Many workers are concerned that visibility in the remote and virtual workspace is not like being “seen” in the in-person realm. In contrast, many others feel like they have never been more visible. What are you doing to remain visible in the digital and virtual space?

Business continues to leverage relationships and is grounded in results. What are you doing to foster business relationships while getting the work done?

Here are a number of activities you might want to consider:
​
Mentoring – Many professional associations connect professionals at all stages of their careers with a mentor. Mentoring can be an invaluable way to learn from others in your profession and organization.

Join a professional association – If you are not a member of your professional association, this may be a great time to join. Many host ongoing professional development activities at no or low fee, while others may host Virtual speed networking rounds.

Join a LinkedIn or Facebook group – Whether it’s connecting in for conversation or connecting in to take action in something like a Challenge, joining a social media group can connect you in with core topics of importance. I recently held the Stand Out Virtually challenge and was amazed to see the progress people made during the challenge.

Take an online learning course – There are a variety of courses different providers offer. I continue to offer several courses which are approved for International Coach Federation Continuing Coach Education Units – including Group Coaching Essentials and Virtual Facilitation Essentials. In addition to skill development, online learning courses often connect you in with others with a keen interest.

What are you looking to learn this year? What connections are you looking to foster?

Which activities might you consider?

What else might you consider?

Best wishes,
Jennifer

This time of year is always characterised by “let’s get back to routine”! While this year may be a little different (or a lot different depending on where you are), this week’s post gets you thinking about core activities which may have been put off that you’ll want to schedule before, or during, the fall.

#1 – One-on-one time. Individual conversations become even more important in the remote space. What’s your rhythm of 1-1 calls with team members? Getting into, or back to, the routine of regular 1-1 calls to check in, troubleshoot and see what team members need are key parts of team success. They helps with connection, results and motivation. Take a look at this Teams365 blog post for Questions You Might Incorporate Into Your 1-1 Conversations.

#2 – A regular rhythm of team meetings. Think about the team meetings you have been involved with. What is the rhythm? How frequently do you meet? What type of meetings are you holding? Are they always the most effective or efficient?
​
Consider using the 8 Essential Virtual Meeting Questions before you meet every time. You’ll find them here.

#3 – Quarterly planning. While the business context may look different than it did six months ago or even three months ago, quarterly planning is key. In the remote space it’s even more important for people to be on the same page. When are you planning to get together to look at your plans? When will you be focusing on coming together as a team to reflect on your successes and learning from the past few months?

#4 – Peer connections. Peer connections are key to learning, and feedback. What are you doing as a team to foster time between peers? Have you considered a co-working session?

#5 – Team and personal development. Ongoing learning has never been more important. What are you doing to support new learning at both the team and individual levels?

Learning can take many forms: from on-demand video-based programs to live, interactive webinars. What are you doing to foster team and personal development?

Enjoy your focus and conversations as you get back to (a new) routine!

Best wishes, 
Jennifer

"And even, if circumstances required, a contingency plan for his contingency plan's contingency plan."
-Frank Beddor
As recent events have shown, plans don’t always go as planned, especially when the context changes so much. This week’s Weekly Planning Hack is all about contingency planning.

My former world of work with the international sector, and in working with disaster management, was grounded in contingency planning. I like to say that I would start my day with a plan of A – Z which would morph and adjust to become a list of D2  to I2   over the course of the day.

Contingency planning is grounded in flexibility and consistent action. It is reactive, and sometimes proactive, making sure that plans are fluid and always moving.

Contingency planning allows for changes and learning to occur from event to event.
It does require strong skills in prioritization, adaptability, and flexibility.

What can contingency planning look like for you?

Enjoy!
​Jennifer

This week’s blog post takes us into another layer of five of the productivity keys PlanDoTrack’s philosophy is grounded in. Taking time along the way to pause is critical for learning. If we go back to the educational model of David Kolb’s ERGA, he asserted that learning happens through a four stage process:

1. Experience: Have an experience – for example, complete a project or hold a team meeting
2. Reflect: Stop and reflect – individually or collectively. This could involve reflecting through questions, reflection
3. Generalize: Take note of the key learning and think about how it can be scaled to other area
4. Apply: Apply the learning to other projects – for example, your next project (even if it’s in a different area) or your next team meeting

One of the key challenges in today’s business context is that we are often moving so fast we don’t have time to stop and pause.

