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Traci Lewis

How to Run a Great Zoom Meeting

September 15, 2020 by Traci Lewis Leave a Comment

Women standing in a room dancing

Have you ever been in a meeting online which wasn’t actually that great? How often has it just been a convenient but poor substitute for the real thing? This needs to change and fast!

Now more than ever we need to ensure that we DO run great virtual meetings  -  here are 10 top team meeting ideas to help you be the person who does.

We are in the grip of a pandemic. Most people who can are now working from home. Many of us are fortunate to have laptops and internet so that we can do this and stay connected with our colleagues, clients and networks. But how do we ensure that we maintain the quality of conversations and connections which we get when we meet-up in person?

As how many times have you had a meeting online which wasn’t actually that great? Perhaps the tech failed, perhaps we felt invisible and unheard, or perhaps we didn’t really show-up, as we were actually thinking about or doing something else at the same time. However to ensure that we don’t get left behind or isolated during this difficult time we now need to ensure that we DO run great virtual meetings. Make your zoom meetings as good as your physical ones!

women sat around a table laughing together

Here are 10 team meeting ideas to ensure everyone thinks your next online zoom meeting is great:

  1. Send a Good Invite. Send an agenda and clear joining instructions by email, in good time, with date, time and zoom link. So everyone knows what the meeting is all about, what to expect and how to join it. Send these by calendar invite as well as by email, so they are easy to find and access when needed. 

  2. Send Reminders. So everyone remembers and actually shows up. Consider also sending reminders via FB messenger or Whatsapp or other social messaging platform the attendees might use. As the reason most people don’t show up is because they forget or double book.

  3. Be Prepared. For people who aren’t used to using video calls then it might be useful to also provide some practical tips with the invite and also to go through these at the beginning of the call. Seth Godin suggests this simple 9 point checklist.

  4. Be On Time. Make sure you are already there at least 5 minutes before everyone else arrives, to ensure everyone else can get in ok and to welcome them. Just like you don’t want to be the last one to arrive an offline meeting - well the same rules apply!

  5. Start with a Check in. Invite everyone to share how they’re feeling, to make sure everyone is ok and feels supported. I always do this but it’s especially important now while people are feeling stressed and anxious. I like this article from Bethan Harris of Collectively where she shares useful virtual meeting tips as well as other ‘coping strategies’ for working from home and looking after your mental health: Loneliness and Homeworking 

  6. Make it Fun. Consider using an icebreaker as well as a check-in. This is useful for a larger group or one where people don’t already know each other well. 5 Icebreakers for Distributed Team Meetings.

  7. Have a Conversation. People hate meetings but they don’t hate conversations. I love Seth Godin’s daily blog, which always inspires me to see things differently. Here is his recent one: Let’s have a conversation instead* on how to make a virtual or zoom meeting, less about the meeting and more about the conversation.

    “A conversation involves listening and talking. A conversation involves a perception of openness and access and humanity on both sides.If you’re trapped in a room of fifty people and the organizer says, “let’s go around the room and have everyone introduce themselves,” you know you’re in for an hour of unhappiness. That’s because no one is listening and everyone is nervously waiting for their turn to talk. But if you’re in a conversation, you have to listen to the other person. Because if you don’t, you won’t know what to say when it’s your turn to talk.”

  8. Use Breakout Rooms. This zoom function can help you to facilitate these conversations. The video Breakout Rooms allow the Zoom meeting host to create smaller groups within a larger meeting or training session.

    As the host you could speak for two minutes or ten minutes to establish the agenda and the mutual understanding, and then press a button to take everyone to break out rooms.They can have a conversation with one another about the topic at hand. Not wasted small talk, but detailed, guided, focused interaction based on the prompt you just gave them. 8 minutes later, the organizer can press a button and summon everyone back together.*

  9. Get Feedback. Bring everyone back into the main meeting and get feedback from the groups to everyone else, just like you might in a larger physical meeting, but use the chat function to do this. Consider designing your agenda so you alternate this group feedback with more smaller break out conversations.

