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Professional Development In Team Meetings: Twelve Months Of Topics To Cultive Team Success

In the spirit of growth and development, I’ve prepared a roadmap to empower you and your team. I’m excited to share 12 strategic topics curated to ignite discussion and fuel your professional development in team meetings. Think of them as the building blocks of success, each topic adding a layer of strength and resilience to your team’s foundation.

The following topics can act as a 12-month professional development roadmap. I genuinely encourage you to take this journey with your team. Set aside an hour each month to dive into these discussions. The insights gained from these sessions can spark innovation, enhance communication, and foster a sense of shared purpose among your team members.

Month 1 – Tactics for Effective Communication

  1. Active Listening: Focus on the speaker’s words, fully engage with the speaker, maintain eye contact, and ask clarifying questions when necessary.
  2. Adjust Communication to Individual Styles: Explore adjusting communication styles to suit different team members’ preferences and needs.
  3. Give and Receive Feedback: Foster a culture of feedback where team members are comfortable providing and receiving constructive input.
  4. Do Your Homework: Emphasize the importance of preparation before engaging in critical discussions.
  5. Identify common communication pitfalls: Strategize how to initiate and sustain productive conversations. Discuss how to use open and closed questions to achieve communication objectives strategically.
  6. Maximize Non-Verbal Communication Cues: Discuss the role of non-verbal cues in conveying messages and intentions.
  7. Understand the Other Person’s Perspective: Emphasize acknowledging and validating different viewpoints.
  8. Encourage an Open Environment: Encourages individuals to freely share their thoughts and concerns by creating a safe space for sharing ideas.

Month 2 – Team Focus, Goals and KPIs

  1. Identify your Team’s Area of Focus: Evaluate your team’s portfolio objectively and list all focus areas. By identifying your areas of focus, this will assist you in the formation of your goals.
  2. Define Long- and Short-term Goals: Set S.M.A.R.T.E.R. (Specific, Measurable, Action-Oriented, Risky, Time-bound, Exciting and Relevant) goals.
  3. Identify Core Team Key Performance Indicators: Your KPIs directly align with your goals and objectives. Your KPIs should be based on data that is reliable and easily accessible. Limit the most crucial KPIs as otherwise, you will create confusion and dilute team focus. Use your KPIs as a measurement tool and a basis for continuous improvement.

Month 3 – Team BuildingProfessional Development in team meetings - Jenny Reilly Consulting, Vancouver Executive Coach

  1. Build Trust: Stress the importance of trust as a foundation for effective teamwork.
  2. Change Management: Equip your team with strategies to adapt to and thrive in changing environments.
  3. Define Roles and Responsibilities: Ensure each team member understands their roles and responsibilities.
  4. Help your team develop a shared sense of purpose: Communicating the team’s mission and setting clear and measurable goals to keep the team aligned. As a standing agenda item on team meetings, ensure your goal progress is shared and discussed.
  5. Set Team Guidelines: Establish team communication, decision-making, and collaboration guidelines.
  6. Walk the Talk: Lead by example and foster a positive, constructive team culture.

Month 4 – Issue Processing to Solve Complex Problems

  1. Define Issues and Problems Clearly: Encourage your team to articulate problems clearly, ensuring everyone understands the issue.
  2. Plan Strategies: Emphasize the importance of planning and strategy development before diving into problem-solving.
  3. Present Findings and Recommendations Effectively: Provide guidance on delivering compelling presentations that convey key findings and recommendations.
    Prioritize Critical Matters: Discuss methods for effectively identifying and prioritizing critical issues to allocate resources.
  4. Structure Complex Issues: Teach your team how to break down complex problems into manageable parts, making it easier to tackle them systematically.
  5. Synthesize Insights: Teach your team to synthesize data into actionable insights and create practical recommendations.
  6. Use Analytical Tools: Explore various analytical techniques and tools that can be used to gather data and insights.

Month 5 – Delivering a Compelling Message or Presentation

  1. Demonstrating Strong Personal Presence: Discuss the significance of confidence and assertiveness in presentations.
  2. Team–Oriented Presentation Approach: Encourage teamwork in presentations, allowing team members to complement each other’s strengths.
  3. The Significance of Non-Verbal Communication: Explore the role of body language in effective communication.
  4. The Trio of Effective Communication Principles: Highlight Clarity: ensuring your message is straightforward. Conciseness: delivering the message succinctly, avoiding unnecessary details, and Convincingness, making the message persuasive and compelling.