On an individual level, consider the benefit of:

• Tracking your details of the day in a journal or your daily planning system
• Reviewing on a weekly basis your achievements – see the Week in Focus pages of the monthly planning pages at PDT

Areas to consider as you create the PAUSE 

• What did I do today?
• What did I focus on?
• What learning did I have?
• What opportunities are available?
• What insights did I have?
• What do you want your PAUSE to look like?

Enjoy your pause!
​Jennifer

​​​​Jennifer Britton - Potentials Realized
Author of PlanDoTrack (2019), Coaching Business Builder (2018), Effective Virtual Conversations (2017) and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (2013). Pick up a copy of any of her books at Amazon.

Book Jennifer for a coaching session to explore productivity, teamwork and business issues.
​Contact her by phone at (416)996-8326

Check out these Instagram accounts @coachingbizbuilder & @remotepathways!
Check out upcoming programs on our calendar!

Are you a remote professional? Listen into the Remote Pathways Podcast on your favorite podcast player!

​We are exploring five of the different productivity keys captured in PlanDoTrack. The second one is around experimentation. With today’s business context characterized by change and disruption, experimentation can be an important strategy in product development, service delivery and also learning.

Just as in an experimental mindset, we can approach some of our project work from a trial and error standpoint. While these may not be all projects, some areas may be earmarked for innovation and experimentation.

Adopting an experimental mindset can lead to an ongoing cycle of trial, results, learning, iteration, adjustment.

Some of the areas you might consider experimenting with could include:

• Meetings: (times, flows and processes) – Given that many organizations realize that current meeting processes are not the most effective or efficient, might this be an area to experiment with different approaches and strategies? For example, facilitation at team meetings – Rather than the same person leading each team meeting might you rotate that?
• Program Delivery – Instead of offering everything in an in-person format, might you experiment with offering something as a virtual or online offering?
• Content Delivery – Instead of always writing something, might you experiment with something that is delivered via audio or video?

What are the changes you are noting in your industry? Where might experimentation be of service?

For more on this topic check out:

• Michael Thompsons article – 5 Benefits of Adopting an Experimental Mindset
• Alex Cuthbert’s article on Embracing and Experimental Mindset

What does an experimental mindset mean for you as a team or business? What can it look like?

Best,
​Jennifer

​​Jennifer Britton - Potentials Realized
Author of PlanDoTrack (2019), Coaching Business Builder (2018), Effective Virtual Conversations (2017) and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (2013). Pick up a copy of any of her books at Amazon.

Book Jennifer for a coaching session to explore productivity, teamwork and business issues.
​Contact her by phone at (416)996-8326

Check out these Instagram accounts @coachingbizbuilder & @remotepathways!
Check out upcoming programs on our calendar!

Are you a remote professional? Listen into the Remote Pathways Podcast on your favorite podcast player!

This week’s Weekly Planning Hack is all about undertaking ongoing learning. The world is not stopping for anyone. Each one of us, regardless of how well educated or credentialed we are (and I say this as someone who has multiple degrees and credentials), can benefit from ongoing learning. Whether it’s picking up a new skill set or getting skills into practice, ongoing learning helps with productivity, AS LONG AS it’s not just learning for learning’s sake but “learning for application sake”.
​
I hope that this week you’ll take a few minutes (15 minutes tops!) to think about these questions:

• What learning have you been undertaking?
• How is that ongoing learning helping you?
• As you look ahead at your work, what new learning do you want to undertake?
• How can you learn (think courses, mentors, online learning etc.)?

What else is important to note about learning?

All the best,
​Jennifer

Week 50 Focus — Experimentation
Focus Question: Where might experiments in your work or business support you?

Description
In the three books I have published since 2017, I make reference to the need for experimentation in today’s VUCA – Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous – world.

Given that things are changing so quickly, trying things out to see how, and if, they work can be an important part of the business process.
It may be the things we are not sure of, that give us the greatest impact. Part of experimentation means that are we willing to try something out, and another part of experimentation is tracking our results.

