The Importance of Play (in Meetings)

It’s important that meeting professionals take ownership of how learning is delivered at events. Participants respond to events in different ways and there are many tools to improve these experiences. Incorporating play is one way to enhance your participants’ experiences, and
their learning.

After setting through hours of sessions for multiple days, incorporating a change of scenery and a change of focus, will help attendees continue to learn, but in a different way. Breaking a larger group into several smaller groups allows more sincere, honest conversations and a chance to connect on a different level. Add to that opportunity a relaxed, casual atmosphere where attendees are focusing on play and the fun—and learning--really begins!

The types of play I include at my clients’ meetings and events incorporates a local  experience. For example, when a group is in Sonoma, they may be engaged in a wine blending activity where they break into teams. The best tasting wine –as determined by a proper winemaker—wins and that blend is bottled and the group takes home bottles of the winning blend—complete with custom label. When a group is in Los Cabos, attendees are encouraged to break into smaller groups and choose a thrilling activity such as zip-lining, ATV, horseback, or to ride, feed, and kiss (yes!) a camel. (I know, not your usual first choice for an activity in Cabo, but a unique and memorable experience nonetheless.)
Just as there’s always room for dessert, there’s always time for play. It’s important to carve out time in every agenda for play to truly see results of the classroom learning. Play opens the minds of the young and old alike and brings theories and concepts to life through practical use. It also facilitates cross team/function relationships and team bonding that is priceless.

I’d love to hear how you incorporate play into your experiences.

Are you meeting the experiential needs of your attendees?

Ensuring terrific attendee experiences is an increased focus for meeting planners. It’s imperative to design an engaging experience for your attendees that aligns with their style of learning (during corporate retreats, for example, many companies implement a DISC assessments or similar personality test to assess employee personalities to facilitate a better working/learning environment.) The experience starts well before and extends until after the meeting, in addition to the on-site experience itself.

Traditional meeting formats --like a jammed packed agenda with a 10 min break and six one hour long Power point presentations—are super out-dated. Who can sit through that?  Attendees need the correct environment and space to digest and discuss the new ideas being presented.

A few strategies that I find successful include:
1. Distribute agenda and content ahead of the event. This allows attendees to have an idea on what will be discussed, and gives them some time to think about the topics prior to the meeting.  This allows the valuable face-to-face time to be used to discuss, debate, and evaluate what was presented.

2. Small breakout sessions help facilitate more meaningful, honest dialogue.  Attendees can choose the breakoutout topic that best resonates with them.

3. Group dinners in the evenings are a perfect venue for continuing the days conversations in a relaxed, casual atmosphere. The real team bonding and relationships are forged over food and drinks with 5-6 people.

4. Interesting snack breaks. Don’t just throw sodas and granola bars at your attendees. Customize the breaks to be memorable, and unique. Cool (or warm) lavendar scented towels coupled with a build your own old fashioned rootbeer float station.

5. Purpose-built networking activities. Trust falls and rope courses, move aside. Any activity—whether it be a wine blending, ziplining, or historical tour – can have great ROI. Providing a platform for attendees to continue the discussions, network, and forge relationships is priceless.  Giving attendees the opportunity to meet and talk with colleagues from other departments that they usually don’t have a chance to interact, helps promote cross functional learning and awareness.

How are you meeting the experiential needs of your attendees? I’d love to hear!

The Freelancer Dream and Finances

Freelancing is the dream, right? You wake up when you want, work a little, go to the beach. MYTH. Freelancing is HARD. It’s can be challenging to be your own boss, be 100% responsible for you and your business. That’s a lot of pressure. Your job is to find clients, and keep them. And if you have a family -- work/life blending (not balancing) is an added obstacle. And what about the business side of the business—the finances. That alone can be scary and overwhelming. It’s important to know how to handle the money you’ll be making in your new freelancing career. And more importantly, to find a trusted accountant.

Several Accounts

Freelance = feast or famine. Either you are inundated with work,  or not working at all. For this reason, it’s important to always have a savings account to cover at least three months’ worth of expenses. In addition to a savings account, you should keep your banking accounts separate: for example, personal, business, and taxes. As a freelancer you are responsible for paying your own taxes. So when freelance checks comes in, approximately 40% should go straight into the tax savings account. 40%? Yep. You’re still responsible for your share of income (including state), Social Security, and Medicare taxes. Your accountant will advise you to pay quarterly taxes –and what that minimum amount is--to avoid end-of-year penalties. This really brings into account the importance of tax planning as many freelancers have other investments, so it is important to look at all your taxable sources to determine the proper tax savings amount. A good accountant is priceless as a freelancer.

Benefits
If you are new to freelancing, the lack of benefits--like no health insurance or 401K—can be the scariest part of your new business.  It’s important to research individual health/vision/dental plans to determine which plans fit your needs and your budget. Health plans can be quite costly, and you must account for this added expense. Also, you should talk with your accountant regarding tax-advantaged saving options such as SEP IRA, SIMPLE IRA, self-employed 401(k), or an IRA. Saving for retirement is important.

