Cross-team Collaboration: 4 Collaborative Strategies

Cross-team collaboration is a form of teamwork where a group of people with different skills from different teams come together to accomplish the same project goals. Also known as cross-functional collaboration, these collaboration efforts invite different perspectives to lead to effective collaboration, dynamic problem solving, and successful team-building.

For a single product launch, for example, multiple departments of a company may collaborate. The marketing team will work with the sales team to see how sales are performing and how advertising campaigns may shift. The customer support team will also share consumer feedback with the software development team so that the product can be the best version of itself.

Cross-team collaboration is an excellent form of employee engagement. Consider some of the benefits of this strategy:

1. 1. More dynamic idea generation. Bringing team members together from different departments and perspectives leads to stronger and more creative ideation, ultimately benefiting the product or campaign and the customer experience.
   
2. 2. Richer company culture. A company culture built on collaboration and teamwork will be stronger than one competitive and full of silos.
3. 3. Stronger leadership opportunities. Managing multiple teams and balancing distinct perspectives takes more consideration and work, so cross-team collaboration can be an excellent opportunity for managers looking to deepen their leadership skills.

There are a few ways team leaders can ensure cross-functional team collaboration is executed smoothly and operates as a continuous improvement process:

1. 1. Get buy-in from stakeholders. Higher-ups will have a say in the handling of projects. Team leaders must ensure stakeholders understand the benefits of gathering employees with different skill sets to realize the bigger picture.
2. 2. Utilize communication channels. Team communication is key to the success of a cross-functional project. Communication platforms can help teams streamline group conversations and clarity of workflows. Teams can also use project management tools to ensure employees completing remote work in different time zones can be on the same page and get real-time updates.
3. 3. Define key performance indicators. KPIs may vary from department to department, but when working on the same team project, initiatives will significantly benefit from uniform metrics that track the progress of company goals.
4. 4. Have team meetings regularly. When everyone is busy working on their piece of the project, people may work in silos, which can slow communication and progress. In-person and remote teams should regularly meet to discuss metrics, progress, and who needs what from whom.

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