Happy New Year!

It's January 1st which means that it's time for another edition of the 1 Biz Step a Day. I look forward to bringing these to you monthly. Started a couple of years ago, the 1 Biz Step a Day series consists of daily prompts of activities you can undertake for 15 minutes a day. As I write in Coaching Business Builder, "Daily Steps + Consistent Action = Momentum". What could 15 minutes of activity do in moving the needle for you?

Join us throughout the year -these will normally be posted at the start of every month, and be sure to download them.

Download this month's January 1 Biz Step a Day series here.

Enjoy and let us know what results you are getting. Tag is #1BizStepADay!

Jennifer Britton, PCC, CPCC, CHRL
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.

Upcoming programs to support you with your coaching business include:
Coaching Biz Growth Lab - Meets bi-weekly throughout 2021
The Stand Out Virtually 8 Week Incubator - Build your online and virtual business brand (starts January 18 2021)
The Amplify Virtually Mastermind - 6 months of mastermind support and individual coaching around your coaching business (starts January 23rd)

Book Jennifer for a coaching session to explore what's next for your coaching business, or group and team programming.

Join us for the 21 for 2021 Stand Out Virtually Virtual Co-working Sprint- 21 days o 21 minutes of co-working a day. What can you accomplish?

Welcome to August! It's August 1st which means that it's time for another monthly edition of the daily prompts with the 1BizStepADay series. This month we're returning back to Getting things done. The Coaching Business Builder is built upon the philosophy that:
Daily Steps + Consistent Action = Momentum

For many of us, myself included, we don't have a lot of time to get huge projects completed in one swoop (think writing a book, hosting a podcast, launching a new product). It's the small steps taken every day that become successful big projects - I can attest to that with all 3 examples I've just provided.  I've been co-hosting the Remote Pathways podcast since last fall...we just released our 17th episode - Every Remote Professional Needs to Be a Leader. Listen in here (it runs for less than 30 minutes)

This month, an invitation to consider the most important project for you to get into daily action around. What do you want to make sure you take action on? What do you want to make sure you complete before the start of September?

You can download the Daily Business Building Prompts here for August 2020.

As always, thanks for joining us - Let us know about your successes using the comments below or share them over at the Effective Group Coaching Facebook page.

With best wishes,
Jennifer

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 what's next for your coaching business, or group and team programming.

​Contact her by phone at (416)996-8326

Check out upcoming programs on our calendar or head on over to GroupCoachingEssentials.ca to register for fall programs (Mentor Coaching Group for ICF Credentialing, Group Coaching Essentials and the Virtual Facilitation Essentials program).

Last week we explored what items you’d like to dedicate time towards, and when you’re going to find time to do them. A week later, what are you noticing about the daily steps you are getting into?
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An important part of daily action is noticing the focus of these items. What are the things you are focusing on? What is important to be saying “yes” to and “no” to?
It can be useful to link the focused action to your WHY. The purpose of why you are doing this. Without connection to the WHY it may be very easy to lose motivation around daily steps. Reconnecting with your VISION and/or INTENTIONS can be a significant motivator.

If you haven’t looked at your vision since the start of the year, now’s the time to pick it up.

Another part of the FOCUS and DOING equation is noticing WHEN action is best placed? Are you wanting to get this done first thing in the day? Would it be useful to get it done later in the day? When are you earmarking time?

Are the components chunked enough? This last year one of the Weekly Planning Hacks was about chunking things down into smaller pieces. When things are too big, it may be difficult to get things accomplished. What are the chunks you want to focus in on?

Focused action is an important part of the DOING and creating momentum. What is the focus you are undertaking right now? What could you do to amplify that?
DOING is another piece of the puzzle and a couple of weeks into the month, it’s pretty easy to start losing momentum and having other things get in the way of things that are important. What can you be doing to perhaps:

• Get 15 minutes of action in around your key goals first thing in the morning
• Earmark 15-30 minutes 3-4 times a week when you might be watching TV/Netflix etc…
• OR start asking yourself what do you want to say “no” to?