Track Everything

Track every last penny. Keep all of your receipts. Use Excel, use a piece of notebook paper, or buy proper software. This will be key in helping you and your accountant determine your taxable income, and help support your deductions. Further, your accountant may find more tax deductions of which you weren’t aware. Additionally, you’ll want to keep these documents in the case of IRS audits.

Live Within Your Means
While working from home does have its advantages—more flexibility, more family time-- it’s still not all glitter and glam. You’ll still have to live on a budget, which you’ll be more vested because you are controlling every aspect of your income.  Finding new ways to live comfortable and within your means is part of being a freelancer. Perhaps, you’ll surprise yourself and discover ways to reduce your monthly expenses.  With a little leftover, perhaps you’ll be able to experience something you’ve always wanted, or put some away for retirement. Finding the right projects and right clients that will allow you to achieve your financial goals while also living the lifestyle you prefer –that is the freelance dream. 

I would love to hear what other freelancers are doing to manage their finances. Care to share?

Home Office Setup Impacts Productivity

Your office space is very important. Heck, it’s where you spend a majority of your day. If your space isn’t conducive to working, you won’t be as productive.  And, when you work from home, it’s important to stay focused and have a positive work space that will attribute to an efficient work environment.  But let’s face it, when you work remote, your office could be your kitchen, closet, a nook in the bedroom, or a shed out back.  How do you make that space special and productive?

Several of my clients are 100% distributed, therefore, no one really “sees” the entire workspace of their colleagues. I thought it would be fun to poll one of the teams on the one change they have made to their physical office setup, and how it has positively impacted their work.

The answers I received fell everywhere from invest in a high quality office chair to throw out the printer (!!) I’m not one to argue a good chair with great ergonomics and lower back support. It certainly makes a big difference in how you feel at the end of the day.  However, throwing away a printer seems a bit drastic for me--I’m too old school.

One executive said he changed his background view to something interesting --the picture frame golf course view.  Apparently, he is asked if it is real in about 100% of the new calls he is on and people love it.  What a great conversational starter. 

Cleaning out, for most people, is quite therapeutic. I know I always feel better after I purge and re-organize.  One team member said she organized (cleaned) her office and has gone entirely paperless with her personal bills . The result is that she is more productive because she’s not distracted with disorganized paperwork. I may borrow this idea. There is way too much paper in my life. 

Stand up desks are all the rage these days—especially at tech companies.   One team member shared that she purchased an UPLIFT desk with her Tech stipend (another amazing benefits of working for some companies) and moved her new desk next to a window. She can adjust her desk to a stand up or sit down position and she likes the fact that she can see her back yard, flowers, and the bird bath.

A CEO mentioned the importance of having a door you can close while you are working and can open when you are not.

If you work remote, and are bored with your setup or struggling to stay focused and productive, a few small changes can certainly help.  I'd love to hear what changes you have recently made to your physical office setup, and how it has positively impacted your work.

Move Over Balance. It’s Blending Time.

Everyone talks about it, there are many debates on how best to achieve it, and many people say it’s a requirement of their employment. Many blog posts have been written on 42 tricks and tips to achieve it and the seven habits of the highly successful who have achieved it. What is it? Work life balance. I’m here to say that it is no longer about the balance. Balancing a busy personal life with a busy work life is stressful! You schedule time for family, you schedule time for yourself, you schedule time for work. Hello stress.

Since starting my firm less than one year ago, I have diligently practiced the concept of work life blending. (Yeah, kinda like a smoothie).  One of the reasons I left corporate America after a successful 17-year career was to have my cake and eat it too -- not to balance. I have a family (and want to keep it) and I have a life—a pretty exciting, adventurous one. (Well, as adventurous as a life can be with a newborn), and I love what I do for work and I am willing to go to the extreme to do it.

How do I work life blend?

1.     I treat everything—work, me time, family time, lifestyle/friend time—seriously. It’s on my calendar.  My daughter’s scheduled C-section was on a calendar meeting request to her father and my mother. Yep, that’s how serious I am.

2.     I use a lot of cool tech platforms and tools for communicating with clients. My favorites right now are Slack, a real-time messaging, archiving, and search tool that all the hip companies are using and Sococo, an online workplace that facilitates collaboration.

3.     I work off hours. There is no need for me to sit at a desk from 9-5pm local time. And who turns their phone off at 5pm anyways? I have clients all over the USA so working off hours is a necessity.  My Mondays start with a client’s executive team call at 7am. My other days usually start at 10am. I work at 8pm most nights (never Tuesdays—I have beach volleyball league). Bottom line, I do not need to be in my office physically for 8 hours straight to get my work done.

4.     I incorporate flexibility. I schedule my day around my commitments and accomplish my work. I may take a 9am Body Pump class or take my baby to a Music Together class at 4:30pm (and take a call enroute). Often, I work again at night after the baby goes to bed.

5.     I combine work travel with family/fun travel. I think the term they use for this is “bleisure”. I travel a lot for work.  It’s easier to tack on a family holiday or girls weekend when you’re blending work and life.

