How can you lead a team of cross-functional experts?

One thing I found important while working on cross-functional teams is adaptability. Each team member play a different role on the agile team, that will require adaptation, flexibility and strategy adjustment.

- D'après mon expérience, la communication est la clé de voute de ce genre de management. Chacun doit trouver sa place et donner sa méthode de communication.

Leading a cross-functional team of experts requires a balance of strategic leadership and collaborative communication. Clearly define common goals and establish a shared vision to unify diverse skill sets. Encourage open dialogue, valuing each expert's perspective, and foster a culture that embraces diversity of thought. Facilitate effective communication channels, ensuring that information flows seamlessly across functions. Provide autonomy within roles while emphasizing the importance of collaboration toward collective success. Regularly assess and leverage individual strengths, promoting a dynamic and adaptive team culture.

Leading a Cross functional team is a task in itself, it requires Strategic Leadership, Clear Communication between the team members and important defining the inter dependency of each team member. In agile every member should eb on the same page when it come to brainstorming, planning, execution and delivery with quality.

The most important part of building a rapport among Cross-Functional team is by creating an understanding among the different teams. Having transparent communication always goes a long way too, where every team member feels free to express themselves.

What I found very important for building trust among team member is to make the work environment that supports psychological safety and intellectual honesty.

The key here is to lead by example. One of the benefits of utilsing an agile framework is the flat line structure, which aims to remove the archaic suppression of hierarchy. When a servant leader paradigm is embraced, a safe space is created. This environment of 'how can I help' allows for the team to feel they are being supported.

Une chose que j'ai trouvé utile est l'outil mis en place afin de partager les idées, avancé et réussite afin de créer assez de lien tout en gardant une certaine pudeur dans le mode de communication. Ce f?t mon mode de cofinance dans plusieurs équipes sans imposer autre chose.

The second crucial phase in guiding a cross-functional team is establishing trust and rapport. This pivotal step involves creating a secure and supportive environment, fostering a culture where team members feel empowered to express their ideas and feedback freely, devoid of judgment or critique. Encouraging personal and professional connections among team members is essential, promoting an atmosphere of respect, empathy, and collaboration, leveraging the diversity within the team."

What I really appreciate is fostering open and transparent communication. I like to encourage the team members to share ideas, feedback and concerns.

Self empowering teams is the target state to aim for. Structuring the cross functional teams to work together to be self managed is the end goal. This will ensure they are all owning, driving and delivering to their best abilities. Instead of having the team reliant on a single point of failure, the operational framework is put in place with supporting guidelines and guardrails. The whole team is then responsible for taking turns to initiate, facilitate and contribute in all agreed aspects of communication.

Une communication honnête est importante afin de ne pas créer de freins à la coordination. Lors des réunions, une routine consistais à rappeler certaine étape de l'organisation de celle-ci et remettre le respect au centre des échanges.

The pivotal step in steering a cross-functional team is orchestrating seamless communication and coordination. It's about empowering team members with the right resources and support, ensuring they have what they need to excel. Imagine regular meetings resembling vibrant brainstorming sessions, check-ins sparking innovation, and feedback sessions fostering a culture of growth. By employing diverse communication tools tailored to individual preferences and locations, we transform the mundane into a dynamic exchange of ideas, keeping everyone connected and engaged.

I would strongly recommend leading those crucial conversations in a professional and timely manner. Address conflicts promptly and constructively as they occur. Take conflicts seriously and address them in one-on-one meetings, work towards resolution that benefits the whole team and not just the individuals involved.

You will get a high value return by investing in teaching, guiding, nurturing the people involved in the conflict on how to identify the options and seek agreement on the best resolution. The more time you spend patiently taking the parties involved on the journey the better the outcome will be. Negotiation is an art form seldom mastered without practice. The more capable your team become in this area, the better off they will be. "Nothing is a problem, until you make it one." If all the events are approached in a relaxed manner, where the root cause and impacts are identified. Working with the relevant stakeholders all options can be explored and the best fit solution identified, without the need for angst.

One thing I found helpful is fostering an environment that encourages creativity and innovation. Cross functional teams benefit from diverse perspectives, therefore creating the brainstorming and problem-solving sessions is of crucial value.

Creating a 'creativity culture' is priceless and a rare treat which has yielded huge dividends for some corporations who have successfully implemented this approach. Promoting innovation and creativity works when it is backed by the company, the roadmap and strategic direction is in place. The company vision has been articulated and is clearly understood. A company who truly wants to live on the edge of green fields discovery and development needs to provide funding, give staff dedicated time and remove political pressures to 'deliver' something within a defined timeframe. The wins and learnings from failed concepts should hold equal weighting and be celebrated.

1.Regular retrospectives,360 feedbacks , feedback loops as part of review and evaluate 2. Identify Early warning signals like anticipated delays, Road blocks, Regulatory aspects in a particular business functions 3.Assess priorities and take tactical decisions / bring it to a logical conclusion. 4.Bridge knowledge gaps. Engage trainings

Don’t just “facilitate” communication, but help various team member roles “understand” each other. Act as an “interpreter” between roles. It is helpful if you have performed these roles in your past, but it isn’t necessary. Always put yourself in the role of others and think what info do they need and how best will they understand it; then help pull this info from the various members.