Today’s Team Building Tip gets you to think about and be in dialogue around “What you are aiming for” as a team? Having a clear line of sight around your goals and targets is key, particularly when you are a remote team.

Have you, as a team, clearly identified the goals you are working towards? Have you identified HOW you want to work on them? Have you clearly articulated who on the team connects in with each goal? Have you identified what “success” will look like from each team member’s perspectives and how their contribution is needed for another?

Working with goals should be done in tandem with your vision. Vision helps us connect in with aspirations around a task. Our vision usually is grounded in emotion and other aspirational energy. With that, it can help to keep us motivated around goals, even when things aren’t working as planned. Connecting our goals into the bigger picture helps when things get bumpy, in terms of smoothing things out.

Goals, and Vision, are two topics we’ve covered recently at the Remote Pathways Podcast. Do check out Episodes 3 and 4 for more on goals and vision for remote teams. You will also want to download the associated episode resources which include a One Page Plan and a Vision Worksheet. You could use both of these resources at the team level.

Enjoy the conversation!
Jennifer

One of the themes I’ve been talking a lot about in recent months as we moved into year end, and now are in the start of the year is that Metrics Matter. On an individual level in our own planning, it can be very useful to note things like:

• Key achievements
• Time spent on different activities (work, meetings, troubleshooting, coaching, learning, etc.)
• The things you actually accomplish in any given day

On a team level, starting the year with a conversation around metrics, achievements and goals can be really important. As part of the start of year kick off you may want to:

• Note key metrics (where you are now, where you want to go by end of the year, and what your check in touchpoints are)
• Note key goals
• Identify aspirations and intentions – as I mentioned in an earlier blog post this year, aspirations and intentions are often wider in focus and help to anchor things.

What are the other items you want to note?

All the best, 
​Jennifer 

Today’s Milestone post (#2200!) is all about accelerating your teamwork this year. While the context of teamwork has shifted dramatically, the fundamentals of great teamwork has remained the same. I thought that it would be great idea to revisit what I term the 6 Factors of High Performing Teams: six core ingredients for team success. (Six Factors of High Performing Teams – Copyright Jennifer Britton 2017 - 2020)

Regardless of if you are a remote team, or an intact team, taking time to focus on these elements will help you go faster in the medium- and long-term.  I write more on this in part 3 of Effective Virtual Conversations.

As a team, have you taken time to clarify and agree upon these areas?
(as built upon from Teams365 #1920)

1. Shared purpose or mission (Your WHY)
   What is your purpose? Your mission? Why do you exist? Does everyone hold the same understanding? What does this mean practically for your work? What priorities does your purpose or mission naturally create? What are people doing to keep the vision and priorities VISIBLE?
   
   2. Shared behavioral norms
   How do you do things? What is acceptable and unacceptable on the team? What behaviors and habits exist? Which ones are supportive of exceptional performance? Which ones aren't? Is it time to revisit your shared agreements or TEAM charter and how you operate?
   
   3. Shared commitment
   What are team members committed to? What will you get done, no matter what? Is there anything that needs to be dropped off the list? How do members of the team have each other’s backs?
   
   4. Shared performance goals
   What are key goals for the team this year? What are key individual goals? How do your goals align across the team? Overlap?  What needs to get done by one team member and then passed on to another? What is contingent upon another task completion? What does success look like for each member? For the entire team? Does everyone have an understanding of the key goals of others on the team and how they feed into them?
   
   5. Shared team practices
   Teams that work together effectively share common practices which support both a focus on RESULTS and also a focus on RELATIONSHIPS. This might include team practices such as a Monday morning huddle, a Thursday night out or a daily check in at 3 pm ET for a team that needs to get things “out the door” by 5. What practices support your relationships? Your results?
   
   6. Clear Roles
   How do our roles overlap, align and connect? On the team, what are people’s strengths? Who is good at initiating things? Completing things? Checking for quality? Innovating things? What changes, if any, are needed this year around your roles giving your priorities?

As a team what’s important to note? What areas need further clarification?

All the best,
Jennifer

As we step into 2020, I wanted to give you an opportunity to focus in on your goals for the year. Many like to list out their goals in a variety of ways.

From creating a goal or vision board which sits in your office to creating a One Page Plan (hear me talk about this more in the recent Remote Pathways podcast and download a copy of your own), keeping your goals visible can be an important part of success.

At the same time goals can become de-motivational, especially if we create too many or if we create goals that are not achievable.