  10. Allow Final Reflections. It is important to allow time for everyone to have an opportunity to reflect and also to agree on any actions and next steps. For small meetings ensure time for everyone to be heard or for larger meetings again do this via the breakout rooms.
Women standing in a room chatting

Oh and one final top tip!

Only have a meeting if you actually need one! Would a memo or email be sufficient right now? As ever I’m with Seth Godin on this one,

“Only have a real-time meeting if it deserves to be a meeting. If you need people to read a memo, send a memo. If you need students to do a set of problems, send the problems. If you want people to watch a speech or talk, then record it and email it to them. Meetings and real-time engagements that are worthy of conversations are rare and magical.”Again I’ll leave it to the master Seth to have the final word here;

“If you want to do a lecture, do a lecture, but that’s prize-based education, not real learning. If people simply wanted to learn what you were teaching, they wouldn’t have had to wait for your lecture (or pay for it). They could have looked it up online.

But if you want to create transformative online learning, then allow people to learn together with each other. Connect them. Create conversations.”

– Seth Godin

I hope you find these tips useful, let me know how you get on and let me know about any others which you think should be there. [email protected]

Filed Under: Uncategorized

My 50 Top Tips for Female Social Entrepreneurs

September 14, 2020 by Traci Lewis Leave a Comment

Front cover of 50 Top Tips e-book, with a red silhouette of a woman riding a blue bike with a yellow circle behind them

My Top 50 Tips for Female Social Entrepreneurs

So you want to be a social entrepreneur or have already started down this path?  Well I have put together my top 50 tips to help you to succeed.  All the things I wish someone had told me when I started out. As well as the things I wish I’d actually listened to and put in place at that time.

Given the current job market and economic situation, if you don’t have a secure job now, then you may well be thinking about how you can create your own.

So these top 50 tips are designed to help you do just that, they cover; hopes & dreams to systems & finance, as well as lots of the other stuff in between.  There are some useful tips and insights to help you succeed, while saving you valuable time and money along the way.

Catalyse Change logo

I am co-founder and director of social enterprise Catalyse Change CIC. I also run my own change agency, Sustain-Live Consulting Ltd, helping purpose-led businesses to thrive.

For 18 years, before I set up my own businesses, I worked for the Soil Association organic food and farming charity, also their not-for-profit company, which I helped grow from a small organisation to the successful market leader they are today.  I also managed their regional Organic South West office supporting lots of social, environmental and community businesses to start-up and to grow.

Throughout this time I have experienced lots of successes and lots of failures too. 

When I started working for myself 5 years ago I made a lot of mistakes. However it has been an incredible learning journey, which is why I would like to share some of it with you now. 

These tips are relevant for women who are just thinking about – or have already started – setting up and leading their own social enterprise or business. 

You might call it a social, green, purpose-led, ‘BIG WHY’ or ethical business. 

We’re talking about the same thing. It’s all about having purpose at the heart of your business and ensuring that all of your objectives and activities are aligned with that.

Although a defining legal feature of a social enterprise, is that the social or environmental objectives are actually also written into the companies governing documents.  But I’m jumping ahead, let’s start at the beginning first…

Hopes, dreams & creating the right mindset. It all starts here…

Traci in a field surrounded by nature

1. So what’s your Dream?  Think big and don’t be afraid of that. You can narrow down the details later, but it’s good to start with a big vision about what it is you really care about and what you want to spend your life creating. A good way to do this is by taking time out away from other people and your computer. Get out into nature for a good walk or even better a camping trip.

Just do some daydreaming.  

Try and remember what you dreamed about as a child or teenager. What things did you really care about?  What did you used to imagine yourself doing before your worries and fears got in the way?

Write it all down, nothing is too silly and see where it takes you.

Red image that says '5 Gender Equality'

2. What problem do you want to solve? This is also a good starting point and a question you need to answer as a social entrepreneur. 

What are the things you really care about most? 

Is it climate action, ocean pollution, social injustice or poverty? 