Enjoy your focus this week!
​Jennifer

​Jennifer Britton - GroupCoachingEssentials | Potentials Realized
Instagram @CoachingBizBuilder
Author of Effective Group Coaching (2010), Coaching Business Builder (2018), Effective Virtual Conversations (2017) and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (2013). Check out my author page on Amazon for all publications.
Email: [email protected]

As we step into the 2nd week of January, what are you noticing about the consistent action you are taking around your most important goals and intentions for the year?
My two workbook/planners – Coaching Business Builder and PlanDoTrack – are grounded in the philosophy of Consistent Action & Daily Steps = Momentum. I have personally embraced this philosophy in my work as a business owner since 2004, and earlier than that during my career in the global sector. Life has been full (not busy) and for me to consistently fit in the important things in life has been all about making sue that I leave space – or create space- to focus on the things that are not just urgent, but important in the longer term.

• What are the key goals you’ve set for yourself this year?
• What time windows are you dedicating to regular action around these?
• What can regular action look like?
• WHEN are you earmarking time on a daily basis? Is it perhaps time to get up 15 minutes earlier, or turn off your device 30 minute earlier? Change a routine that’s not servicing this goal.

Part of the practice of consistent action is also noticing what you are doing on a regular basis. This is where TRACKING comes in. If you have a copy of the CBB or PDT, be sure to start a line where you can track your steps in the Monthly Daily Trackers. I love these as they create a high level visual of what’s important in our work. 

What are the momentum items you want to focus on in 2020? What can help you accelerate these items? We’re seeing the momentum gained through focus and also peer accountability in the 60 Day Coaching Business Builder Accelerator. It’s not too late to join!

What are the things that are helping you take regular action?

All the best,
​Jennifer

One of the biggest fallacies I see in the world of coaches, and other solopreneurs, is over-learning rather than executing. Many solopreneurs believe that they don't have enough skills and need to learn more. While there is a compelling case for ongoing learning, in the world of the solopreneur, execution and getting into action is key. We may never know enough by learning alone. It's through the actions we take that we either have our learning reinforced or find out exactly what we need to learn.
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In a solopreneurial business, lack of execution may lead to business failure. The quest for learning may appear that we are doing when we are simply learning.

Today's post gets you to consider these questions:

1. What have you learned this year?
2. What have you done with the action plans you created out of those learning processes?
3. What's still left on your action plan list to execute?
4. What skills does the business need that could be outsourced or delegated to a new staff member? (think graphic design, financial)
5. Where is your learning ENOUGH?
6. Where do you need more?
7. What ACTION is needed to move the business forward?

​Enjoy your reflection and ACTION!
Jennifer

I opened my doors here at Potentials Realized on April 7, 2004. Having celebrated 15 years in business earlier this year, I continue to be thankful that the fruits of my labor continue to pay off.

While it is possible to build, and grow things quickly, building a sustainable business that will weather economic ups and downs (think 2008 economics, current flux, and…)  usually needs more than the initial meteoric rise.

This is where things like VISION, Systems and Business Foundations come in.
If you have a copy of the Coaching Business Builder OR PlanDoTrack, check out the different activities and reflections in Section #1.

It’s our work around creating clarity and alignment around our values and behaviors, clarifying our vision, and creating exceptional offerings which create a sustainable business.
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Questions to consider:

• What values is your business grounded in?
• How are your behaviors translated into action and behaviors?
• How clear is your vision?

Creating a sustainable business is also about you as the business owner. In the medium term, our own leadership and endurance may be what helps the business move to another inflection point.

Questions for you to consider:

• What’s going to help you be at your best?
• Grow or refine your skills?
• Develop the endurance needed to run a business?
• What fuels you?
• When do you work best?
• When do you need to take a break and/o renew?
• What else is important for you in the short term? Medium term? Long term?

Sustainable business is also about doing things for the long haul. What is the work you really love to do? How does it capitalize on your strengths? What taps into what you uniquely do well?

I hope that you will enjoy this week’s questions and exploration,
Jennifer

The tagline for the Coaching Business Builder and PlanDoTrack is “Consistent Action + Daily Steps = Momentum. In other words, it’s the small daily, consistent actions that add up over time to create movement and/or momentum in our business.
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For many years throughout the 90 Days Success Program (2005 onwards), and more recently the Coaching Business Growth Lab, I have shared the One Percent Business Rule. This framework is grounded in the notion of taking daily steps towards your most important goals.

In business today it is likely that we are working on important projects around the margins of our work and life. This is how each of my book publications has been birthed, and it’s how most of my presentations and program designs get built.
 
