The Stand Out Virtually micro-brand was birthed this past summer in June. I first started writing it here at the blog on July 21st with the Flashback Friday post I shared. Here it is again in case you missed it:

The digital space can get very crowded, with one Zoom call looking like another.

Today’s post gets you thinking about different ways you can stand out virtually. If you are a leader, coach or business owner, what can do you do make sure that your call stands out virtually?

#1 – Be clear – From the start, let people know what they can expect. How long is the call? What’s being covered? What is the process going to be?

#2 – Create expectations – From the start, let people know what they can expect. What is the process you are going to follow? A lack of clarity creates a lack of certainty.

#3 – Consider the visuals which will create a WOW – Our brains process visuals faster than text. What are the visual elements you want to use to help anchor your work? What is the environment you would like to create?

#4 – Create a pause – One of the common characteristics of a lot of virtual calls these days is that there is no space to breathe. Literally. There’s no pauses or chance to catch your breath. Part of creating memorability is doing something different or novel.

#5 – Create connection – In my remote working whitepaper I shared the 7 Cs – Remote Enablers. Connection (along with clarity) is one of them. We want to make sure that we are creating CONNECTION on multiple levels, in multiple ways. What is the connection to the topic? What is the connection to a person’s world? What is the connection to others on the call? What are you doing to create connection?

#6 - What’s your call to action? What is the call to action you are making? What will people do after the call? Are you building in time for people to note their next steps? Articulate or share their next steps?

As you think about your upcoming conversations in the year ahead, What’s your favorite tip? Share with us in the comments below.

Enjoy the conversation and reflection,
Jennifer

Given that this year has focused so heavily on the virtual world, this week we are going to start to take a look at the essentials of virtual facilitation. As more and more professionals start to operate in the virtual domain it is important to develop not only skills but also confidence in building connection with remote staff, facilitating meetings, and transitioning most activities.

Four core skills in virtual facilitation include:
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Reading the environment - Even though you may not be physically present in a room, great virtual leaders and facilitators, are able to read the environment. There is a much to be said through the way people are speaking - their pace and how fast they are speaking; the pitch or level at which they speak.
Part of reading the environment is also noticing the overall energy of the call. I think we can all recollect times when meeting energy was very low (what I often call the "Death By Conference Call") Or when meeting energy was very high.
Next time you are in a virtual meeting, think about how you would describe the energy of the call.

Listening - In virtual environments listening is critical. We want to be listening for the speech patterns, but also what is being said and not being said. Notice the flow of conversation, who is dominating and who is holding back.

Managing the process - In virtual facilitation a strong hand on process can go far. Given that we often don't have the same cues as in the face to face environment, it's important for the leader or facilitator to take a  strong hand with process - time allocated, agenda items, making sure you are starting and ending on time, clarifying decisions and where you are going to next.

Engagement - Virtual meetings can feel never ending. It's important to engage people throughout the call. Design with the group what engagement can look like (for example, an expectation that you will hear from everyone) etc. In a future post I'll explore different engagement techniques for virtual meetings.
How are you doing with each of these areas? If you are looking for practical techniques and approach to boost your virtual facilitation, check out the Virtual Facilitation Essentials program where I personally train you to boost your skills as a virtual facilitation.
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Consider joining me for the next one-day session next week or in 2021.
 
Pressed for time? View the Teams365 blog post at my YouTube Channel here. 

Best wishes,
Jennifer

Welcome back to an end of week reflection. This week we took a look at the following posts:

• Saturday – Weekly Journaling Prompt #131 – Let’s Celebrate
• Friday’s Flashback Friday Year End 1-1 Questions
• Thursday’s post on the team building focus on the PlanDoTrack Mantra of “Consistent Action + Daily Steps = Momentum”
• Wednesday’s focus on Building Connection in Virtual Meetings
• Tuesday’s focus on Remote Working Mindset and our latest Remote Pathways post
• Monday’s Stand Out Virtually Principle #2 – Take A Stand

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Jennifer

Another week of 2020 complete!

