With most work having gone virtual or remote overnight for those who can, what is needed in order to lead and be a great team member? Now's the time to get up to speed quickly.

For those who have been following along my writing for a while, you'll know that for the last 3 years I've done a monthly call related to Effective Virtual Conversations. You can find them here on YouTube. These are focused in on what it takes to have a great conversation in the remote space. Teams who shifted last week are going to need to have productive virtual working sessions this week - check out these videos for tips on how to lead virtual calls, skills needed, tricky issues (and how to avoid them).

A reminder that I'll be leading a group through the one-day Virtual Faciltation Essentials program this Wednesday March 25th from 10 - 530 pm Eastern/Toronto. Throughout the program you'll get a chance to learn, and practice, the various virtual facilitation tools which are available. 5 spots still open. Check it out here.

For those that are leading remote teams, you may want to focus on some of the remote work and remote team PlanDoTrack video calls I've done including:
Collaboration Virtually - No person is an island (February 2020). View it here. (30 min)
​Five Key Skills for Virtual and Remote Professionals (June 2019) - View it here.
Remote Team Skills (September 2019) - View it here.
Navigating the Matrix of Virtual and Remote Work (Spring 2019) - View it here.

Finally, for those who like to read, check out these latest articles I've posted on Thrive Global - 
Working from Home - In Focus. This article explores five areas to keep in mind as you work from home - Read it here.
Listening in the Virtual Space - Read it here.
Keeping your virtual meetings on track - Read it here.
3 Areas to Consider when your team makes the shit to remote work. Read it here.

If you haven't downloaded the Remote Working Whitepaper I did earlier this month, please check it out here.
Enjoy your Sunday!

With 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

Other resources to support you:
Check out these Instagram accounts @coachingbizbuilder & @remotepathways
Check out upcoming virtual learning  programs on our calendar
Are you a remote professional? Listen into the Remote Pathways Podcast on your favorite podcast player

​Week 40 Focus – Team Development – Building Your Team 
Focus Question: What is going to help your team excel? What does building your team look like? When are you dedicating time to this process?

Description
Team development is a process. It is not something that happens overnight. It’s not a one-off. Teams are like elephants – big and bold. They take time to move and shift.
Teams need several elements to perform at their peak. I commonly call these the Six Factors of high performing teams. From different research (Katzenbach and Smith, Hackman and Wageman, Carr and Peters) we know that teams require:

1. Shared purpose or mission (Your WHY)
2. Shared behavioral norms (How you do things? What is acceptable and unacceptable on the team?)
3. Shared commitment (What are team members committed to?)
4. Shared performance goals (How are people measured? How do your goals align? Overlap?)
5. Shared team practices (Teams that work together effectively share common practices such as a Monday morning huddle, a Thursday night out or some other regular event)
6. Clear roles (How our roles overlap, align and connect)

https://www.potentialsrealized.com/teams-365-blog/teams365-307-revisiting-the-six-factors-of-high-performing-teams
 
Activity
As a team, consider where you are on a scale of 1-10 (1 being low and 10 being high) around each of the Six Factors? What needs attention?
Be sure to schedule in time for your team development activities. (Note the S in activities. Team development is not just a one-off! It’s a process.)

Connection to the Workbook and Planner
Share resources with you team from the workbook plan. Could they benefit from having a copy themselves?
 
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 39 Focus – Team Development: Understanding How Teams Operate
Focus Question: What does your team need right now?

 Description
In growing a team, it is important to understand the arc of team development. Teams naturally move through the process of what is commonly referred to as Tuckman’s Model. This series of stages from Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing and Adjourning. At different stages team and groups have varying needs. 
 
Here’s what I shared about the five stages of Tuckman’s model in a Teams365 blog post:
 
The forming stage occurs when groups or teams are coming together, and/or are being joined by new group/team members. Key needs at this stage include safety, connection and understanding what expectations are. As coaches, it is important at this stage to encourage dialogue around expectations, group or team agreements (or "how we want to operate/get along") and connect people with each other as well as with you.
 
By the second conversation, groups are often into the Storming Stage where they are asking themselves "What? So, who are we? What's this all about?". This is where conflict starts to emerge and can be very overt (visible) or under wraps (i.e. people choosing not to engage and double-booking themselves). Conflict is a normal and healthy part of group development when they have the tools and skills to learn to work across differences. We can support groups and teams as coaches sat this stage by supporting them with a process and tools that help them gain clarity about who they are and what it's all about.
 
As groups and teams move through Storming and start to create their own identify they move to the Norming stage. We may start seeing the group really start coming together in the second or third group coaching conversation, or even in the morning of a multi-day program. As coaches we can support the process by encouraging dialogue around roles, key goals they are working towards collectively and the purpose of the group or team.
 
