​This week we’ve taken a look at virtual team culture, stretch, accountability, minimizing distractions. These all seem to be key themes for teams today. 
If you missed any of the posts this week, be sure to check them out:
2049 – Saturday August 10 - Weekly Journaling Prompt 62
2048 – Friday August 9 - Flashback Friday: Articulating your virtual team culture
2047 – Thursday August 8 – Team Building Tip 248
2046 – Wednesday August 7 - Teamwork Fundamentals: Minimizing Distractions
2045 – Tuesday August 6 - Remote Teamwork Fundamentals: Five Things to Keep in Mind
2044 – Monday August 5 – Effective Virtual Conversations Tip #105: Accountability in Focus
 
What’s going to help you this month as a remote team?

If you aren’t in a remote team, what can you translate to your context?

Enjoy your weekend!
Jennifer

Remote and virtual teamwork has been something I have supported for the bulk of my 30-year career. While not every team I led in my early days was remote, over the years my own remote leadership experience continued to open doors to new roles and opportunities. When I started my own business, Potentials Realized, in 2004, it only made sense to have a virtual business.
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While remote and virtual teamwork is becoming more common today than it was, it’s still an area which a lot of leaders (and team members!) are not comfortable with. I explored many of the topics I am touching on here in my 2017 book – Effective Virtual Conversations – and I continue to write and support remote teams in these areas.

Here are five key areas you will want to pay attention to, in your work and conversations:

1. Trust and Connection
2. We don’t operate in a vacuum – relationships are important
3. Understanding Context (everyone’s) and Big Picture
4. Strong Team Culture
5. Regular team practices

 
Let’s look at each one in turn:
#1 - Trust and Connection: Trust and connection are essential for exceptional virtual teamwork success. If we don’t have it, it’s likely that information does not flow, people don’t know each other or where to go, collaboration does not occur. Check out this past Teams #65 post to learn more.
#2 - We don’t operate in a vacuum – Relationships are important in the virtual space. Knowing our peers and who to reach out to, as well as having colleagues and connections across locations, is key. What learning could you do in the area of context or connection?
#3 - Understanding Context (everyone’s) and Big Picture – One of the challenges of virtual work is that we only see what’s on the screen. We usually don’t get a sense of the bigger context. What is the bigger picture we need to know about – priorities, gaps, roles, etc?
#4 - Strong Team Culture: Having a strong team culture helps us understand how we do things. It also helps us differentiate how we do things on this team, rather than other teams. Culture is manifested through sayings values, behaviors and practices. What’s important to clarify and/or communicate about your culture?
# 5- Regular Team Practices: Remote does not equal alone. Communication and regular team meetings are critical for performance, alignment and cohesion. What are the efficient ways you can keep each other informed?

As a virtual or remote team what’s important to note and focus on this quarter?

Best wishes,
​Jennifer

Given that we are stepping into mid-month, let’s take a look at where your team is at. Is it time for a team tune-up?

As we move into mid-year, some of the things we might want to keep in mind are:

• What rhythm have we gotten into in terms of work and results?
• What rhythm have we gotten into in terms of meetings?

AT your next team meeting, consider building in some time for a team check in or tune-up. Questions for each person to reflect on and possibly share:

• What do I need from others in order to be successful?
• Things others on the team should know about my work right now are…
• My priorities for the next six months are…
• My greatest success has been…
• Our greatest success this year has been…
• One thing that is really important for us to address is…
• One thing I need from my leader is…
• The feedback I want to offer to my leader is…
• The feedback I want to offer to my teammates is..
• The one connection I wish I had…
• If I had a magic wand I would….

Depending on how frequently you meet, it might be possible to have you share 1-2 of these questions as an entire team for the next few meetings.

Wishing you the best,
​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.
Pick up a copy of Volume 1 of the Weekly Journaling Prompts in a digital format. Print it out and take it with you for some inspiration and writing on the go! Available at the Potentials Realized Store.

It’s time for another weekly journaling prompt. These are geared to get you to build in a pause point every week and think about what is important to you.

This week the question is “at my best I am….”

In past posts I've shared the benefits of journaling. You can read that post here.

One of the activities I take a lot of teams through is this reflectin of who they are when they are at their best. Reconnecting with what's worked, and who we are when we are leveraging our skills and strengths can create a strong pivot.

Today I hope you will find some time to create a few minutes to capture reflections of times when you were at your best.

Enjoy your writing!
​Jennifer

This week’s Weekly Journaling Prompt gets you thinking about the question “Something I won’t forget….”