This week we explored a number of rich topics:

• Saturday’s journaling prompt about “My learning has been?”
• Friday’s Flashback Friday to Effective Virtual Conversations Tip #8
• Thursday’s focus on the Team Building question “What’s an energy booster?”
• Wednesday’s focus on Decision Fatigue and Routines
• Tuesday’s focus on 12 Ways to Create Connection in Zoom Calls
• Monday’s Team Building Tip #129 with the mantra of “less is more” which is a concept which I’ve written about in all of my books

Enjoy!
Jennifer

It's the start of a new week and it's time for Effective Virtual Conversations Tip #8. 

​In Effective Virtual Conversations I write:
​"We don't often pause or take time to go deeper into dialogue. When we fail to do this we lose the opportunity for individuals to explore the rich terrain of assumptions, beliefs and other areas." - pp 71, Effective Virtual Conversations

​In many virtual events today - webinars, conference calls - silence and pause points are at a premium, and that's usually what people need. When we are working with virtual, or global teams, taking time to check our assumptions is critical. For example, we may all have a different set of assumptions on what success should look like, or assumptions around quality. Going hand-in-hand with this is the value in exploring, or being aware of, the different beliefs at play. 

​What is the value of taking more of a pause in your virtual programming?
​What will allow you go deeper into dialogue as a team or group?

​Different ways you might consider creating a pause point for deeper reflection could be:
​- pose a question to the group/team and have dialogue around it during your meeting;
​- at the end of your weekly meeting pose a question for team members to reflect on. You can check in around this the next week at the start of your meeting;
​- providing each person on the team with a journal to reflect in
​- posting a daily/weekly reflection question on your Intranet, shared site or Slack

​in order to move into these deeper layers it is important that there is trust on the team. Building trust and connection should be a primary focus for team leaders today. Take a look at what I have written about trust in past Teams365 posts.

​What can you do to create more of a pause and opportunity to go into deeper conversation space? 

​With best wishes,
Jennifer

There are many different types of calls we have during the week, with most not having as much connection and dialogue as they could. The beauty of the virtual space is that conversations and connection can take place in a number of ways. 

As I shared this summer in the Stand Out Virtually Challenge, we want to connect people on five levels:

• To you, the host
• To each other
• To the content you are offering
• To the context in which you are having the conversation
• To the technology

 
Consider these 12 different possibilities for creating more connection:

1. Doing a pre-call with each participant to learn ore about them
2. Sharing a welcome video message instead of/or in tandem with a welcome email
3. Having group members share a welcome video introduction
4. Using Breakouts to connect people
5. Assigning an accountability partner or buddy during the process
6. Taking a poll to see where everyone is thinking around a topic
7. Using annotate to have people stamp where they are in agreement around a question or topic
8. Doing a scavenger hunt during the call
9. Using an icebreaker like BINGO during the call to find things in common
10. Using Kahoot to connect people into the content you covered
11. Using MentiMeter to take a poll
12. Using mural to help people connect and share ideas

What else can you do to incorporate more connection on the five levels?

Enjoy the conversation!
​Jennifer

This week’s Effective Virtual Conversations tip gets you to think about the concept of Micro-meetings. What’s a micro-meeting you ask? A short, meeting burst which is often held on a regular basis, compared to the longer, more drawn out conversations you may be considering with meetings.

What’s the value of a micro-meeting? Given the remote space, and virtual world of work these days, our worlds can shift and change quite dramatically in the course of the week, without our colleagues seeing it unfold in front of them.

What are the elements needed for a micro-meeting to work well?

• Time earmarked for the conversation on a regular basis. This may mean daily, or every few days, rather than weekly or even monthly. The value of meeting more frequently often means that you don’t have to cover as many topics, or don’t have to spend as much time on updates, given that calls are more frequent.
• A specific topic. Trying to bite off too much in one meeting doesn’t work well. Have a focus, and possibly a micro-agenda – i.e. topic of the day or different days earmarked for different topics
• A system so that notes and takeaways are focused on. This might include things like using a Kanban board, to help you keep on focus.
• A system so everyone owns the meeting. If meetings fall to only one person on the team, it’s likely that it becomes “their” thing, rather than the entire “team’s” focus. What are you doing to ensure that everyone on the team OWNS it?