The next stage in Tuckman's Model is Performing. At this stage, the group or team has everything they need and clarity around what they are doing so they can get the work done. As coaches, we can support teams and groups at this stage for pausing to reflect on what's working, what's not, what needs a tweak and what's going to support their results.
 
Groups and teams will end - whether it is a team member leaving, a project team winding down, or a group disbanding. In the Adjourning stage we want to create the space for people to acknowledge their achievements, learning and start looking at next steps.
 
Activity
Questions to consider:

• What stage is the group or team you are working with right now?
• What can you do to support them? What do they need from you?

I go into greater detail about Tuckman’s Model in most of my books, given that the stages play out in both in-person and virtual teams.

Connection to the Workbook and Planner
As you consider the different relationships you are in, what stages are you at?

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 38 Focus – Onboarding New Team Members
Focus Question: What is important to communicate about your business?

Description
In bringing people onboard to your team it's really critical that you:

• Are clear on what the task requirements are
• Get specific with what the end result needs to look like
• Provide check points to review and adjust the actions undertaken

 
Story
Onboarding New Team Members:
 
It’s likely that you may be bringing on new team members, and also doing this in a virtual setting. As you approach onboarding your new team members consider sharing:

• What the business is about
• Key business values – what’s important in every touchpoint (speed, accuracy, quality)
• Philosophies of the business
• High level priorities
• How their work fits into the other sectors of the business
• Expectations abut work, punctuality, output
• Confidentiality and Ethics

On the work front you will also want to discuss:

• Job requirements
• Reporting
• Information sharing, security and privacy
• Feedback loops
• What else?

Activity
This week make a list of all the things you want to cover in onboarding new team members. What materials are needed? What support?

Connection to the Workbook and Planner
Going back to your values and vision as a business, what is important to communicate? Many of the areas we explored – values, strengths, can be explored with others.

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

​Delegation is one of the areas that is an opportunity for improvement for many professionals today. In a context which is ever changing, and priorities can pull us in many directions, the art of delegation can be very important as you about getting things done, especially if you have a team around you.

Delegation is truly an art form. It’s not just about “getting something off your plate” but rather ensuring that it’s passed off to someone who can get it done and grow. 

Check out this LinkedIn post I wrote a while ago on delegation –“Effective Delegation: Your Keys to Success”.

In the spirit of keeping things simple I often share the 5 Ws and an H when I am speaking with leaders and virtual team members about delegation. Here’s what I wrote about delegation using this approach over at the Teams365 blog a while ago:

​“We can apply the 5 Ws to Delegation:

What - What do you want to delegate? What are the specifics? What resources do they need to complete this?
Who - Who will you delegate to? Do they have the skills required? What support do they need along the way?
When - What are the major milestones along the way? How will you check in, and when?
Why - Why is this task important? Have you communicated the big picture?
Where - Where does the work need to take place?
How - What are the steps/actions required? How will it be measured? How will you all know it has been successful?”
Source: https://www.potentialsrealized.com/teams-365-blog/teams-365-90-delegation-tips
 
Questions to consider :
What are the 5 Ws for you right now around delegation?
What do you want to make sure you delegate?

Best wishes,
Jennifer

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:

• Performance conversations
• Delegation
• Prioritization
• Helping you do your best work – strengths conversations
• Mentoring or advisory conversations
• Change – what’s not work and why

As people leaders, we will want to keep in mind these team development and motivational foundations:

• We are motivated by both internal and external factors (Internal factors include= Learning, Growth, Achievement, Mastery - External factors include= Promotion, Reward and Compensation);
• We want support in different ways (regular check-ins vs “let me get on with my work”);
• We want to give feedback in different ways;
• We want to receive feedback in different ways;
• Hearing something once may not be enough;
• Being shown what it can look like, or different samples of work, can be helpful in creating a visible path.

Team development is a process. Different types of team development activities are required throughout the year. From team check-ins to retreats, ask yourself:

• What’s the best activity for the moment?
• What’s the most important thing for the team to focus on right now?
• What’s the best vehicle?
• When do we really need to get together?

In working in a virtual or remote space, all of us have the need to be a good people leader - not only formal managers - as we get work done through others.
 
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

 ​Welcome back to another Wednesday Weekly Planning Hack. This is #24 in the series.
This week’s WPH is about a great prioritization tool using post its. It builds onto last week’s focus of using post its in planning, and in ensuring all voices in a team are represented. In this week’s blog post let us explore another very visual way to prioritize – this time using post its.
​
Here’s what I wrote about the Planning Matrix in PlanDoTrack and the Coaching Business Builder:

“The prioritization matrix is a quick visual tool where all you will need is some post-it notes or a white board.

First, identify all of the priorities you have, writing each one down on a separate post-it.

Then rate them according to their impact and likelihood of getting them done (or other criterion).

