Bring people from different task gossip cells together
for a variety of functions.
Definition Of Cross Functional Team
A group of people from different departments in a company who work together for a common goal.
“What Are Cross-Functional Teams” Everything You Need To Know”
Christine Organ
Cassie Bottorff
Rob Watts
Forbes
May 31, 2024
Get To Know Each Other’s Work Routines & Styles
Cross functional team members have at least 3 options for getting to know each other in their workplace environment.
Do the option or options that fit your team and project:
Each member writes a description of their typical work day.
Each member explains the who, what, when, where, how, and why of their work actions.
Each member tells a story about a difficulty their department faced and handled successfully.
Reduce Conflict
Differences in process and style can create conflicts.
Ease the conflict through:
Group rules
Clear decision making process / framework
Management encouragement for communication and flexibility
Clear goals
“6 Benefits of a cross-functional team”
Matthew O’Neill
Promises at Work
August 29, 2018
“What I learned about cross-functional collaboration from being a PM at Lyft”
Hadar Dor
Lyft Engineering
January 29, 2019
Leverage Diverse Skills
Collaboration between team members:
Builds trust
Breaks stereotypes
Promotes camaraderie
Promotes innovation
Improves employee engagement
Leads to knowledge sharing
Employees achieve more together than they could by themselves.
“Cross-Functional Collaboration Best Practices”
Keith Murphy
Planergy
November 12, 2020
Finish Projects Faster
Teammates can ask each other for what they need from various departments.
When a cross functional team encounters a challenge, break the challenge into smaller pieces.
Evaluate progress with weekly or monthly deadlines.
Come together for short daily meetings to discuss progress, talk about problems, and set daily goals.
Make customers and clients part of the project as testers.
“Fast, flexible, and full of team spirit: How to work more like a start-up”
Darren Dahl
Inc. Magazine
May 2009: pages 95-97.
© Paula M. Kramer, 2021 to the present
All rights reserved.