For me it’s gender equality. I want to help empower young women to have the confidence to be the change they wish to see in the world. And as we are in a climate emergency I also want to help ensure they have the knowledge and tools to be effective change agents.

A good place to look for inspiration is the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), 17 global goals, which identify what we need to focus on and how we can work together to create a sustainable world. 

3. Don’t give up your day job  Well, at least not straightaway. Clearly, you’ve got to be able to generate enough income to at least provide for your basic needs. So unless you have savings, or other sources of income, then you need to carry on working until you know that you can generate enough income to cover your outgoings. You can explore other sources of available finance such as; loans, social investment, grants. However it’s good to know that you have a viable business model first.

4. Be clear on your business model  How will you make money? You need to create a profitable business with proven revenue streams. A business model is essentially the way or how a company makes money and delivers value for the customer. The Business Model Canvas is a useful tool to help you develop yours. There are many different existing business models you can choose from eg. Manufacturer, Distributor, Retailer, Franchise, Online Marketplace, Affiliate Marketing. However as a woman in sustainability, just starting out, you might want to keep it simple to begin with. For inspiration and advice read Paul Jarvis’ book Company Of One and Heidi Fisher’s How to set up a successful social enterprise.  

Laptop open on a desk with a cup next to it

5. Start as a freelancer  A good way to start working for yourself, is as a freelancer, exchanging your time and skills for an hourly or day rate.  You can register with HMRC as a sole trader and with a relatively low financial investment start earning money straight away, doing what you are already most skilled at. It is a good way to test the water and see whether you enjoy working for yourself, and if so, how you like to do it. It will help you to build your confidence and give you time to put your marketing, admin and finance systems etc. in place. You can then develop your business model over time, if you wish.

6. Get a Growth Mindset  Have you got the right mindset to be an entrepreneur? It’s important to be open, flexible and growth orientated. Having this mindset changes your approach to problem solving and collaboration. Tony Robbins, a world renowned motivational speaker and coach, says that running a successful business is 80% psychology, and 20% skill. This is all about having a growth mindset. Read Carol Dweck’s book on Growth Mindset and see what you can learn in order to grow yours. Once you change your mindset you will find that your external circumstances change accordingly.

7. Be confident  In order to go out and convince other people to believe in you, you really need to believe in yourself first. Only you can make this happen. However getting a good coach or mentor helps too. Someone with whom you can talk through your challenges and decisions, to help you explore issues you are unsure or stuck on. Self-care practices such as meditation, affirmations and regular exercise also really help. As your outer experience is just a reflection of what is going on internally. So make sure you are being kind to yourself and building up your confidence, instead of listening to your inner critic.

 8. Get networking  This is a key activity to help you succeed in business. In fact it’s value can’t be emphasised enough. So ensure you grow a really strong network by getting out there regularly – on and offline – to meet people who might end up being customers, but will also help you to grow your business in many ways eg. information sharing, partners, supporters and referrals. 

9. Organise the money  If you set up a limited company or social enterprise you may want to hire an accountant. However you should also consider using one of the many useful online accounting tools such as QuickBooks, Xero or Sage.  As doing this will help save you time and money in the long run. To ensure good money management do also get a separate business bank account as soon as possible.

10. Set Goals  Setting goals help us to prioritise and gives us a roadmap to follow. They are also a great way to hold ourselves accountable and define what we truly want in life. Just make sure that you set goals that really motivate you, so ones which are important to you and that you really want to achieve. Try using SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, timebound) as a useful framework to ensure your goals work.  Also do record them in a working business plan, using a management tool – such as Trello or Excel – to help you actually do them.

Unfortunately there isn’t room to include all 50 tips here, however I’d be delighted to send you a free copy of my ‘Top 50 Tips for Female Social Entrepreneurs’ playbook. Just follow the instructions on the link.

If you are just thinking about – or have just started – working for yourself you should join my new online programme ‘Set up your own Successful Social Business,’ get in touch if you’d like to find out more.