As you engage with the notion of Consistent Action + Daily Steps = Momentum, consider these questions:

• What is the most important goal to be working on right now?
• As you chunk it down, what are the smaller packets of work that make this up?
• What are the tasks and activities which need to get done?
• What are the consistent actions you want to undertake?
• What can daily steps look like to these blocks of work – this week? This month?
• What momentum will that create?
• What will that momentum feel like?

 
Check out other business philosophies grounded in the Coaching Business Builder here:

• Focus
• Experimentation
• Momentum
• Reflective Pause

 
Enjoy your week,
Jennifer

The tagline at the PlanDoTrack and Coaching Business Builder is that Consistent Action + Daily Steps = Momentum. In other words, action creates action. This is key for business success today. What does momentum mean in your business? Like the metaphor of a rolling stone, more energy is required to get the stone rolling, and then it takes a life of its own.

Practically:
Make a list. Do things consistently. Figure out what the best rhythm for the project or task is going to be.

In many creative projects it is easy to think that we don’t know where to go, when often it is more important to just get started and see where the creative process ensues.

While starting new tasks may take a lot of effort, over time these actions become habits and “how we do things”.

Resources:
Momentum: How to Build It, Keep It or Get it Back – Michael McQueen

Best,
Jennifer

In both the Coaching Business Builder and PlanDoTrack, I include four business philosophies which are critical to all types of virtual and remote professionals, and business owners today – Focus, Experimentation, Momentum and Reflective Pause.

In my work with teams, and individuals, over the last fifteen years in my business I’ve seen that these make the difference between good and exceptional.

With this in mind, over the next few weeks I’ll be taking a deeper dive into the realm of these four areas looking at:

• What it means in today’s business context
• Why it’s important
• Ideas for putting it into practice
• And resources you may want to follow up around

​A reminder that if you like these topics you may want to check out my weekly Facebook Live, where I put into voice quick planning ideas and activities. You will find it over at the PlanDoTrack Facebook page.

Let’s turn our attention to the first topic of FOCUS.

We live and operate today in what is often considered an era of distraction. Our ability to focus and keep our eye on what is important to us, and to our work, is key.
Did you know that:

• The average worker receives 90 emails in the span of a day?
• It takes 22 minutes to get back on track after an interruption?

It’s not uncommon for workers (not just managers) to be spending 5-10 hours a week in meetings? I’ve met managers who wear the badge of
Focused work and attention are critical, and essential in order to create foundations, and grow a business.

How To- Creating Focus:

• Consider building in focused blocks of work – turn off email, move into a conference room, or take your work mobile. What will give you the space and time to do the focused work you need in your job/business?
• Leverage the circadian rhythm. Science continues to show that we have different times of day when we are at our best. What are those times for you? What can you do to ensure you have focused work times within those blocks.
• Create your to-do list of Top 5. With change being the norm for many workplaces, having a top five list each day is important. It’s interesting as the writing of James Clear has pointed to the early 1900s productivity hack from Ivy who asserted that a focus on a top 6 list every day would lead to productivity advances. Whether it’s five or six, being able to check core items off the list can help with efficiency and also motivation.
• Know your priorities – and your teams. Priorities also keep us grounded. They will help us shape our top five as well as discern where our time needs to go. What are your priorities for the week? The month? The quarter?

 
Refer To - Focus
When: The Science of Perfect Timing – Daniel Pink
Atomic Habits – James Clear
Outer Order and Inner Calm – Gretchen Rubin
Deep Work and Digital Minimalism – Cal Newport

Check out my April 3, 2019 Facebook Live 

Wishing you all the best,
Jennifer

Welcome back. Last week you did some research around what possible giveaways you could offer to your clients. It might be a video, podcast series, mini – e course, article, or even a checklist.

What are those things you wish you had?

This week, in part 2 of the series, you are invited to map out your giveaway, and start drafting it. What are the major elements of this project?

Consider these questions –

• What is the purpose of this item?
• What are the 3 main points?
• What question does it answer or solution does it offer for the client?
• What are the elements of the item?
• What other resources can the product direct the client to?
• What is your call to action?
• What are the discrete steps you need to complete in order to complete this project?

Once you have a good idea of what it can look like, spend some time drafting it out.

Be ready for a next step next week!

Best,
​Jennifer