Our memories can easily fade and transmute with time. Writing things out provides us with a clearer indication of what did happen.

As you consider the events from the last few months, what are the things you want to remember? What are the things you don’t want to forget next time….?

A quick reminder that I have pulled the Weekly Journaling Prompts together in a quarterly format. You can pick up and download the first 12 weeks of the series in a new downloadable booklet format at the Potentials Realized store. Here are a few shots of Volume 1 – the first 12 weeks in action.

Enjoy!
​Jennifer

​It’s Sunday which means that it is time for another Video Montage from PlanDoTrack. Take a look at this week’s video montage.

In bringing this work out into the world, one of my favorite program offerings at the moment is the four-hour PlanDoTrack Virtual Retreat.  Check it out here.

The program is geared for business owners and professionals who are looking to reconnect or create their vision OR take action on a creative project. We meet throughout the four-hour retreat every hour as a group, leaving you ample time in between our group touch-points to engage in structured activities to help you PLAN, take action (DO) and TRACK your results.

Here’s what two participants from the April session wrote about their experience:

"The PlanDoTrack session was everything I hoped for and more! These 4 hours were a super useful and productive pause to work on my business vision and goals for the year. It was a hands-on approach, very much helped by the worksheets in the Coaching Business Builder and also Jennifer's guidance.
I would certainly do at least one more session!”
- Rute Silva - Organizational Development Consultant/Executive Coach - PCC 

"Jennifer - thank you for creating a space to allow me to focus on the deep work that I am committed to getting out into the world.  On a normal day, the whirlwind of life would have prevented me from putting pen to paper and designing a problem that could have easily been put off until "someday". Today I prioritized the important over the urgent and I feel so accomplished to have created content that will make a difference. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. If you are committed to creating a program, a business plan, content, or whatever is meaningful to you and your clients, but you do not have the space or time to focus, this program is a game changer. Block the time. You will be thrilled with the outcome and the support along the way.” 
- Jacyln M. Bradley

The next one will be held on Thursday May 30th from 10 am – 2 pm Eastern/Toronto.

I hope that you will join us. The cost is $129 US and includes a virtual retreat workbook, structured exercises to work on during the afternoon and access to me during the 4 hours for some individual coaching.

You need to bring a copy of the PlanDoTrack Workbook and Planner, OR the Coaching Business Builder Workbook and Planner, an idea of what you want to focus on, and four-hours of dedicated space.

Reserve your spot at the next PlanDoTrack Virtual Retreat – Thursday May 30th here.

Look forward to connecting!
​Jennifer

Happy Saturday! It’s time for another Weekly Journaling Prompt here at the Teams365 blog. Have you downloaded your copy of the first 6 weeks booklet?

For a short while, readers here at the blog will have access to this resource for free. Use code THANKSTEAMS365 when prompted. 

Today’s weekly journaling prompt gets you to consider the question:

What I want to more fully embrace is…?

I hope that you will take a few minutes today or this weekend to journal on this question. After you have journaled, review what you have written and note:

• What do you notice about this?
• What’s holding you back from embracing it more?
• What changes do you want to make?
• What else is important to note about this question?

Enjoy your reflections!
​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).
Pick up a copy of Volume 1 of the Weekly Journaling Prompts in an digital format. Print it out and take it with you for some inspiration and writing on the go! Available at the Potentials Realized Store.

Welcome back to another weekly journaling prompt.  This week’s post gets you to fill in the blanks around:
 
“When I ______ I will ______.”

Did you know that I have now pulled together the first quarter (12 weeks) of the Weekly Journaling Prompts into their own standalone digital resource? You can pick up a copy of them at our Potentials Realized store.

Enjoy your writing & reflections!
​Jennifer

This week’s Weekly Journaling Prompt is “The thing that has changed the most for me this year is…”.

Change is everywhere this year and our reaction to change can also vary. What is the thing that has changed the most for you this year?

This week consider the prompt the “The thing that has changed the most for me this year is…”.

Consider what is possible now that this change has taken place. Is the change good, or not so good?

What’s is available to you now that this change has taken place?

Is this something to celebrate or not?

Enjoy your reflections!
​Jennifer

This week’s Weekly Journaling Prompt gets you thinking about the question “My biggest opportunity is….”.

I hope that this week’s question will provide you with a pause the reflect on what is happening around you. When we get in the flow of work, we may not take notice of what opportunities do abound.

What is your biggest opportunity right now?

Enjoy your reflections!
Jennifer