I also lead a Women in Sustainabiltiy (WINS) freelancer & enttrepreneur group, drop me an email if you’d like an invite to our next meeting. It is an informal and friendly format – where we network, share knowledge and support each other to grow our businesses – I do hope you can join us.

For more information please get in touch;

Traci Lewis, WINS Bristol hub lead, [email protected]  @TraciLewis79  Linkedin

Filed Under: Kick-ass changemaker, Uncategorized Tagged With: ecopreneur, female social entrepreneurs, kick-ass changemaker, social business, social enterprise, women in business

10 clues you are a Conscious Change maker

September 14, 2020 by Traci Lewis Leave a Comment

Woodland path with two people in the distance and trees surrounding them

So what is a Conscious Change maker? What does it mean to align your inner & outer worlds?

As my work gravitates towards supporting female change makers. I have been considering these questions alot recently and would like to share my thoughts with you here.

So what do I think it actually means?  An online search has brought up blogs from two other women, so I will incorporate some of their ideas here, while also exploring my own interpretation.

A conscious change maker is someone who is working to make a positive social and environmental impact in the world.

While also doing the inner work to make the changes within themselves too. In fact, the desired outer changes are not possible without the inner work.

A conscious change maker is someone who is seeking a spiritual path and is doing the inner work to help them grow and flourish. To be present and productive.

So, what are 10 clues that you are a conscious change maker?

 Your Intention to Love, no matter what, is the absolute Key to Happiness

– Robert Holden 
A little girl wearing a pink jumper
  1. Choosing Love over Fear
    Making a conscious choice to choose love over fear is key to making change happen. While we are stuck in our fear based paradigm of judgement of each other and ourselves, then we will never be able to move on from the cycle of suffering which it brings.  I first really started to understand this, from listening to the wonderful Marianne Williamson, an American author, spiritual leader and activist. Her book A Return to Love made a massive impact on me – it’s based on her teachings from the self-study guide A Course in Miracles.  She explains how applying the principles of love to life can aid in healing and bring about personal transformation. 

Love is what we were born with. Fear is what we learned here.

–Marianne Williamson
  1. Having a strong sense of purpose  To know what your purpose is and for all of your goals and activities to be aligned with it. Your purpose is like a North Star which helps guide and keep you on track. It helps to ensure your time and energy is used in a productive way for the things you really care about. I think it’s around integrating your work with who you are and how you live your life. In the past our work has often been siloed from this. However being a conscious change maker is about bringing your work into the core of who you are and not being apologetic about that.

People are looking for confident leadership with clearly defined values, and that only comes from a clear sense of purpose, anchored in our core. Our core is the solar plexus area in our body, our power centre, our ‘sun’ centre. As the sun is a star, this is the star centre in our body!

Just as people have navigated by using the stars over millennia, we will guide people home by shining bright from our purpose. A conscious leader allows herself to shine her brightest light.

– Emily Johnsson, 9 attributes of a conscious leader 
Riverbank showing rocks and trees
  1. Daily spiritual practices  To me being a conscious change maker involves having daily practices which help keep you aligned with my purpose. I have a Miracle Morning Routine with meditation, exercise, affirmations and visualisation which help me to stay focussed and on track. I also do regular yoga and body balance classes which are all about strengthening my core and staying present. As your fitness and wellbeing help you to stay focussed, disciplined and able.
Traci laughing with 3 friends
  1. Choosing to be happy now  You can decide at any time to live your life in a way which makes you happy. In a way which best resonates for you.  It may seem hard at times but your response to life, your attitude and how you show up, is always your choice, no matter what your situation. As WW2 concentration camp survivor Victor Frankl noted, “the last of human freedoms is to choose one’s attitude in any given circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”

Easy to say, hard to do when there are bills to pay and the whole economic landscape has changed. I know. I’ve been there too. But it’s been in those times, against all odds, when I’ve employed the power of deliberate intent using “high vibration” thinking, feeling and visualizing, that things have changed. It’s time to do so again. For all of us.

