5 Tools Every Virtual Team Needs for a Successful Planning Session
Strategic planning sessions usually require fresh erasable markers and packs of sticky notes. But for the thousands of teams working from home due COVID-19 this year, the tools for collaborative planning look a little different.
These days, teams need tools that can quickly and effectively convey information across video conferencing. Maintaining focus while ensuring everyone’s voice is heard requires tools that enable flexibility and creativity.
For a comprehensive listing of best practices and tools for virtual planning, check out our Guide to Remote Strategic Planning. In the meantime, let’s break down the 5 types of tools every virtual team needs for successful virtual planning.
A Conferencing Tool
If your team cannot safely gather in person, you’ll need a conferencing tool that can handle your full team for the duration of your session.
A Polling Tool
Taking a pulse of your team has never been more critical than while operating virtually. Crafting great strategy requires up-to-date data and input from your whole team. Survey tools, like the eNPS tool in Align, help leaders get a sense of how their team is doing during challenging times and solicit suggestions for where to focus efforts. Planning also offers an opportunity to recognize outstanding individuals and refocus team efforts around vision and core values. A good survey tool allows teams to identify together where opportunities lie and create a culture of shared goals.
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A Collaboration Tool
Putting stickies on a white board goes virtual with a myriad of visual collaboration tools for teams. These tools allow teams to brainstorm ideas, group areas of alignment, and focus on the two to three goals that will move your business forward next quarter.
An Execution Tool
As Jim Collins said, what gets measured gets managed. Setting effective goals, requires that they be time-bound and measurable. Ensuring that your goals are measured in the tools your team uses makes sure initiatives are tied to concrete outcomes.
A Strategy Tool
Understanding how individual and team goals contribute to big, overall company goals requires a tool that lets you see high-level progress. Connecting priorities created in planning with your company’s one to five year goals and core values is critical for keeping your team focused and aligned.
While we’re certainly biased, Align is specifically designed to keep your team moving forward together. When every contributor can track and communicate progress in one place, teams can achieve more goals faster.
For more helpful tips for successful planning sessions with a remote team, check out our comprehensive Guide to Virtual Planning.
