Cross-functional collaboration is the cornerstone of modern organizations. It's essential for several reasons:
- Efficiency: Breaking down silos and streamlining processes improves operational efficiency and reduces costs. However, in order to make this happen, leaders across these teams need to be aligned and 'allow' their employees to spend time on cross-functional projects.
- Innovation: Bringing together diverse perspectives and expertise leads to creative solutions and new product development. According to Forbes, diverse teams deliver 60% better results and make better decisions in 87% of cases.
- Customer focus: A holistic view of the customer journey is achieved through collaboration across departments, leading to enhanced customer satisfaction as long as the teams agree on priorities and can execute accordingly. Otherwise, it's a waste of time if the 'customer focus' is just a term with no action behind it.
- Company Culture: A company that like each other, works well together. They work as a TEAM (together everyone achieves more), and there's no room for EGO. This culture need to come from the top and through hiring practices, you hire talent you need, but you cannot waiver on the cultural fit as an equal skill.
Cross-functional collaboration can be challenging due to:
- Organizational silos: Departments often operate independently with different goals and metrics. Traditionally, an hierarchical structure has been how organizations are set up. This typically implies a leader at the top that manages this hierarchy of employees. Unless, the leader and the middle managers work well with other departments, do not expect the employees to have success on projects cross departments.
- Communication breakdowns: Misunderstandings and lack of clarity hinder effective collaboration. As programs/projects are defined, having a communications plan (info sharing, status updates, meeting structure) is essential to ensure everyone is on the same page and understand the expecations and what they are accountable for.
- Personality clashes: Different work styles and communication preferences can create friction. If leaders hire for skills and fit, then you will have less of this as there's very little room for egos, which creates an enjoyable and productive working environment.
- Resource constraints: Limited time and budget can impede collaboration efforts. Aligning on key, big, programs at the leadership level is critical to achieve buy in from all critical departments. If this is important and have goals set at a company level, it must be important across the entire company, and resources will be available to commit.
- Lack of trust: Building trust among team members from different backgrounds takes time and effort. Relationship building takes time and effort, and it requires everyone to want to do this, get to know each other, understand people better, learn techniques for including more people in collaboration, fostering a safe environment, and in some cases, working 1:1 with some leaders and employees which require more time to understand and learn the importance of collaboration and what are the most effective methods to collaborate.
Collaboration is a skill that can be learned and developed through:
- Training and development: Workshops, seminars, and coaching can provide valuable insights and tools.
- Experience: Working on cross-functional projects offers hands-on learning opportunities.
- Mentorship: Learning from experienced collaborators can accelerate skill development.
- Self-awareness: Understanding one's own communication style and preferences is crucial.
- Empathy: Building empathy for others and their perspectives fosters collaboration.
Collaboration is a combination of soft skills and practical knowledge. While innate abilities play a role, it is primarily a learned skill that can be enhanced through targeted efforts.
- Cross-functional collaboration (CFC): The process of working together across different departments or functional areas to achieve a common goal.
- Matrix management: A structure where employees report to both a functional manager and a project manager.
- Interpersonal skills: The ability to effectively communicate, build relationships, and work with others.
- Virtual team: A group of individuals working together remotely to achieve a common goal.
- Stakeholders: Individuals or groups who have an interest or concern in a project or organization.
- RACI: A framework for defining roles and responsibilities (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed).
- Influence: The ability to impact the thoughts, feelings, or behaviors of others without formal authority.
- Selling/persuasion: The art of convincing others to support an idea or initiative.
- Consensus vs. effective decision-making: Reaching agreement versus making timely decisions based on available information.
- Culture of collaboration: An organizational environment that fosters teamwork and shared goals.
- Everyone has a say: Encouraging input from all team members, regardless of their role.
- Who has the D (decide): Clearly defining decision-maker(s) to avoid confusion and delays.
- Executive sponsor: A high-level leader who supports and champions a project.
- Smart word choices: Using language that promotes collaboration and avoids conflict.
- Scope: Defining the boundaries and objectives of a project.
- Input: Seeking and incorporating feedback from team members.
- Retrospect: Reflecting on past experiences to learn and improve.
- Iterative: A process of continuous improvement through repeated cycles.