 Cheryl Brewster, Inspiring Conscious Changemakers
  1. Knowing who you are going to serve  I think being a conscious change maker is about being clear on who you’re here to serve and aligning that with your purpose. The more that your work can be in service to those people, and to help them solve their specific problems, the more effective you will be at making change happen. Just ensure you do it in dialogue with them, that it’s in service to what they actually want and not through a top down or siloed approach. It’s about doing the work in a way that’s integrated and holistic.
Bike by a tree with sun shining through
  1. Be present  I think being a conscious change maker is about always trying to be present. The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle is a book which really blew me away. It’s all about the power of living in the present and how you can learn to do it. Through techniques like mindfulness and yoga, we can start to bring more presence into our life. Ekhart describes how living in the present moment is the key to developing a sense of profound bliss, love, and unity with everything in the universe. If this interests you I also recommend his more recent book The New Earth. Where he explores how transcending our ego-based state of consciousness, is not only essential to personal happiness, but also the key to ending conflict and suffering throughout the world.

Realise deeply that the present moment is all you have. 

Make the Now the primary focus of your life.

– Eckhart Tolle
  1. Trusting your intuition  Being a conscious change maker means being tuned into and trusting your intuition. Meditation and prayer are two tools to help develop this skill. I like the idea that prayer is like asking for help – whether that be to the universe, God, the life force or your chosen deity – and that meditation is actually listening to the answer.  I like to get up early in the morning, as it’s a time when I can check-in and listen to my intuition more clearly.  It is a time when I feel clarity and when answers ‘appear’ to my current challenges and problems. There is a scientific explanation for this. As when we first wake up, we have theta brainwaves – which are a different frequency to those when we are conscious – which can help us access unconscious problem solving. In fact early in the morning – sometimes called the ‘witching hour’ – is a time of heightened connection to a more intuitive world.
  1. Co-create & collaborate  Collaboration and community mindedness are keys to being a conscious change maker and helping achieve a sustainable world. To secure the future of our people and planet, we have to replace competition with collaboration.  The good news is that the overall response of people to the coronavirus pandemic was community-minded, we worked together to help and support each other through it. A positive outcome has been to step back from the busyness of our lives and instead start valuing those things which money can’t buy; time with family and in nature, creating and making instead of spending and consuming.  Now, more than ever, we need to continue living like this and see how we can use it as a blueprint to move forward.
  1. Be Focussed  Being a conscious change maker involves being in service to the work and staying focussed on that. There are more distractions now than ever, so it’s vital to find ways to keep doing the deep work. To do this find routines which work for you e.g. switch off the wifi and smartphones, leave meetings and emails until later in the day; so you can do the deep focussed work when you are at your most productive.

Now is the time to say no to all distractions, noting that some of those distractions we have previously allowed because they were keeping us safe – in hiding. Every moment we allow distractions to have power over us, we are living out the energy of the old, limiting paradigm. Every moment we stay focused on our service and the higher purpose of our work, we are being the change. We allow ourselves to seek the support we need in small or big ways so that we can move forward in a state of flow. Focus equals flow equals impact.

– Emily Johnsson 
Traci sitting in a field with her tent
  1. Cultivate a nature connection  Time spent in nature is always time well spent. In this busy, ultra wifi connected world, we need protected time where we can just switch off and immerse ourselves in nature. The more we can do this the more we can re energise, recharge and tap into our innate creative and intuitive abilities. I don’t see how this is possible without regular time spent immersing yourself in nature.  Whether a camping trip, a quick walk in the country or sitting under a tree in your local park, it’s all invaluable and is never time wasted.

So this is my initial public exploration of what it means to be a conscious change maker. How does this resonate for you? Do let me know. What do you think? What have I missed? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment below or email: [email protected] 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

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Traci Lewis is a social entrepreneur, trainer, facilitator and catalyst. She is co-founder and director of Catalyse Change CIC and also leads the Women in Sustainability Bristol hub.

She lives in the beautiful city of Bristol in the UK. She is also often found on the south west beaches and moors. Read More…

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