6.     I communicate. My family and my clients always know “what’s next?” Whether that be my next biz trip or our next deliverables or action items. See #1. 

My life has completely changed for the better in the past nine months and most of the credit goes to work life blending. I engage with life and work together.  Are you ready to drop the balancing act and start blending?  What are you doing to have a better blend of work and life?  Any other tips/tricks people out there have to blend your work and life better?

Company Retreats: Preventative Care for Distributed Companies

As I gear up for a client's inaugural all-hands company retreat in a few months, I've been reflecting back on a blog post I wrote back in February entitled, Trust Falls and Rope Courses.  It’s a great post mortem read about a successful leadership team retreat and how sometimes these retreats get a bad rep.

Like the interchangeable terms “remote work”, “co-located”, “working from home”, and “distributed team”, the term “company retreat” can be referred to as an “offsite”, “summit”, “camp”, or “meeting.” Company retreats are a strategy and running a company retreat is an expertise. They should not be looked at as a cookie cutter solution—your retreat should be customized to meet your team’s culture and your team’s goals and objectives.

Why host a company retreat if you’re a distributed company? Simply, it will create more opportunities for human connectedness and enhance seamless communications. Being physically together in the same room also builds trust. Retreats can help with the disconnectedness that virtual employees may feel.

Think of a company retreat as preventive care. If you nurture your employees in good times, they will be prepared for unexpected challenges in the future. With many companies, I’ve seen first hand the positive outcomes of a company retreat in the form of an “afterglow”—the magic that happens immediately after an event for a few months. Teams seem closer, more casual, more open, more communicative, and more productive.

Most of my clients host a company retreat once a year, and an executive/leadership team retreat once a year. There’s no right frequency—it’s what’s right for your needs and your culture…and your budget. Company retreats are not inexpensive. When you consider the lost client time (if you’re a services company), the resources needed, and the actual cost—it adds up. Many distributed companies take the (roughly 4% of overall revenue) funds they would use as office overhead (rent, facilities, etc) and put towards a line item called, “Employee Development.” Connectedness and culture are super important to any successful company, and especially to distributed teams.  The retreat can be the lifeblood of the company. Often employee retention and even client retention can be linked back to company retreats.

The planning and logistics of a company retreat are intensely complicated. Companies, a lot of times,  don’t realize what all is involved. They become frustrated and the event suffers. Often, it has the opposite effect of causing division. Full knowledge of what all is involved is imperative to a successful event. Finding the right venue is a big challenge: ensuring good wifi, proper meeting space, privacy, the list goes on. Sure, you can do it yourself, but why? Let a professional handle it for you and you’ll be amazed at the cost savings you receive through concessions and negotiating.

You have a friend in the business with andgreat. And we won’t even charge you to find a venue.

How Does Your Distributed Company Incorporate CSR?

Corporate Social Responsibility is a management concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations. Many of us have likely participated in employers CSR programs—taking the afternoon off to clean up the local beach, volunteering at a soup kitchen or shelter. It feels good to help your local community and give back, and it’s certainly a team bonding experience. And from a public relations perspective, looks great.

But, what if your company is distributed. How do you get everyone involved in  CSR programs? Not everyone can fly to one location, for example, to build a house for Habitat for Humanity, or participate in an ASL Charity Walk.

According to Global Workplace Analytics, telecommuting and virtual work has grown by 102.1 percent between 2005 and 2014. With this change in the workforce, it’s imperative companies include and engage all employees from various locations across the world.

Summit CPA Group, a 100% distributed company with employees living all over the USA in cities like Orlando, Fort Wayne, Hermosa Beach, Colorado Springs, and Flint.  Being 100% distributed doesn’t stop Summit CPA Group from incorporating a strong corporate culture that includes a very personalized CSR program. Annually, Summit CPA Group provides each employee $100. Employees choose to donate to any local non-profit of their choice. Summit CPA Group Co-Founder Jody Grunden says, “It’s important that each team member feels that they can contribute positively and do good in their local communities and support the specific cause(s) that are near and dear to their hearts.”

Some of the non-profits they choose to donate include: Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, St. Jude’s Hospital, Boys Scouts/Girl Scouts, Central Missouri Diabetic Children’s Camp, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

Why is a customized CSR program important? One team member said, “CPA firms can become so focused on staff productivity that they forget we have lives outside of work.  This CSR program is reminder that Summit CPA Group cares about who we are outside of the office and supports our interests."

Another team member shared that, “Last year Summit CPA Group supported my daughter's Girl Scout troop. I was pleased to have my employer support the same efforts that my daughter and the rest of the family worked.  The funds went to the local troop and helped reached the troop's fundraising goal, and of course my daughter communicated to her friends that her mommy's work had contributed. My daughter asked why Summit CPA Group was contributing and I proudly responded that they support their employees in endeavors outside of work.  She replied, "If I ever have a business I am going to do the same."”

How does your distributed company incorporate CSR?