In my writing I like to talk about goals that are not only SMART, but SMART-E.
​
As a reminder these are:
S - Specific - What specifically do you want to achieve? What will it look like?
M - Measurable - How can you track progress?
A - Achievable - With some stretch are these achievable?
R - Realistic - Again, with stretch are these in range?
T - Timebound - What's the timeframe on this - next week, end of June, early 2021?
E - And most of all, are these goals Exciting? If they are not exciting, chances are they might got get done, or may get done only to get them checked off.
 
What are your top 3-5 SMART-E Goals for 2020?  Take a few minutes to work on them and be sure to check out the recent Remote Pathways Podcast Episode 3 to check out the One Page Plan Worksheet. You can find it here.

Enjoy your reflection and be sure to share with us your goals over at the Conversation Sparker Zone! If you haven’t joined us there before, you can join the main Conversation Sparker Zone community here. 

And the Remote Pathways Sparker Zone here. (note this group is more focused on remote work)

Best wishes, 
Jennifer

Welcome to 2020 – Setting Annual and Decade Long Vision, Intentions and Goals and a new calendar to follow!

Welcome to 2020! Today is an opportunity to turn over not only a new page of a new year, but a new chapter of a new decade.

For some, it’s incredible to have a blank canvas. For others, it may create some doubt and hesitancy. A lot of my work and writing is grounded in the notion of daily steps create their own momentum. As Lao Tsu once wrote – “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step”.

Today is a new day, new year and new decade. What’s the journey you want to take?

If this is the first time you’ve stumbled upon the Teams365 blog, welcome! If you’ve been with me since I started this experiment in daily blogging back on January 1st, 2014, welcome back for another year. I’m excited to see what themes and topics we explore this year.

Over the last six years of blogging daily, I’ve amassed quite a bit of content. Rather than having it get buried, this year there’s a new monthly calendar you can follow. I’ve curated some of my favorite posts from here at the Teams365 blog and you can follow them along! Click here to download the January 2020 Teams365 calendar.

Today’s post provides you with an opportunity to create not only an annual vision and set of intentions, and goals for what you want to create this year, but also for the upcoming year.

I hope that you may grab a new notebook or journal and join me for these prompts today. You may even want to grab a timer and set it for 2 minutes.

#1 – As you look out across 2020 – what is it that you want to create, or embrace this year?
#2 – What is your theme for 2020?
#3 – What’s important to build time and space to focus on this year?
#4 – What are the top 3-5 goals for the year?
#5 – By December 31 2020, I want to…..
#6 – By December 31, 2029, I hope that…..
#7 – The one habit I want to focus on this year is….
#8 – Across this new decade I want to bring in….
#9 – As I get started every day, I want to remind myself….
#10 – My hope for myself (and my loved ones or team) is…
#11 – What do you want to do on a consistent basis?
#12 – What do you want to make sure you fit into the margins of your life this year? This decade?

Enjoy the reflection!

For more on setting a vision for yourself please check out this video I recorded a few weeks ago. If you have a vision already created, what are you going to do to review it on a regular basis, and use it as a touchstone?

All the best, 
​Jennifer

2019 has been a year of disruption on many fronts. Professionals of all kinds are no longer being buffeted by their leaders from the winds of change. Learning how to navigate disruption has become an imperative for all professionals.

I thought it would be fitting to reach back to a post from this past June on Navigating Disruption to help you think about the focus you want to take in continuing to cultivate these skills and mindsets in your work – here we go with a revisit of Teams365 #2003.
 
Here’s what I wrote in that blog post from June 2019 – Key Trends: Navigating Disruption
​
Disruption is part of the landscape of many industries and workplaces today. Whether things are changing dramatically due to technology or geopolitical impacts, change is pervasive for many.

While we can’t change the pace of change, we can adjust our approaches to it.

What do we do to continue to be effective and positive in times of change?

Three practical things we can do are:

Cultivate curiosity – While many leaders would assert “easier said than done”, cultivating curiosity is important for today’s business landscape. Cultivating curiosity can be an important skill to develop in team members AND embed in the culture of an organization.

For more on cultivating curiosity, check out this earlier Teams365 blog post I wrote on Cultivating Curiosity Teams365 #1955 and what the research says Teams365 1961 – Encouraging Curiosity.

Be clear on the big picture goals – Adopting a 30,000 foot view on work, life and context can also be a valuable strategy for buffeting against the shocks of change. While the meta-view (big picture view) is not one that everyone adopts easily, seeing the big picture helps with the micro-shocks we can feel on a regular basis when things change. This is why it’s really important to continue communicating and meeting during times of change. Helping share the big picture so people don’t find themselves in the “Weeds”, cut off from what’s happening in the bigger picture is critical.

