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 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!
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We often talk about collaboration as something we aspire to, or want to do more of, but what are the things we need to ensure we DO In order to have successful collaboration. For today’s post, I am reaching back to a Teams365 blog post, a daily blog I have hosted since 2014. As I shared in Teams365 Blog post #506 – Four Essential Ingredients for Collaboration: 1. Be clear on why you are collaborating. Collaborating for collaboration's sake does not equal success! Why is this collaboration occurring? What is possible due to the fusion of your skills and abilities? What outcomes are you looking for? Partnerships and collaboration are not always a straight road. It's important to be clear on:
2. Consciously design your partnership Take time to intentionally, or consciously, design your partnership. Building in time for focusing on the relationship can be as important as creating or doing the work together. In a recent newsletter article I shared several of the partnership planning questions I have written about over the years. In my writing I talk about at least four stages where you will want to focus conversation - pre-program/partnership, at the start, during the work and at the end of major projects. Refer to chapter 12 of Effective Virtual Conversations or Chapter 11 of From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching. 3. Regularly check in and adjust. Regular check ins will look different for each project. Ask yourselves regular questions such as:
4. Consider what end result you have in mind - As Steven Covey wrote years ago "Start with the end in mind". Our end result shapes our action. As you engage in every conversation think about the end result you are aiming for. How does this influence your partnership? What roles you play? What attention you have? These four factors - clarity, conscious design, check in, and end in mind - support partnering and collaboration to be a flexible, fluid process. What is important for you to consider in your own work? Best wishes, 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! ![]() Week 49 Focus — Outreach Focus Question: WHO do you want to reach out to, to grow or magnify your work in the next year? Description Collaboration is a critical skill set for all business professionals and business owners today. We don’t operate in a vacuum. Outreach is critical for learning, delivering key business items, scaling your business, and collaborating. Who do you need to be fostering closer relationships with? Outreach can take many forms:
Being an active member of your professional or industry community can create a win-win for everyone involved. As a starting point, consider:
Activity Return to your vision and think about WHO you need to help you grow your business. Connection to the Workbook and Planner Revisit your Relationship Web and List of 20 Key Business Relationships. Networking and outreach are two-way streets. What are you bringing to the relationship as well? Review the sections around collaboration in Sections 3 and 4. Consider integrating some of the questions posed in the collaboration section. 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 This week’s Weekly Planning Hack gets you to think about your relationships and who you have in your web, who can help you with a major project or task that isn’t getting done. We do not operate in isolation and reaching out to others for support and collaboration can be important in getting things done. A few weeks ago, I wrote about planning first, and writing a book. There may be some people in your network who could help you with this. For other projects, like the paper management organizing mentioned in week 35, you may need to enroll family members like a spouse or kids to wade your way through the paper. What is important to note about relationships this week? Each February I often put a spotlight around relationship management issues. In PlanDoTrack, I also zoom into this topic area and invite business owners and remote workers to take stock of the Top 20 people in your network. Knowing who you can reach out to is important, especially in times of urgency. If you have not yet completed the exercise, be sure to check out the Top 20 Exercise on page 87 of PlanDoTrack. Enjoy your exploration! 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 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 ![]() Week 33 Focus – People Management 101 Focus Question: What makes your people exceptional? Description People are at the heart of any great business, or team. People management is a critical element for success. If you are a first-time team developer there’s lots to learn. It is often said that the move to first time supervisor or manager of people is the largest step you’ll ever undertake during your career. In PlanDoTrack, I explore core skills needed by both team leaders and team members. Given the autonomous nature of virtual and remote work, it can be beneficial and valuable to build these skills across an entire team – not just with the leader. As a leader of people, there are a variety of different conversations you will engage in. Here are several of them:
Activity Consider your skill base right now. What is one skill area you could become more effective in to boost your impact as a people leader? Connection to the Workbook and Planner Complete the Wheel of Virtual and Remote Work in PlanDoTrack and review the skills listed in Section 1 of PlanDoTrack. What do you notice? Where can you improve? 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 ![]() Week 28 Focus – Creating Your Visual Story - Instagram Focus Question: What picture do you want to paint about your work and focus? Description Whether you are creating your own personal brand, or building that of your business, creating a visual story of your journey and offerings adds another important layer in communicating who you are. Instagram is currently the fastest growing social network, estimated with more than 1 Billion users. Story There is no one right way to use Instagram and an increasing number of professionals and businesses are setting up accounts. Like any social media platform, you may want to develop a strategy and/or series of posts. There are many different ways to use Instagram, including creating a series of posts to:
During 2019 I am hosting a monthly series called the 1 Biz Step a Day. You can check them out here. Activity Research Instagram. Note the hashtags which are being used in your area of focus.