In my business, one of the longest experiments I have undertaking is my writing at the Teams365 blog. Born on January 1st, 2014, the blog was an experiment to initially see how I could enhance the readership and visibility of my work and brand. What initially was going to be a one-year experiment in posting blog posts has grown into a six-year experiment (2014-2019) and an important part of my creative process. My regular writing under the Teams365 banner has become an important part of content creation for my client programs, and an important vehicle for me to find and magnify my voice in the areas of leadership, teamwork, remote work and virtual conversations. It’s become a really important repository as well for my work and intellectual property.

After six years of blogging, I would say that this has been a success. Website visits have moved from 80 page reads a week to more than 10, 000 a week.
What experiments have you undertaking? What ones do you want to plan for the new year?

Activity
Think about your key goals right now. What are the things which could benefit from more experimentation?

What is your hypothesis, or what do you think is going to happen?
​
What do you want to track so that you know your experiments are working? What are the short-term metrics? Long-term?

Connection to the Workbook and Planner
Consider using one of the Monthly Daily Trackers to track the results of your experiments.

Download a one-page copy of this week's 52 Weeks of Plan, Do and Track here.

Best wishes, 
Jennifer

Read and download the initial weeks of the 52 weeks of Plan, Do and Track

Jennifer Britton - Potentials Realized
Author of PlanDoTrack (2019),  Coaching Business Builder (2018), Effective Virtual Conversations (2017) and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (2013). Pick up a copy of any of her books at Amazon
Book Jennifer for a coaching session to explore productivity, teamwork and business issues.
Contact her by phone at (416)996-8326
Check out the new 19 Productivity Tips on-demand program. Explore this video based program at  your own pace, and join Jennifer for bi-weekly calls as part of your course.
Follow the #90DaysPlanDoTrack series on Instagram
​

Welcome back to the 30th weekly planning hack. This week’s WPH is about engaging in ongoing learning. Today we have many options to engage in ongoing learning – from books, and podcasts to MOOCS (Massive Open Online Courses) to industry recommended programs.

What is the ongoing learning that’s going to help you get where you want to go?
​
Consider these questions:

• What are the skills you wish you had in your toolbox, so you could do things quicker or faster?
• What are the practice opportunities you wish you had to translate things you know into action? When can you schedule those in?
• What are the things your mentor would indicate are important to you?

I hope that you will spend a few minutes this week exploring options which exist for you to learn more about these areas.

Enjoy your learning!
​Jennifer 

Week 32 Focus – One Percent Rule to Business Development
Focus Question: What are the consistent daily steps you want to undertake?
​
Description
Since 2005 I have been sharing what I call the One Percent Rule to Business Development. I've heard from a lot of entrepreneurs that they like this notion of incremental business action. So here it is!
The 1% rule to business development consists of a series of 8 different stages:
1. Create the Vision: Our vision sets the broad swath of possibility. It gets us thinking about what is possible. It also helps to anchor us when we think about where we want to go and what we want to do. Making our vision detailed and keeping it visible can be important. How are you enshrining your vision?
2. Prepare. During the preparation phase we want to get clear on what the requirements are for our work and projects. We want to know what a successful result looks like. We want to be clear on what resourcing is needed. During the preparation phase we will gather all the information we have so we can pull together a plan.
3. Create an action plan. In my work as a coach, I usually get my clients to create a One-Page Action Plan. The value of the One-Page Plan is that it contains all of the most important information in one page. The One-Pager be placed in a visual location so that you can refer to it quickly AND regularly. What’s on your action plan?
4. Seek out support. What is going to help you achieve the key goals you have set out for yourself? Support can take many forms – financial, technical, people. What do you need to be successful?
5. Take ongoing small steps. As my father, a retired entrepreneur himself, always reminds me that “Rome was not built in a day”. The premise behind the workbook planners is about taking REGULAR, CONSISTENT action. In building a business by ourselves burnout may be a possibility if we move too fast. It can be important to take regular small steps to create the momentum needed for things done quickly.
6. Test, Learn, Retest. In the sixth step were going to test things out. Today's volatility and complexity requires that we experiment regularly.  With the data we receive from the initial test or action we can learn and apply then retest and learn again. This is an iterative process which continues. Throughout the business cycle we may move through different bouts of experimentation. Each cycle creates an opportunity for learning and growth.
7. Learn, Iterate and Act. Each action creates a reaction, which over time creates its own momentum, making it easier to achieve the goal. Along the way learning and feedback will help to shape what we do.
8. Ultimately our goal is achieved. Based on our experience we will further refine the vision that we set out for ourselves, expanding it or modifying it based on our experience. This will further support and shape our actions are we move forward with the next cycle and process.
This cycle may take place in a short amount of time, for example a day or it may be phased over the longer term of a project.
 
