We are scrupulous about managing our budgets, jumping through hoops (and filling out countless forms) to get approval for every expenditure, whether it’s for a $300 printer or a part-time contractor. And yet, even though we may say that time is money, few of us show the same kind of scrutiny when it comes to […]
Prevent Thoughtless Habits From Squandering Your Team’s Time Read More »
No question: We waste a lot of time in meetings when we could be getting more important work done. But sometimes there’s just no substitute for real-time conversations. Emails, instant messages and shared portals can only take you so far, especially when you’re pressured to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. How we
10 Tips for Uber-Efficient Meetings – Making Every Minute Count Read More »
Most sports coaches say that one of the hardest parts of their job is to coax the best from each player. But when some players are bigger, stronger or faster than their teammates, leveling the playing field becomes a lot tougher. When the pressure is on, it’s tempting to put your best players on the
Stop Playing Favorites for a Stronger (Virtual) Team Read More »
If you’d rather walk through fire than facilitate a virtual meeting, you’re not alone! (Come to think of it, leading virtual meetings can actually feel a bit like walking through fire!) Whether you’re a project leader, group manager, subject manager expert, or individual contributor, sooner or later, you’ll lead a meeting where some or all participants are
10 Tips for Overcoming Facilitation Fears Read More »
Sometimes I feel like I’m the only one who can’t concentrate when people around me tap away on their tablets as though no one else at the meeting notices. Do these people even realize how distracting and disrespectful their behavior can be? Or do they just not notice or care? Or maybe I just don’t
The Real Costs of Persistent Multitasking: 9 Tips to Minimize Damage Read More »
Your team is under pressure to make a decision that will make or break your big project. You are shocked when all of your colleagues agree to what you believe will be a disastrous decision. When you regain your powers of speech, everyone is waiting for you to weigh in. (Thankfully, no one can read
8 Steps for Facilitating Constructive Conflict, Virtually Read More »
“I assume that everyone is good with this proposal, since I don’t hear anyone opposed, right? Okay, next topic!” Ah, but if this project manager could only see the body language of the people sitting around that virtual table, she would know that many people are most definitely not good with that proposal! In fact,
Taking the Pain Out of Consensus-Building in Virtual Meetings Read More »
With so many ways to connect virtually, you’d think we’d all be experts by now. In fact, the opposite may be true: Because we have so many choices, finding the best combination of virtual collaboration tools has actually become tougher. And even when we are convinced we’ve chosen wisely, participants inevitably show up unprepared or unable to make
10 Tips for Picking the Best Tech Tools for Your Next Virtual Meeting Read More »
This is the time of year when we turn our thoughts to giving. But for many of us, that’s where we stop. Just because we have noble intentions, it doesn’t mean we automatically get more time in our busy days to be generous to others, when we’re barely keeping our heads above water ourselves. According
When it Comes to Giving, Little Things Mean a Lot Read More »
Are you put off when people tune out during your virtual meetings? I know I am! After all, my clients hire me to run virtual meetings that keep people focused and on track. (And I teach this effective virtual meeting stuff, too!) So when people drift away during my meetings, I realize I need to
To Keep People Focused, Insist That They Multitask Read More »
Have you ever been part of a team where you’re inspired and energized by your work, really enjoy the people, feel like you’re making some great contributions, and have meaningful opportunities to learn and grow? If you’re lucky, maybe it’s been once or twice. If you work virtually, attaining this kind of “team nirvana” is
From Jaded to Jazzed: Quick Tips for Sustaining Happy, Healthy Virtual Teams Read More »
Nearly everyone in town breathed a sigh of relief when our selectmen recently voted to cut off conversations with the big gaming company that had its eye on building a casino here. Those of us who had helped to create a Facebook page and online petition to mobilize the opposition felt especially pleased with the
How to Prevent ‘Unfair’ Decisions from Tearing Teams Apart Read More »
If I ask you if these pants make me look fat, your face seems to say that I look like a whale, despite your verbal assurance that I look just fine. I really can’t tell if you are trying to spare my feelings or avoid my wrath, or whether I really do look pretty svelte.
