Hints On Getting The Cross-functional Team Functioning

Effective collaboration is often the secret to successful project management, and as a team leader there is much you can do to promote good communication and team work.

When a group of workers do not perform as well as expected regarding their given tasks, it's usually easy to point the finger and find the department or individual who is to blame. Perhaps the team researching the need for new products misjudged the popularity of your firm's latest new links, or staff have not completed their tasks on time. Wherever possible, the issues ought to be looked at as an outcome of group actions, rather than the results of individuals who may feel like they are a scapegoat.

This kind of all-round approach is used by managers running cross-functional teams that adopt a common commitment of equal responsibility. As the manager, you can help to foster this atmosphere and put together teams where all members are concerned about and actively promote all-round success.

Benefits of a cross-functional team

There are lots of advantages to having a broad team that is made up of individuals who offer lots of different skills and experience, as the saying goes two (and perhaps more!) minds are better than one. Where this is particularly apparent is when it comes to problem solving. They'll likely be a group member who has experience in product development or technical issues for example. Also a mixed skill-set due to employees from varied departments working together, may assist your entire team in acquiring new knowledge, especially if you allow workers to give seminars/training in the topics concerned.

Considerations

You ought to explore several considerations in order to make your team as functional as possible. You're advised to look at those close too - but not part of - the workforce you'll be leading, in addition to those directly responsible for producing the deliverables. A good starting point is the examination of your own skills and background, to establish how you can make the most of your past and present experiences so you're able to plan, manage and monitor your team and its progress.

Management needs to be supportive of the group and their goals, as this will keep workers motivated. When it comes to the project itself, you need to ensure that your team are aware of the task's objectives - otherwise they may fail to complete tasks successfully. Within the actual task requirements your fellow employees should feel confident in their roles and responsibilities, while also being given a platform to resolve difficulties and conflicts openly.

What to watch out for

Obstacles that could potentially get in the way of a strong team have been briefly touched on already. For example, team goals need to be collectively established and made clear, otherwise workers may end up acting 'individually' as they do not have a clear group vision. Teams that do not feel they have the authority to make decisions or have a valid input could lose their impetus and become inconsistent in their work efforts.

Take on board their findings and opinions to give workers a sense of empowerment. Team dynamics that result in cliques forming may lead to a disruption in communication, but if you're able to keep discussions open and provide understanding during conflicts you might be able to ease problems quickly.

Providing a helping hand

Once you have your cross-functional team up and running there are still actions you can take to make your group as effective as possible. For instance, investigate the progression of your staff and see if team members could benefit from additional skills or encouragement. Keep note of individual strengths and weaknesses, and offer training or extra responsibility as needed.