Month 6 – Optimizing Your Time

  1. Always Build Upon Existing Work: Encourage reusing and repurposing existing resources to save time.
  2. Become Proficient in Productivity Tools: Share tips and tricks for using productivity tools effectively.
  3. Maintaining Efficient Document Organization: Share best practices for efficient data and information organization.
  4. Minimizing Interruptions and Disruptions: Offer strategies for minimizing distractions and increasing productivity.
  5. Overcoming Procrastination: Discuss methods to combat procrastination and stay focused on tasks.
  6. Preventing Unproductive Meetings: Teach how to plan, conduct, and participate in productive meetings.
  7. Understand how to set Priorities: Discuss techniques for setting priorities and managing workload effectively.

Month 7 – Leading Effective Meetings and Workshops

  1. Professional Development in team meetings - Jenny Reilly Consulting, Vancouver Executive Coach

    Establish the Groundwork for Collaborative Efforts: Provide techniques for setting a positive tone and fostering collaboration in meetings.

  2. Maintain Focus in Discussions: Share methods to manage discussions effectively and steer them towards the intended goals. Teach strategies for redirecting discussions if they veer off course.

Month 8 – Foster Emotional Awareness and Intelligence

  1. Emotional Management: Teach techniques for managing and controlling emotions, especially in high-pressure situations.
  2. Personal Insight: Encourage self-reflection and self-awareness, helping team members understand their emotions and reactions.
  3. Understanding Others: Stress the significance of empathy in building stronger relationships within the team and with clients or stakeholders.

Month 9 – Stakeholder Oversight

  1. Identify Influential Stakeholders: Identify key stakeholders and their interests. Categorize stakeholders based on their influence and involvement in your projects.
  2. Create and Enact an Action Strategy for Every Stakeholder: Develop tailored strategies for managing relationships and stakeholder.

Month 10 – Engaging in Productive Negotiations

  1. Pre-negotiation Planning: Provide strategies for thorough preparation, including defining objectives and understanding the other party’s position.
  2. Negotiation Execution: Explore negotiation techniques, such as creating win-win scenarios and managing conflicts.
  3. Negotiation Conclusion: Teach your team how to bring negotiations to a successful close and secure mutually beneficial outcomes.

Month 11 – Fostering Collaboration Competencies

  1. Encourage cross-functional learning: Encourage team members to learn about other organizational functions to enhance collaboration.
  2. Prioritizing Seamless Communication Across Departments: Highlight the importance of clear communication and cooperation across departments.

Month 12 – Innovate and Embrace Change

Professional Development in team meetings - Jenny Reilly Consulting, Vancouver Executive Coach

  1. Cultivate an Innovative Environment: Encourage your team to think creatively and embrace innovative approaches to problem-solving.
  2. Maintain Flexibility and Readiness to Adjust: Teach strategies for adapting to rapidly changing circumstances and seizing opportunities.

The roadmap is flexible; if a topic doesn’t resonate with your sector, swap it out with one that aligns more closely with your team’s needs and professional development goals. The aim is to make it work for you, to tailor it to your unique challenges and opportunities.

If you make a meaningful tweak to a topic to fit your context or swap it out , I’d love to hear about it. Please share your experiences with me at jenny@jennyreilly.com.  Your insights could be invaluable to others for their professional development. Your feedback matters!

If you want monthly leadership tips, sign up for my JRC newsletter.

 

 

 

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The Power of Saying “No”

We often have a never-ending to-do list and constant requests from our team, colleagues, and stakeholders. It can be tempting to say “yes” to everything and everyone, but is that the most effective way to lead?

I love this quote by American novelist Anne Lamott:

“No is a complete sentence.”

It is a powerful reminder that you do not have to justify yourself when saying “no.” Setting and communicating clear boundaries is critical to being a successful leader. Saying ‘no’ to specific requests, projects, or collaborations can be a strategic decision that allows you to focus on your priorities and achieve goals.

Understanding the Importance of Setting Professional and Personal Boundaries in Leadership

It’s crucial to establish boundaries that help protect our well-being and enable us to achieve our goals. Two types of boundaries that leaders often set are professional and personal boundaries. While these may seem similar, there are key differences between them.

Professional boundaries are guidelines and limits leaders set to maintain appropriate relationships with colleagues, employees, and other stakeholders. These boundaries help leaders establish clear expectations for their behaviour, prevent conflicts of interest, and maintain impartiality in decision-making.