Speaking the Truth Not Always Easy in a Virtual World Read More »
Wondering whether you can have a successful meeting by meeting remotely versus speaking eye to eye? Here’s a checklist to help you assess the likelihood of success. If you agree with most of the statements in the first table, chances are, a face to face meeting will help you achieve your objectives better than a
Evaluating options: Remote or face to face? Read More »
Here’s a summary of lessons learned, compiled from responses from some of the brightest minds in the facilitation world, followed by some straightforward tips you may want to use in an appropriate situation. See the PDF
Best ice-breakers for remote meetings Read More »
Purpose: To engage participants in highly productive conversations, whether face-to-face and remote, by applying the right facilitation technology and tools at the right time Intended Results: Meetings are shorter and far more productive Make the best use of time, talent and money Good ideas flow faster and more easily Engage only the people you need
Blended Facilitation Read More »
Purpose: Accelerate time to results through productive conversations, whether face-to-face, virtual or a combination Intended results: Virtual meetings achieve or exceed intended outcomes Objectives and expectations are clear at the outset Participants come prepared and ready to contribute Important issues are acknowledged and addressed Vital output is captured and available for immediate use People are
Planning and Running Engaging Virtual Meetings Read More »
Purpose: Learn and practice skills, tips and tools to master the virtual workplace Intended results: Team leaders can influence without authority, motivate and galvanize a virtual team for top performance Blend asynchronous and synchronous communication tools to get the most out of any virtual team Design and facilitate virtual meetings that are well-run, focused, and
Q: A middle-manager for a large global corporation tells us: I’ve been asked to lead a highly-visible project that requires extraordinary cooperation from team members across all functions and many regions. Trouble is, I don’t know any of them well, and I have no direct authority over their work. To be honest, I question how
Leading remote teams: Influencing without authority Read More »
Let’s face it: No project lasts forever, and no team will live on indefinitely without some change in membership. As more organizations pull together ad hoc teams to get important work done, membership is likely to ebb and flow as certain skills and experience are most needed, even when the life of the team
Hello, Goodbye: Maintaining momentum when team members come and go Read More »
Ground rules are a lot easier to enforce when you can make eye contact or use body language to keep people in line. But when you can’t see people and can’t hear what people are doing on the other end of the line, it’s much harder to keep people focused and on track. This
Eight essential ground rules for great remote meetings Read More »
-By Nancy Settle-Murphy, Guided Insights and Patti Anklam, Hutchinson Associates Finding the right connections to help you do your job, or to grow into the next one, requires a significant investment of time and effort even when you know all of the right players. But when you’re part of virtual organization, effective networking can be
Networking in a virtual world an essential skill for success Read More »
-By Nancy Settle-Murphy, Guided Insights and Robert Whipple, LeaderGrow, Inc. The best way to get a new team out of starting gate is to pull everyone into one room for a few days to carve out goals, hammer out differences, develop team norms, and agree on deliverables, schedules and roles. Investing in this process allows
Galvanize global virtual teams with clear operating principles Read More »
By Nancy Settle-Murphy, Guided Insights and Patti Anklam, Hutchinson Associates This issue of Communiqué focuses on planning and facilitating conversations most likely to help you cultivate mutually-rewarding relationships. We also discuss ways to follow up to keep both parties engaged and interested in moving forward together. In this issue, we refer primarily to voice-to-voice conversations,
Real-time conversations crucial for networking in a virtual world Read More »
By Nancy Settle-Murphy, Guided Insights and Sheryl Lindsell-Roberts, Sheryl Lindsell-Roberts & Associates Are you having trouble keeping up with the fusillade of emails your team members churn out each day? Are you wondering why team members don’t respond to your messages or if they even read them? Email is the cornerstone of communications for most
Ten must-know email tips for teams to make an impact and get results Read More »
If you’re part of a virtual team, you develop a sixth sense for knowing when dysfunction has crept in. The signs are clear, even though you can’t see vital body language or hear side conversations. People start making excuses for missing the weekly con calls. Or maybe they don’t even bother to RSVP. When people
Setting false deadlines has become as chronic as breaking them, according to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal. Managers might get away with this practice once or twice, but when team members finally catch on, chances are they won’t fall for it again. And worse, they’re more likely to ignore authentic deadlines when
Get and Give What You Bargained for With Clear Agreements That Make Sense Read More »
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