Become comfortable with knowing when things are “good enough” to let go, and that learning may always be needed. The embracement of “growth mindset” on the part of organizations in support of their staff is encouraging. When we come from what Carol Dweck has coined “growth mindset” it gives permission for experimentation, learning, and not quite being ready “yet”.

Disruption may mean that reverse mentoring (junior to more senior professionals) is just as important as traditional mentoring (senior to more junior professionals). It also provides us with an opportunity to pause and see how we are adjusting to change. Are we as “good at change” as we thought we were?

A reminder that last month I focused on Teamwork in Uncertainty:

Teams365 #1955- Teamwork in Uncertainty: Cultivating Curiosity. View it here.

Teams365 #1954 – Managing Uncertainty – Building Trust and Connection on Your Team Virtually. All workplaces can benefit from this topic – it is one of the #1 questions we receive here at Potentials Realized. Check out the post here.
 
Teams365 #1962:  Teamwork in Uncertainty: Empowering your Team with the Space to Experiment. Read it here.
 
Teams365 #1968: Teamwork in Uncertainty: Pivot . Read it here. 
 
Teams365 #1969: Teamwork in Uncertainty: Comfort with the Unknown: Read it here.

Enjoy!
​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.

Conversations are at the heart of business success in any context or industry. Whether communication is happening face-to-face, by instant message, text or email, clarity in our communication is key. Checking assumptions and looping back to ensure that our message has been received as it was intended are also critical for success.

Two types of conversations which can be important for professionals of all kinds today – leaders, individual contributors and entrepreneurs – is having conversations with a coach and a mentor. Coaching and mentoring are in fact different modalities and each brings a different focus. Sometimes, the same person can wear the hat of coach and mentor, but often they are two different relationships we enter into.

Mentors play a critical role in helping us navigate the complexities and undercurrents of an industry, an organization or a role. Mentors help us understand the nuances of an industry/organization, often by sharing their experience. Typically, more seasoned that the person being mentored, they become a go-to for questions you may not be able to take to your boss. Research over the last decade and a half has shown that similar to team effectiveness, coaching and other relationships that trust and connection are key.

You might partner with a mentor to support your development in:

• Understanding what is needed to succeed in your role
• Understanding the undercurrents and politics of an organization or industry
• Getting a better sense of one person’s career transition
• Connecting in with important people, organizations and resources related to your work
• Expanding your network

Mentors typically will bring experience in your industry or with the role you are exploring. Their stories and experience serve as a springboard for your conversations.

Coaching is a separate modality and helps individuals gain clarity and awareness around their own capabilities. A coach in today’s business context is usually there to ask questions and prompt new insights via the questions and approaches they use. Coaching conversations are underpinned by the goals a person is working on, and usually focus on expanding awareness and action towards those key goals. While a coach may “once in a while” take off their coaching hat to slip on a “mentoring” or “training” hat in terms of suggesting a reading list, the role of the coach is a neutral one. The coach is invested in your own development and goals.

You might partner with a coach to help you:

• Gain further awareness of strengths, challenges and blind spots
• Create accountability around your most important goals
• Develop clarity around goals and next steps
• Understand the mindsets, belief systems, assumptions, and patterns you are embracing
• Have a regular pause point to stop, focus and strategize on what’s important in terms of your next steps

​As you consider your goals for the next year, what are the most important conversations to be undertaking? Is now the time to find a mentor, or a coach, or both?

Curious about either coaching or mentoring? We offer training and support in both areas. Reach out and set up a conversation today. 

Enjoy your conversations,
Jennifer

​Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized | Coaching Team Leaders
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.

Episode 2 of the Remote Pathways Podcast is now live! Join us as we exploer the pathways of those new to working remote, as well as the pathway of virtual team leaders. Listen in on your favorite podcast player or directly here.

For many years, I have shared the research with teams that they excel when they focus on both relationships and results. The same holds true for remote teams as well.

This week’s Effective Virtual Conversations Tip gets you thinking about what you are doing to help remote teams explore both their results and relationships.

A focus on results can include:

• Their goals
• Their vision
• Clarity around communication, tasks and focus
• How we measure success
• Leadership
• Roles

 
Relationship focus may explore:

• How much we know and trust each other
• Understanding our connections
• Understanding what our styles, and preferences are
• How we work across differences, conflict and difficult issues

​What are the things you need to focus on as a team?