Leaders can create a healthy work environment that fosters mutual respect and trust by setting professional boundaries.

In contrast, personal boundaries are limits and guidelines individuals set to protect their physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Personal boundaries help individuals maintain their autonomy, protect themselves from harm, and communicate their needs and values to others. Leaders can avoid burnout, reduce stress and maintain a healthy work-life balance by setting personal boundaries.

Power of Saying No

The main difference is their purpose and scope. As a leader, it’s essential to understand the differences between professional and personal boundaries and set them accordingly.

However, both boundaries are essential for leaders to establish and maintain their effectiveness and well-being.

By prioritizing professional and personal boundaries, leaders can become more effective and successful in their roles.

Five Techniques That Will Help You In Saying NO!

Does this resonate?

‘I have such a hard time saying no!’

Saying “no” is not a sign of weakness or indecision but rather a demonstration of your focus and commitment to your goals. By embracing the power of “no,” you can become a more effective and respected leader in your organization.

  1. Prioritization Techniques: Prioritize your tasks and responsibilities to identify which requests or projects align with your goals and values. Use tools such as the Eisenhower Matrix or the Pomodoro Technique to help you decide better what to say “yes” or “no” to.
  2. Active Listening: Practice listening when receiving a request or proposal. Ask clarifying questions to understand the scope of the project, the timeline, and the resources required. This can help you determine whether you have the capacity and expertise to do the task.
  3. Saying “NO” with Empathy and a Smile: The most straightforward way I have found to say no is with a smile and the sincerest empathy and respect. Acknowledge the value and importance of the request, thank them for the opportunity, and say’ no.’ You do not need to explain why or give excuses. If necessary, you can suggest where help may be sought.
  4. Setting Clear Boundaries: Set clear professional and personal boundaries and communicate them consistently. This can help you avoid being overwhelmed by requests or projects that do not align with your goals or values. Boundaries will also help you establish expectations about your availability and workload with your team or colleagues.
  5. Saying “NO” to Say “YES” to Something Else: View saying “no” as a strategic decision that allows you to say “yes” to something else that aligns with your goals.

The Eisenhower Matrix

The Eisenhower Matrix is a productivity tool that helps people prioritize their tasks based on urgency and importance. It is named after former US President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who famously said, “I have two kinds of problems, the urgent and the important. The urgent are not important, and the important are never urgent.”

The matrix consists of four quadrants, each representing a different level of urgency and importance:

Quadrant 1: Urgent and Important – urgent and important tasks, such as emergencies or deadlines.
Quadrant 2: Not Urgent but Important – tasks that are important but not urgent, such as planning, strategic thinking, or personal development.
Quadrant 3: Urgent but Not Important – urgent but unimportant tasks, such as interruptions or unnecessary meetings.
Quadrant 4: Not Urgent and Not Important – tasks that are neither urgent nor important, such as time-wasting activities or distractions.

Eisenhower MatrixJRC - Jenny Reilly Consulting, Vancouver Executive Coach

The idea behind the Eisenhower Matrix is to ensure you spend time focusing on Quadrant 2 tasks, as these are important tasks that often get neglected due to the urgent demands of Quadrant 1. By prioritizing Quadrant 2 tasks, people can work proactively towards their long-term goals and avoid being overwhelmed by urgent but less important tasks.

The Tomato Technique, Aka The Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro Technique is a time-management method developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. It is named after the Italian word for “tomato,” as Cirillo used a tomato-shaped kitchen timer as a student to track his work intervals.

When I first heard about this technique decades ago, I was not initially attracted as I am allergic to tomatoes (actual fact). That being said, anything that I can try that will improve my efficiency and productivity, I will always give it a try.

The Pomodoro Technique involves breaking work into 25-minute intervals, called “pomodoros,” followed by a short break of 3-5 minutes. After four pomodoros, take a more extended break of 15-30 minutes.

During each Pomodoro, you focus on a single task without any distractions or interruptions. The steps of the Pomodoro Technique are as follows:

  • Choose a task to work on.
  • Set the timer for 25 minutes and start working on the task.
  • When the timer rings, take a 3-5 minute break.
  • After four pomodoros, take a more extended break of 15-30 minutes.
  • Repeat the process until the task is completed.

The Pomodoro Technique can help you stay focused, avoid distractions, and manage your time more efficiently. It also encourages you to take regular breaks, which can help prevent burnout and increase productivity in the long run. Give it a try, and let me know how you find this technique.