Enjoy your focus today on this. What else is important to note?

Best,
Jennifer

One of my favorite activities at the end of a meeting or training session is the Gallery Walk. In in-person realms, we can look around the room at what has been created, on flipcharts or a whiteboard.

What can we do to translate this to the virtual environment?

We can do a Virtual Gallery Walk!

As you go through your meeting or training virtually, consider what are the elements you want to highlight and showcase at the end.

You might take screenshots as you go through a meeting OR you might bring forward whiteboards again.

Think about what moments will highlight the different moments in time.
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Enjoy the “walk down memory lane”!
Jennifer

This week we covered a range of topics including:

• Saturday’s Weekly Journaling Prompt: Relationships Which Are Important
• Friday’s Flashback Friday 4 Ways to Minimize Distractions with Remote Work
• Thursday’s Team Building Pitfall Alert
• Wednesdays Virtual Events – 4 Things to Keep in Mind
• Tuesday’s 3 Ways to Stand Out Virtually
• Monday’s Effective Virtual Conversations Tip:  Screenshots

It’s not too late to join us for the Fall 2020 Stand Out Virtually Incubator. Geared for those that want to take their virtual learning and conversations up a notch this program not only focuses on the art and science of great virtual design, but also marketing. Be sure to catch up on this week’s calls and join us live for the remaining six weeks of sessions. Reserve your spot here (1 and 3 installment payments).

Enjoy,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders 
Coaching Skills Training | Leadership Development | Teamwork
Growing Team Leaders, One Conversation at a Time™ in the Remote Space
Contact us to discuss leadership, coaching or performance needs for your and your team
Phone: (416)996-8326​

While social distancing has put in-person events on hold, there’s a plethora of amazing things you can do virtually. From online conferences, to taking an entire post-secondary course, to virtual coaching groups and speed networking on Zoom, there is a wide variety of different options of what you can be doing virtually.

Today’s post gets you to think about three things when organizing or hosting virtual events, both large and small. You may want to read today’s post in conjunction with yesterday’s Teams365 blog post – 3 Ways to Stand Out Virtually.

When hosting our own virtual event, keep the following in mind:

Be clear about expectations. There are so many different types of virtual events, that it is important to clarify what your event is going to be like and what level of interactivity people can expect at your virtual event.

Clarify the small details – verbally and in writing. This might include email copy, a welcome video and a welcome email. Remember that not everyone is likely to read their email so if there is any pre-work required before people get in the room, note that you’ll want to reinforce key details in multiple ways.

Consider a balance of learning, reflection and dialogue. It’s likely that since the beginning of the pandemic you have been part of multiple learning events. Consider which ones allowed you to be an active learner, or whether you were being “talked at” during the session. 

As someone who started off her career as an experiential educator, I value the three-part cycle of learning and action, reflection, and then dialogue. What that can look like in the virtual space is a mix of learning something (i.e. a lecture), then a reflection piece of focusing of doing some individual work/worksheets and then dialogue- talking it out virtually with one or more people.

Get people “in the room” before the event to get them thinking about the experience. In cognitive science we call this “priming”.

Depending on the type of event you are hosting getting people in the room might include:

• A pre-call with each person to learn more about them, cover key logistics and answer any questions they have – this is ideal for small groups.
• For medium sized or larger groups, it might include a pre-call concierge experience. This could entail welcoming people into your “room” or platform for some pre-event networking, so they can meet others, and also “road test” the technology. This provides the benefit of providing a focus, connection point and networking experience for people.

 
Leave time to take action on WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP? Critical for virtual events, where running from one Zoom room to the next is the norm, is leaving time to take action, or at least schedule, the next step. Be sure to leave time in your programming to focus in on what’s the next step – for them, and for your next touchpoint.

Let us know which of these three areas are most resonant for you. I look forward to hearing from you.

Jennifer

PS – Don’t forget that this week I’m kicking off the Stand Out Virtually Fall 2020 program. Join us live on either Mondays from 1:00 – 2:30 or Fridays from 1:30 – 3 pm ET for the next 7 weeks. We’ll be exploring these tips and many more, geared to support you in creating your most powerful virtual programming. Check it out here.