Activity
Using your business or a current project, work through the One Percent Rule. What can action and learning look like around one of your most important goals? Map out the 8 steps of the One Percent Rule.

​Connection to the Workbook and Planner
Refer to the One Percent Rule to Business in Section 1 on page 29 of the Coaching Business Builder, or page 31 of PlanDoTrack.

Download a one-page copy of this week's 52 Weeks of Plan, Do and Track here.

Best wishes, 
Jennifer

Read and download the initial weeks of the 52 weeks of Plan, Do and Track

​Jennifer Britton - Potentials Realized
Author of PlanDoTrack (2019),  Coaching Business Builder (2018), Effective Virtual Conversations (2017) and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (2013). Pick up a copy of any of her books at Amazon
Book Jennifer for a coaching session to explore productivity, teamwork and business issues.
Contact her by phone at (416)996-8326
Check out the new 19 Productivity Tips on-demand program. Explore this video based program at  your own pace, and join Jennifer for bi-weekly calls as part of your course.
Follow the #90DaysPlanDoTrack series on Instagram

In this week’s Weekly Planning Hack, I’m exploring some of the varied apps that are available to support you in time management. Many of us have periods where everything is digital. This may be your daily practice OR it may be the way you do things while traveling or on the road for work.

Apps around time management can support many functions including:

• Project Management
• Time Tracking – where your time is going
• Calendaring
• Scheduling
• Contents
• Invoicing
• Learning

Let’s take a look at some of the options under these umbrellas:

Project Management – Two of my favorite project management apps are Trello and Asana. While a little different in focus and look, they are both mobile and desk top friendly. I find I use Trello more for writing and creative projects like program design, while turning to Asana for projects that require collaboration.

Time Tracking – One of the first Weekly Planning Hacks here was around the Pomdoro Technique, a time management function where you use alarms and burst of work. Note what you have available to you through your phone and dedicated apps to track your time through bursts of focus.
There is also an opportunity to track your time through a multitude of apps such as Toggl, Timeline, Tsheets and many others. What do you use? Let us know in the comments below what you use and what you like about it?
 
Learning Apps – As an educator in both formal and informal contexts for many years, there are so many great ways to take “learning with you”. From podcasts to on-demand video-based courses. 

One of the applications I use with my clients is Teachable. You’ll note the Teams365 series of programming continues to grow in scope. The Teams365 Teamwork Foundations course has been joined this year by the 19 Productivity Tips and Time Management program. Having been involved in creating both corporate and public programming for many years I know how valuable it is for students to be able to learn in this flexible format. While it’s not for everyone, when there ‘s an urgent need, nothing beats taking a quick on-demand program.

Invoicing – for those involved in running a business, invoicing and financial apps are critical to keeping a business running and doors open. From PayPal to Quick books, along with other tracking systems, it makes it easy to receive and send money at the press of a button.
 
As you may have noticed, I did not touch on all of these and will be covering some of them in future posts. Stay tuned next week for Time Tracking and Time Tracker Apps.

Best wishes,
Jennifer

​Jennifer Britton - Potentials Realized
Check out the Weekly Planning Hack Facebook Live each Wednesday  here.
Author of PlanDoTrack (2019), Coaching Business Builder (2018), Effective Virtual Conversations (2017) and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (2013)
Just announced - July's Facilitator Training for PlanDoTrack and the Coaching Business Builder. Are you interested incorporating these resources into your own work. Help me bring the resource out to 20,000 virtual entrepreneurs, remote workers and team leaders by 2020! Early bird rate on to June 21st.