Tomato Technique - Jenny Reilly Consulting

The Power Of Saying NO: A Core Leadership Skill

In today’s fast-paced and demanding world, saying “yes” to everything that comes our way can be tempting. However, learning to say “no” is crucial for leaders who want to stay focused, productive, and true to their values.

By setting clear boundaries and prioritizing your time and energy, you can avoid burnout, reduce stress, and make more meaningful contributions to your organization.

Remember, saying “no” is not about being selfish or uncooperative. It’s about owning your time and energy and making choices that align with your goals and values.

Saying “no” can also create opportunities for growth and learning. Turning down tasks or projects unaligned with your goals can free up time and resources to pursue more meaningful or challenging activities. This can help you build new skills, expand your network, and develop a stronger sense of purpose and fulfillment. It’s important to remember that saying “no” is not a one-time decision but an ongoing process. As your priorities and circumstances change, you may need to adjust your boundaries and make different choices about allocating your time and energy. By staying aware and intentional, you can continue to grow and evolve as a leader.

Finally, it’s worth acknowledging that saying “no” can be difficult, especially in cultures or environments where overwork and “yes-man” mentalities are the norm. However, by modelling healthy boundaries and prioritization, leaders can inspire others to do the same, creating a more sustainable and compassionate work culture for everyone.

I encourage you to reflect on your boundaries and priorities.

  • Are there areas where you could benefit from saying “no” more often?
  • How can you communicate your boundaries effectively and respectfully to others?

If you want more information or support on this topic, you can book a 30-minute complimentary consultation to find out how Jenny Reilly Consulting can help you. Please email askme@jennyreilly.com to coordinate a convenient consultation time.

 

Jenny Reilly Consulting, Vancouver Executive Coach

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The Importance of Transitions

“It is when we are in transition that we are most completely alive.”
— William Bridges

This quote from William Bridges emphasizes the importance of transitions in our personal and professional lives. While some transitions can be challenging to prepare for, they can also give us energy, motivation, and inspiration. How we react during a change is critical to our success as leaders. We must focus on our leadership traits and how we react in different situations, primarily how we handle stress and unpredictability.

It’s essential to listen first, act consistently, and communicate transparently.

Here are some tips to keep in mind during a transition:

  • FOCUS on the next best step you can make and act on it.
  • THINK about the consequences of what you say and how you say it – before opening your mouth.
  • LISTEN to your team, ask questions, and be curious.
  • USE facts to back up your perceptions.
  • INVEST in what will put you in a better position to improve productivity.
  • CREATE a one-page document that includes your vision, values, strategy pillars, and targets – this will help you remain focused on what is critical to the triple bottom line and not get sidetracked.
  • FOCUS on what you are good at and what you can get results on that no one else can – delegate everything else, and don’t get stuck in the minutia.

Remember to be conscious of your time management, the talent you are surrounded by, and your operating rhythm to ensure you spend time on what matters most. Conduct a weekly review and preview of your priorities to stay on track and focus time quarterly on organizational operational and strategic issues.

Transitions can be challenging but can also be opportunities for growth and success. Embrace the change, focus on what you can control, and lead with clarity and purpose.

“Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.”
— John C. Maxwell

If you have any questions or want to learn more on the powerful benefits of executive coaching to elevate your success, please contact us or reach out directly to jenny@jennyreilly.com and book a complimentary 30-minute strategy session.

 

 

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YEAR END BUDGETING 2022

2022 in Review

As the year approaches a wrap, it’s time to highlight your achievements and position yourself for 2023. Review and report on topics like your organization’s accomplishments, value creation, budgets, financial ratios, your competitor analysis, and the year ahead. Take time to create a full-year timeline with strategic projections and goals. Use the 2022 Annual Report Components infographic to serve as a guide for elements to include.

Annual Report Infographic - Jenny Reilly Consulting - Executive Coaching

 

“A budget is more than just a series of numbers on a page; it is an embodiment of our values.” – Barack Obama 

Know your numbers

Over this quarter, a primary client focus has been on analyzing financial reports and data to aid the decision-making required for 2023 planning. Understanding the budgeting process is crucial in evaluating opportunities and risks.

Understanding your numbers allows for more strategic decision-making. Your numbers can provide:

  • comparability,
  • verifiability, and
  • understandability

of the next best steps to take in your company.

As a leader, you are expected to have a thorough understanding of your numbers, prepare forward-looking financial reports, set financial targets, determine the usage of resources, and evaluate the costs and benefits of each option.

