In early March, I released the Remote Working Whitepaper. If you haven’t picked up a copy of it, be sure to download it here.

In the remote working whitepaper, I share 7 things that help remote work flourish. I call these the 7 Remote Enablers. They are:

• Communication
• Clarity
• Connection
• Culture
• Consistency
• Community
• Collaboration

 
Each one is a lever for individuals and teams to focus on and refine. Building these skills helps us

In this week’s blog post we are going to explore one of them – Communication.

Communication takes a variety of forms in the remote space – from live virtual calls, to one-way passages of info, Slack, to Team Stream comments. With such a variety of channels, it’s important that we ensure everyone is comfortable with these channels, and that there are shared agreements of how we use them, and what’s expected. It can also be useful to have agreements across the team in terms of the pace at which communication is expected.

Given that communication is only as strong as it’s weakest link consider inviting all team members to:

• Consider the best channel for the type of message they are sending.
• Consider highlighting the most important topics – this might be the top 3 bullet points, or soundbites.
• Consider HOW people prefer to be communicated with.
• Consider the Call to Action – What do you want people to do next?
• Consider the visual anchors which can underpin the conversation.

​What are the adjustments you want to make to your communication?
 
Enjoy the conversation!
Jennifer

I do a lot of writing around remote work on two of my related sites, Remote Pathways.com, the home of my podcast, as well as at the Teams365 blog. I wanted to make sure that you had had the chance to see these recent items:

• Are you making these remote working mistakes? 
• Teams, are you missing any of these core virtual meeting ingredients?
• Virtual Meetings – Keeping Them on Track – Teams365 #2291 
• Back to Basics – Virtualize and Digitize -Teams365 #2396
• Beat Zoom Fatigue with These Tips – Teams365 #2410

Over at the Remote Pathways podcast we’ve been exploring a variety of fun topics including:

• Episode 19 - Remote Working Myths – Listen in here.
• Episode 18 - with Leadership Coach and Consultant, and PlanDoTrack Certified Facilitator Cindy Hooker
• Episode 17 -  Every Remote Professional Needs to Be a Leader
• Episode 16 - An interview with special guest Kim Avery – Coach and Author of the Prayer Powered Entrepreneur 

Be sure to subscribe here so you receive alerts when we release our bi-weekly episodes.

What have you enjoyed reading or listening to at my other sites?

Enjoy your week,
Jennifer

Join me this Thursday to Stand Out Virtually!

I’m super excited to be hosting a one-day virtual learning event called Stand Out Virtually Masterclass. Building onto the momentum created in August with the 5 Day Stand out virtually Challenge I hosted in my new VRVH Facebook Group, I’ll be hosting a live 6 hour virtual masterclass, geared to support you in growing your confidence and tools in the remote space.
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We’ll be looking at these areas during the day:

• Putting the pieces all together with exceptional DESIGN
• The neuroscience behind exceptional virtual design and facilitation
• The Perfect Virtual Call Formula – PERC (yes, way more detail around that)
• How to REALLY use the ENGAGEMENT tools available to you in workshop
• Quick tips to fluidly frame any virtual conversation
• Exploring your presence – What’s your unique style as a virtual facilitator?
• 6 core virtual facilitation tools to always lean into

 
What’s included:

• A digital participant guide for you to take notes, refer to and mark up with your brilliant ideas
• Worksheets
• Recordings from the Day
• A pre-and post call with Jennifer (15 minutes each)

 
Frequently Asked Questions:
I’ve taken Virtual Facilitation Essentials or Effective Group Coaching from you already. Will this be a repeat?
Each of the three programs are distinct. Just as you’ve seen in those programs, research and best practices guide my training. Just as with the Stand Out Virtually Challenge – we’ll got deeper into a lot of the themes we just touched on.

Who is the program for?
If you are needing to lead virtual calls and are looking to Stand Out with scientifically grounded approaches, embedded in the best of adult learning, coaching and experiential education, this program will be of interest. Those who have attended the Stand Out Challenge have been leaders, coaches, learning facilitators and more.

What can I expect?
The Stand Out Virtually masterclass is a combination of content, workshopping (Getting it done during the session), AND micro-masterminding (small group work).

Who is leading the program?
The program will be led by Jennifer Britton, author of Effective Virtual Conversations, who has been leading remote teams and facilitating virtual conversations since the 1990s. Her mission during 2020 is to support 795,000 professionals in having better coaching and virtual conversations.

How often will this be offered? 
This is not intended to be an ongoing program like my others (Virtual Facilitation Essentials). This is a one-off opportunity to boost your skills, connection, ideas and plans for virtual conversations. Be sure to join us!

Questions?
 Contact Jennifer with your questions by email.

Reserve your spot today!

The intent is for you to not only learn but spend time during the day applying your learning to a program or presentation you have coming up. You’ll also have time to network and mastermind with other fellow colleagues. Do join us!

Cost: $697 US which includes the Masterclass, recordings from it, the program workbook, and a post program 1-1 with me. Register with a colleague and each save 25%. Register with 2 colleagues and each save 40%. Contact me to be invoiced directly for these registrations. Register here.

Have a great week AND HOPE TO SEE YOU THURSDAY!
Jennifer

It’s back to work and time to revisit HOW you are working. What are the things that are working? What’s things aren’t?
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I thought it would be useful to revisit the start of year checklist, given that September is often known as the second new year. How are you doing around these 10 areas:
1. What are your top 3 priorities for the rest of the year? Where are these visible? Does everyone you interface with know about these?
2. When are your 1-1s scheduled with your boss? Your team?
3. Peer time - When have you scheduled meetings and outreach with your peers?
4. Deep work time - What are the times you have earmarked for the heavier thinking tasks and activities?
5. Organizing- What are the things that need to be streamlined? What items need to be organized – physically and digitally?
6. Tolerations - What is the one thing that bothered you this year that you want to fix? Maybe it was something in your office that didn't work, or something on your computer that wasn't configured right?
7. Learning - What do you have earmarked for learning? What formats will it take? Are you building in time to apply the learning you have already taken, or have you become a consumer of learning?
8. Habits - What are the habits that are doing to keep you at peak performance?
9. Boundaries -What are the boundaries around work which will help support you? As a virtual and remote team member it's easy to have the lines blur. What's important to carve out as "your time" or "Family time". When are you available for others? When are you not? Have you communicated this?
10. Renewal and peak performance - The working life of a virtual and remote professional can be sedentary at times. What are you doing to renew, energize and keep yourself at peak performance?
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Is there anything else you want to add to the list?

Enjoy the conversation!
Jennifer