In the remote space, taking time to build out the relationship focus is essential. We want to make sure that we are exploring who we are, what our strengths are, how we prefer to work, what helps and what hinders our work. No person is an island in any work context today. What opportunities are you creating to ensure that there is a focus on relationships in the team?

Could there be a component that you build into your next team meeting that focuses on having people share what they are working on and/or a little about their work. You might even consider undertaking some work around strengths or other areas.

What are the things you want to focus in around as a team right now?

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.

This year teams of all kinds have been finding micro-windows for conversation. The business context is not slowing down, change is ever present, and teams are needing to manage uncertainty. When we have a context like this, it can be really important to zoom into connecting with our bigger picture, and also focus on prioritization and systems.

As a team, it may be useful to invest time focusing on revisiting or discussing:

#1 - Our Ways of Working/Team Agreements: What are the norms and ways we work together? What’s acceptable? What’s not?

A reminder that much of the recent research, including Google’s project Aristotle, has validated what many of us as team practitioners have been doing for years – helping teams articulate HOW they want to operate. What’s acceptable and what’s not on a team?

#2 – Our Vision: Vision helps us move through the ups and downs of business. When things are changing at the micro-level, our vision may become more static, and can act as a guidepost. What are you doing to revisit your vision? How aligned is everyone around the vision? Does everyone see how they fit into the vision and how they contribute? Note that the time window around vision may be shorter than it was – rather than focusing on a 10-year window it may be 36-month vision.

spending a few minutes as a team at year end to reconnect around what your vision is for the upcoming year can be a valuable exercise.

I wrote more extended posts around working with vision back in 2015, and here are some of the questions I included at that time for discussion as a team in Teams365 #366. Here are some of those questions I included at the time:

Before you get back to work for the year, spend a few minutes reflecting on these key questions for your 2015 goals:

• What are your key goals for the next year - personally? As a team?
  
• On a scale of 1-10, how easy are these goals? Which ones are going to be the most stretch?
• What will keep these goals at the forefront for you this year?
• How do you want to track them? What are key milestones along the way?
• What do you need in order to achieve them (people, resources, finances etc)?
• What are you committed to achieving this next year, no matter what?
  
• How do your individual, team and organizational goals align?
• Who will you be accountable to?

• How will you celebrate them along the way?

Take time to write these down in  a place you can refer back to. When you get back to work, share and discuss these with your team members, those you collaborate with, and other stakeholders.

#3 - Systems and Processes become important given that we may need to shift our role even more. When we leave a role often our knowledge leaves with us. Savvy leaders know the importance systems and process play in helping to build on the learning that people bring. Even if they are moved to a new project, good systems and processes will help capture the learning.

#4 – Relationships. As I write in my latest work around Remote Pathways, “no person is an island”. Relationships play a critical role for team members, especially in the remote space. Remote does not equal disconnected. What are you doing to bring people together regularly to build trust and connection?  With low levels of trust, it’s likely that people will not be willing to bring their best self to work. With low levels of trust, it’s unlikely that the big issues will be surfaced. When people do not feel connected, it’s also unlikely that the real issues get surfaced. We want to make sure we help team members, especially remote team members, see their connections with each other.

For more on trust, check out this earlier Teams365 blog post and related cartoon around 9 different ways to build trust or Teams365 1512 for Building TRust in a virtual team.

Check out this blog post on creating connection and building community across the team.

Enjoy your conversation!
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.

As we arc towards the end of the year, it’s time to focus in on our 2020 vision. I’ve been enjoying hosting a number of events in the last few weeks around visioning for the new year, and new decade.

If you weren’t able to join us last week for the 2020 Vision session, please check out the recording here. You can download an associated worksheet here as well. The session will take about 30 minutes to go through.

Having a vision is important for a number of reasons. Our vision is important as it can help us to:

• Move through the ups and downs of everyday business. It can provide an anchor when things are turbulent.
• Stay focused and make decisions. It may make it easier to say yes to things that align with where we want to go and say no to things that are out of range.
• Pull us forward and motivate us when things are not working well.

Today’s post also serves as an opportunity to pause and take stock of where things are at. What are the things that need attention and need to get done before the end of the year? Is there anything you haven’t yet accomplished that you do want to put attention on?

As part of today’s post, be sure to grab a pen and participate in the 2020 Vision session I facilitated last week. You will find it here on YOUTUBE. Enjoy!

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.