Place them along the matrix of impact and likelihood.
​
This activity is very visual, and stimulates dialogue amongst the team members themselves. An important part of the prioritization process for teams is about sharing information, and also busting assumptions that might be held. This seems to have the potential to be a great structure for facilitating that conversation.”
(Source: Coaching Business Builder, Jennifer Britton, 2018) 
What ways can you incorporate post its, teamwork and planning?

Best,
Jennifer

This week’s Weekly Planning Hack focuses on the Power of a Post It. From being an important visual reminder, to helping teams focus on what’s important, the power of a post-it can become a colorful way to prioritize and focus.
Here are a couple of ways you might consider using post its to help you with your productivity:

1. Grabbing a set of post-its at the start of the quarter and listing one key activity per post it. Using a whiteboard, then schedule these into each month, or each week of the quarter. Because they are post its, they are easy to move around.
2. Bring post its into your next staff meeting. As you get started have everyone write out the one thing they want out of the meeting on one post it. One at a time have them share their idea/need and have them post this on the wall or whiteboard of your meeting room. If you are working virtually, have each person write up their need/focus on a blank slide using annotation. This approach allows for more time for reflection before speaking, and also ensuring that everyone’s voice is heard and represented.

 
Here’s what I wrote in a 2008 blog posts on post its called A Facilitator’s Ally: Post Its and Index Cards:


I love post it notes and index cards! Many of you will know that it made my top 10 list of most useful tips and tools for 2007. Today's post, builds on a much older post of mine from last year, about how post it notes and index cards can be a really valuable tool in your toolbox.

Here are some ideas on how you can use post-its and/or index cards:

1. For program development. Using a new post it or index card, brain storm all the ideas you have about upcoming programs. Lay them out on a table or floor to start sorting/grouping.

2. To get quick feedback from all participants during a program. As an evaluation tool, have participants write out their responses to your evaluation questions (1 question/answer per card), and have them post them on the wall.

3. For business planning or strategic planning sessions. The photo above is from a recent team planning session I facilitated late last year. There is nothing like getting people up and moving to boost engagement, excitement and ownership of their work!

4. As a quick poll of the group regarding what questions are popping for the group.

5. To ensure that all voices of the group are being heard. It is quite common for groups to be dominated by certain members. As a facilitator it's important to ensure that all voices are heard. Having participants write out their questions or responses, and then post them, or share them, can provide participants who introverts are, shyer or those who require more time to process questions, the opportunity to participate and "be heard".

6. As a "vote" regarding where to go. Have participants show their support for a discussion item by putting up a post it note. (Different colours can represent different categories.)

7. As a brainstorming tool. You can bring post-its/index cards into exercises where participants want to/need to brainstorm. For example,

• small business owners working on their business vision
• professionals who are in career transition
• stay at home moms who are returning to the workforce
• teams working on their quarterly/annual planning
• couples who are creating their budget or a plan for their year

The possibilities are endless. How would you like to bring post-it notes or index cards into your next program?
Here’s a link to that original post.
 
Enjoy your use of post its!
​Jennifer

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:

• Facebook
• Mighty Networks
• LinkedIn Groups

I’ve set up a number of different community opportunities I hope you will decide to connect around:

1. The PlanDoTrack Facebook page.
2. The Conversation Sparker Zone I host on Mighty Network which focuses on several smaller communities: Team and Group Coaching, Virtual Conversations, Virtual and Remote Entrepreneurship, Virtual and Remote Teamwork and Leadership. Join us there.
3. The CoachingBizBuilder feed over at Instagram. 

Activity
Consider what community you might want to spearhead in social media.

• What is the purpose?
• What are the guidelines?

​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

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:

• Their direct line supervisors - Given that matrix relationships may be more common, it’s likely that the virtual or remote employee is reporting to one, two or more leaders. It  may be someone local, someone on the project, and someone geographically.
• Mentors – An internal or external mentor can help navigate the waters of work and industry. Mentors provide valuable insights and stories about their own experience. They may also be a person you can take specific questions to who you cannot ask anyone else.
• Peers – Having a variety of peers to “go to” virtually is also important. Sharing best practices and resources to do your work more effectively is critical in today’s matrix environment. What are you doing to proactively build connection with other peers you work with?
• Connectors – People who can connect them to the necessary resources and people which will help them be successful. This could be a supervisor, a mentor, or it may be someone else…
• A community network – Remote work can be isolating. Having a local community network can be very important in providing support and an anchor.

Relationships in the virtual space do not “grow on their own” and earmarking time to have conversation can be important. It’s when we don’t have the answers that we realize we don’t know who to turn to. If you are new to a team, ask others, “Who else would you recommend I connect with?”. You’ll usually get a range of answers. Then the challenge becomes, when do you fit it in? Schedule a virtual coffee to meet others on a regular basis. All meetings don’t have to happen in your first few weeks!

Best, 
Jennifer