talk

Looking to bring your workplaces back together, whether you are remote, hybrid, or face-to-face? Pick up a copy of my new book, Reconnecting Workspaces, at Amazon.

Teams365 #3010- Quote: Conflict Management

3/28/2022

This week we are moving forward with the topic of Conflict Management. Conflict is a significant part o the hybrid world. Whether it’s a conflict due to lack of communication across a business, conflict due to resourcing issues, conflict due to the inevitable “office/home” which emerges in a hybrid workspace, this is an important topic to consider in your move to exceptional teamwork and results.

We’ll be exploring this topic here at the Teams365 blog for the next three weeks, and I will be pulling excerpts along the way from Chapter 14 of my book, Reconnecting Workspaces.

Here’s what Bob wall writes,

“Nothing kills relationships more surely than issues left unspoken.”

Questions to Consider Today

What are the issues which are unspoken on your team?
What are the things which you are not addressing?
What else needs to be surfaced and discussed so the team can have the conversations required, and make the decisions needed.

Enjoy the reflection,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized |Reconnecting Workspaces | Group Coaching Essentials
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Retreats
Follow us on Instagram @ReconnectingWorkspaces
Phone: (416)996-8326

Check out my TEDx talk

Looking to bring your workplaces back together, whether you are remote, hybrid, or face-to-face? Pick up a copy of my new book, Reconnecting Workspaces, at Amazon.

Teams365 #3009 - Week in Review

3/27/2022

That’s a wrap for Chapter 13 and our focus on feedback and performance conversations in the virtual, remote, and hybrid world. This past week we explored the following:

Saturday’s Wrap-up with Chapter 13 of Reconnecting Workspaces

Friday’s Flashback The REVET Model™ of Preparing for Feedback Conversations

Thursday’s Six Teamwork Questions Around Feedback From Reconnecting Workspaces

Wednesday’s Brain Tip from Chapter 13 of Reconnecting Workspaces: How Does Feedback Trigger Us?

Tuesday’s The Six Layers of Connection in a Hybrid Work Environment

Monday’s Kick off for the Week with a Spring Start

Best wishes,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized |Reconnecting Workspaces | Group Coaching Essentials
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Retreats
Follow us on Instagram @ReconnectingWorkspaces
Phone: (416)996-8326

Check out my TEDx talk

Looking to bring your workplaces back together, whether you are remote, hybrid, or face-to-face? Pick up a copy of my new book, Reconnecting Workspaces, at Amazon.

Teams365 #3008 - That’s a Wrap with Chapter 13 of Reconnecting Workspaces

3/26/2022

And just like that, another three-week cycle of Reconnecting Workspaces focus is complete. Over the last three weeks, we took a look at Chapter 13 of Reconnecting Workspaces which focuses on feedback and performance conversations in the virtual, remote, and hybrid world. What has been your biggest learning and insights from this series?

Be sure to check out some of these posts from the last three weeks:

Preparing for Feedback – the REVET Model

10 Questions to ask in a hybrid workspace

Gearing up for back to office work – part 1

Gearing up for back to office work – part 2

Neuroscience: How does feedback trigger us?

Planning for Spring

Enjoy,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized |Reconnecting Workspaces | Group Coaching Essentials
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Retreats
Follow us on Instagram @ReconnectingWorkspaces
Phone: (416)996-8326

Check out my TEDx talk

Looking to bring your workplaces back together, whether you are remote, hybrid, or face-to-face? Pick up a copy of my new book, Reconnecting Workspaces, at Amazon.

Teams365 #3007- The REVET Model™ of Preparing for Feedback Conversations

3/25/2022

In a physical or virtual environment, particularly one which is hybrid, it’s critical that we prepare for feedback conversations, and don’t just wing it. Feedback conversations in the remote and hybrid space are the focus of Chapter 13 of my book, Reconnecting Workspaces: Pathways to Thrive in the Virtual, Remote and Hybrid World.

I first started writing about providing feedback in the remote space back in 2017 with the publication of Effective Virtual Conversations.

The REVET model to feedback preparation™ is one I have shared many times with the teams that I have worked with over the last 18 years, as well as expanded upon in my writing.

Here’s what I shared about the REVET model back in 2020 as many people were starting to embark on their first round of feedback in the virtual space. Given that things are more complex in the hybrid world, it warrants a focus again:
This week’s Effective Virtual Conversations tip, which you can usually find under the hashtag #letstalkvirtual, is all about Team Feedback. With many teams opting to stay Working From Home for the foreseeable future, team feedback is an important loop to help teams excel.

What are the processes you have in place to keep team feedback moving?

We know that feedback is best when it’s specific (detailed about what the person did well or not well, behaviorally – via things that we can see or tangible outputs). Feedback is best when it’s regular, and as close to the event as possible. The longer between feedback and activity, the less valuable it is.

Feedback can be useful when we receive it from those around us – our bosses, our peers, and those we interface with on projects, or stakeholders. Who are you receiving feedback from?

For many years I have written about, and talked about, the REVET™ model of feedback. We want to make sure that feedback is:

R – What are the roles the person inhabits; what projects are they involved with? What are their goals?
- Considering these questions helps us to make sure that feedback is relevant for the person.
E – Reflect on performance expectations
- What have been the expectations set about performance? What are the key issues they are focusing on, and most likely value feedback around?
V - What do they value?
- Some people value feedback delivered frequently and off the cuff. Other team members may prefer to have feedback offered in a structured fashion, or by writing, with sometime between receiving the feedback and then having the performance conversation.
E – Specific examples. Providing specific examples is absolutely essential for an effective performance conversation.
- Always make sure you have specific examples which you have personally witnessed. If not, you may not be the person to provide feedback in that manner. You could facilitate the discussion with the person and those who see them every day 1-1.
T – Timing. What is the most appropriate time for the conversation? Is it mid-morning? Evening? Lunchtime conversation?

(Copyright 2020 – Jennifer Britton, VRTWL)

If you have a copy of Effective Virtual Conversations, you’ll also want to check out what I write about Appreciations and Acknowledgements on pages 257 – 258. It’s important to take time to pause and share appreciation with each other. This serves to boost trust, and connection, across the team. I recently have included this activity in my latest mini-course for teams – the Remote Team Builders. You can find it here.

What are the things you are doing to create a team feedback loop?

Enjoy the conversations,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized |Reconnecting Workspaces | Group Coaching Essentials
Team and Leadership Development | Coaching | Retreats
Follow us on Instagram @ReconnectingWorkspaces
Phone: (416)996-8326

Check out my TEDx talk

Looking to bring your workplaces back together, whether you are remote, hybrid, or face-to-face? Pick up a copy of my new book, Reconnecting Workspaces, at Amazon.