Connection to the Workbook and Planner Use any of the content scheduling tools to plan for and track your Instagram focus. 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 Follow the #90DaysPlanDoTrack series on Instagram ![]() Week 27 Focus – Communities on Social Media – Facebook, Mighty Networks, LinkedIn etc.… Focus Question: What are the communities you want to build on social media? Description In early 2018 Facebook announced it was going to place an emphasis on communities in their social media ecosystem. In addition to having a profile on the varying social networks, building community intentionally on social media has multiple benefits including cultivating connection with like-minded people, sharing resources with people who have a common interest, and also adding value to a community who can refer. What are the communities you want to build on social media? There are several different platforms you might want to consider including:
Activity Consider what community you might want to spearhead in social media.
What content would you populate your new community on social media with? Consider material you have created, go-to resources from others, and polls to find out what people want. Consider dedicating each day to a different theme: Throwback Thursday, Motivation Monday… Connection to the Workbook and Planner Use the Content Daily Trackers, and Content Brainstorm to identify key content you are sharing or plan to share. 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 Follow the #90DaysPlanDoTrack series on Instagram We operate as part of a larger web. As Buddha wrote: “As a net is made up of a series of ties, so everything in this world is connected by a series of ties. If anyone thinks that the mesh of the net is an independent isolated thing he is mistaken. It is called a net because it is made up of a series of interconnected meshes, and each mesh has its place and responsibility in relation to other meshes.”
Even as solopreneurs or someone working remote we are a bigger part of a web. Being clear on how we connect and interrelate can help us be more focused and intentional in our messaging, marketing and communication. This week take some time to draw out your web of relationships.
Have a great Wednesday! Jennifer Jennifer Britton - Potentials Realized
Check out the Weekly Planning Hack Facebook Live each Wednesday or Thursday here. Be sure to like our page to be updated each week! Author of PlanDoTrack (2019), Effective Virtual Conversations (2017) and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (2013) Over the last month we’ve been exploring different skills and practices for virtual professionals. This week’s post focuses in on five people virtual team members need in their network. Given the more autonomous role of the virtual and remote employee, five people virtual team members will want to make sure they have strong relationships with, are:
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 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 Questions form the backbone to any great coaching conversation. What is the state of questions being asked in your team? While asking informational questions can be of great value, in the virtual team context, we may be in multiple conversations where we are using questions to:
When we operate in the virtual and remote context it usually means that we aren’t having to advise, but rather coach. This can necessitate a different set of questions or a different way to ask questions rather than a Yes/No approach. In creating more powerful questions for the virtual space we want to focus on a few things:
In coaching we usually encourage questions to be:
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 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 |
AuthorJennifer Britton is the blogger behind the popular Teams365 blog, a daily,blog for team leaders and members since 2014. Her latest publication is the PlanDoTrack Workbook and Planner. Pick up a copy at Amazon. Pick Up a CopyUpcoming Programs
Join us for the 21 For 21 Virtual Co-working Sprints - $21 US. Want to access the recordings and bonus worksheets? Join us at the Booster Pack $79 US early bird rate. Sign up at 21for21 Virtual Co-working - STAND OUT VIRTUALLY! Stand Out Virtually - Incubator - Running an online, virtual or digital business and want to get the word out to organizations? Join us for the 8 week Stand Out Virtually Incubator. Next group starts April 2021. Build out your brand, offers and proposals. Virtual Facilitation Essentials (8.5 CCEs)- Expand your toolkit for better remote and virtual conversations. This is a virtual train-the-trainer - 5 weeks: Fall 2021 programming starts in October $495 US Learn more and register. Coaches! Register for the 60 Day Coaching Business Builder Accelerator. Join us for 60 Days support and ACTION for coaches wanting to grow their businesses. On-Demand Course. PlanDoTrack Facilitator Training Program (24 CCEs) - Starts again in October. Contact Jennifer to discuss. Month-End/Quarterly Planning Session: Thursday September 30th - 8 -9 am ET Archives
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