Business budgets help leaders run a successful business. A budget provides the opportunity to assess the actual budget against what was forecasted and planned.

Steps to take in preparing for 2023

  1. Before developing your budget, it is normal practice to have a strategy session that will review relevant economic factors, sector issues/constraints/ opportunities, and management plans. Develop or review your 2023 budget (that should accommodate your short-term plans, normally one year in duration) and ensure each of your strategic objectives is related to your budget.
  2. Your budget should address each of your strategic initiatives, including cash and payments, sales volumes and revenues, detailed inventories, labour, and production requirements.
  3. Break your annual budget down into monthly budgets that will assist in planning and communication to the team.
  4. If you are working on a unit or department budget, ensure you understand how the budgeting process interlinks with the various budgets in the business.

Can you answer the following?

  • What is your mission, vision, short- and long-term strategic objectives?
  • Have you recently conducted a position analysis of your organization?
  • Who are your current competitors?
  • Do you have a comprehensive forecasting and budgeting process? Can you explain when and how this process is performed?
  • How often do you review your annual budget, identify variances between your forecasted and actual performance and update as strategic initiatives pivot and change?

Understanding your budget will enable you to:

  • identify short term problems
  • promote forward-thinking
  • help in the coordination of units within a business
  • communicate budget guidelines
  • motivate your employees to promote better performance
  • monitor performance relevant to the budget
  • implement a system of control, levels of responsibility, and authorization

If you’re a business owner, entrepreneur, or c-suite executive and have any questions about this month’s topics, or feel this resonates with you and you need executive support to project your budget successfully into 2023, please contact us, or reach out directly to jenny@jennyreilly.com and book a complimentary 30-minute strategy session.

 

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FIVE CORE LEADERSHIP TACTICS

There are five leadership tactics that I follow that help me in my consulting practice. I encourage you to think about how they could help you in your position.

1.) Planning Backwards:

Focusing on the future and planning backwards is an effective leadership tactic. It encourages unconstrained thinking and disruptive ideas and will help you to propel your organization forward. Once you have a focused vision, align your people to engage on goals, and develop a comprehensive action plan to move forward.

  • Where do you want to be professionally and personally one year from today?
  • What do you need to do to get there? (Of your action items, prioritize them in sequenced order and develop an action plan on what is required in each step.)

2.) Purpose-driven and value-focused:

My consultancy purpose and values determine my guiding principles. If you have not listed your guiding principles, it is time to do so. Your guiding principles outline how you operate, the organization’s role and the individual within. 

  • What is your company vision, purpose statement/mission, and what values define how you do business? 

3.) Intentionally listen actively:

Leadership is a conversation. Improving your listening ability will be a cornerstone of your leadership success. Listening will assist you in problem-solving, determining and implementing innovative ideas, defining process improvements, and developing new ideas for faster and better outcomes. Engage your team, clients/customers and external stakeholders in a discussion on progress once modifications have been agreed upon, design and circle back to question if you have it right. 

4.) Innovate continually.

You cannot afford to become too comfortable and complacent. Customer and client preferences in the product or service area you are offering are continually changing. Technology advances will improve speed and results, can transform our processes, and adaption of best practices. Quarterly question processes, this will help you retain focus on improvement and will become part of your culture. Encourage bottom-up and top-down idea initiatives for improvement. Make decisions faster and base them on data with a focus on quality. Quarterly, prioritize the top three areas you can innovate to bring the greatest return to your organization. 

5.) Performance – think short and long-term.

To thrive in the long term, we need to have not only long-term goals but also short-term goals to gain momentum. Future-proof your performance by answering the questions below: 

  • What trends are influencing your business and sector?
  • What are your customers and clients seeking or asking that is not currently being provided? 
  • What is your data telling you? The facts have the answers. 
  • Ask your employees for feedback on what is working and what isn’t and any suggestions they have for improvement.
  • What are your duties and responsibilities – are they aligned with your purpose? 
  • Assess how you are doing things, is it the best and most effective way, or have you fallen into a routine and repeated past actions hoping for better results? 

If you have any questions about leadership tactics or want to learn more on the powerful benefits of executive coaching to elevate your professional success, please reach out to +1 604-616-1967 or askme@jennyreilly.com and book a complimentary 30-minute strategy session. If you want monthly leadership and professional development tips, sign up for my JRC newsletter or check out my social media on Instagram for information on my new upcoming 6-month executive leadership course.

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