As organizations transition from project-centric to product-centric Agile models, technology professionals are increasingly being asked to work alongside colleagues from different departments to drive innovation and product development.
In fact, a recent Gartner survey found that most companies are running as many as five types of complex initiatives at once and that each of these programs could involve five to eight corporate functions and 20 to 35 team members.
However, data also shows that teaming up with dozens of co-workers who have different viewpoints, priorities and expertise can be difficult, especially if you don’t know what to expect or how to collaborate effectively.
The good news is that cross-functional collaboration is a skill set that can be learned and developed even before you step into a new role on a cross-functional team.
To help you make a good impression on your teammates and hit the ground running, we asked two experts to share their tips and strategies for building your collaboration skills and thriving in a cross-functional setting.
Schedule Get-to-Know-You Meetings
A great way to learn more about your team members and their role within the company is to study their backgrounds and schedule casual, get-to-know-you meetings or lunch dates prior to the first team meeting, advised Priyanka Shinde, CEO of imPriSe Solutions, executive leadership coach and author of “The Art of Strategic Execution.”
Meeting with key team members gives you the chance to ask questions, find out what they do, and what their needs and challenges are, Shinde said. Most importantly, it gives you the opportunity to start building relationships and trust, which are essential to influencing and gaining buy-in for your ideas.
Shinde’s recommendation is supported by data which shows that when employees feel connected, outcomes like collaboration, engagement and motivation flourish.
Become T-Shaped
Being effective in a cross-functional setting requires T-shaped skills, explained Mary Iqbal, professional scrum trainer and organizer of the Scrum Day conference.
Each team member is going to define the product from their perspective and skillset; therefore, you need to be open to the ideas expressed by content writers, UX designers, testers, sales staff and others, she added. Remember, the team is responsible for delivering an outcome that creates more value for customers, not just taking a technical approach to the problem.
Taking steps to learn and develop the emotional intelligence (EQ) skills that impact cross-functional team dynamics and collaboration—such as empathy and listening through training and experience—can help you navigate interactions more effectively, resolve conflicts, and become a highly effective and influential member of a cross-functional team.
The advantage of a cross-functional team is that you don’t need to throw all your ideas against the proverbial wall and wait for feedback; you can hash it out together, as Iqbal pointed out. To that end, data shows that EQ helps you understand other points of view, adjust your approach and find innovative solutions to obstacles.
Get Clear on the Problem You’re Trying to Solve
Before you start collaborating, make sure you and your teammates are absolutely clear and aligned around the problem you’re trying to solve.
“Don’t be afraid to ask questions or feel intimidated by what you don’t know,” Shinde said. The idea is to unite people with different viewpoints and expertise to achieve a common objective, so you don’t have to know everything to participate in the discussion.
Once the problem is clearly defined, try using visual collaboration solutions or tools such as flowcharts or diagrams to convey complex ideas and bridge the gap between technical and non-technical team members.
You'd be surprised how often everyone thinks they’re on the same page, but they leave the meeting with different ideas about the problem they’re trying to solve. Creating visuals and diagraming the problems, workflow and potential solutions improves communication and creates mindshare with diverse team members.
Don’t Be Tied to Processes, Systems and Tools
Most companies already use a hybrid Agile model tailored toward their organization's specific needs. But that approach and the application of the Agile methodology, including Scrum methods or the allocation of work and the definition of tasks, may vary from one cross-functional team to another.
The nature of Agile is to be flexible and to give teams the ability to adapt as needs change. You’ll need to figure out how each cross-functional team is applying the framework and organizing to best meet its collective goals, so flexibility is paramount. “Think of this as a promotion by challenging yourself to operate at a higher level,” Shinde said.
You may be connected to more than one Scrum team, and you may be asked to perform tasks outside your specialty (such as testing) when necessary. You can’t focus on just your own tiny part, such as coding or testing, when you become a member of a cross-functional team.
Be Appropriately Assertive
When you’re asked to work with a group of virtual strangers, there’s a tendency to be too nice and let missed deadlines or commitments slide. But the reality is that team members must hold each other accountable.
Don’t hesitate to be clear about your bandwidth or what you can deliver and when… but it has to work both ways. Scrum emphasizes teamwork, collaboration and accountability among team members. But some team members may be unfamiliar with Scrum’s values or the system of checks and balances within the framework.
As the technical expert and team resource in Agile and Scrum practices, it may be up to you to ensure that your team understands the importance of robust collaboration and accountability in achieving your project objectives.
