As you begin your team journaling project you may find that original purpose and goal changes or evolves. You may also find your guidelines need to be added to or modified. In your journaling process meeting in person or via conference can be added to update and relate how journaling process is working or being effective toward team goal.

Creating a series of questions related to team goal and purpose can be an effective way to start journal process. These questions can focus and motivate individuals, and inspire creative writing and thinking process. Or making statements and asking if these are agreed to or not is another way to start process.

The team journal can become an integral part of any companies process to achieve greater clarity and focus about purpose, goals and intentions. The process of team journaling also can create new relationships with people involved.

Copyright 2003 Doreene Clement All Rights Reserved

Doreene Clement, a cancer victor and author of The 5 Year Journal, is currently writing a new book, Blessed, about her life and her cancer experience. For more information www.the5yearjournal.com 480.423.8095 Copyright 2005 OMDC, LLC All Rights Reserved

A common mistake of neophyte networkers is to concentrate on picking up food and drink, ignoring other networkers in line. Don't do that, as they represent your first opportunity to meet someone. You can make casual conversation about food, or even just introduce yourself. In either case, by time you both reach end of line you will have someone to converse with as you move off into room.

When you find yourself alone in a crowded room, practise art of "hovering". Move towards a small group of people who are having a conversation, but rather than push right into group, "hover" a yard or so outside circle. Someone will invariably notice you and invite you in. If someone happens to be speaking at time, say something like, "Don't let me interrupt your story -- it's interesting." When they finish, that's time to introduce yourself to rest of group.

If you use these ideas, you'll find it's not so hard to become part of that happy, noisy crowd.