2016 Cross-Functional Team Building Resolutions

Develop shared goalsWhen members from different teams come to the same table, each has their own goals in mind.

Tip: Encourage collaboration by discussing how each of these goals can be aligned and clarify the primary objectives, how they will be measured and how achieving these objectives will benefit the team as a whole.

Establish clear roles and clarify decision authority

To avoid unnecessary problems, establish roles from the beginning.

Tip: Use the RACI Matrix to clarify decision authority. This is a template that can be used to document how team members should be involved in decisions and who has the authority to give a final say.

Encourage more transparent communication

Communication is essential to team success. Transparency keeps all team membersin the loop about the progress of a task.

Tip: Include all relevant team members in communications such as emails, meetings and phone calls. Take notes during conversations and send them to each team member for confirmation. Use collaborative software such as Basecamp and online tools that make transparency easy, such as Google Docs.

Influence others more effectively

Influencing tactics can be effective in leading your peers when you don’t have authority over them.

Tip: Do not overly rely on the use of facts and data to convince peers to change their mind or behavior. Use a variety of influence tactics such as an appeal to values and consultation to help gain the commitment of others.

Manage accountabilityAccountability for their tasks is important for leaders and employees alike throughout a project.

Tip: Coach your employees to ask themselves three questions to help them manage their accountability:

Present: “What can I do now to get on track?”

Future: “What can I do to prevent this problem from happening again in the future?”

Past: “What could I have done to prevent the problem? Did I do anything to contribute to it?”

Make Time for Team BuildingTeam-building efforts are worth the time investment to ensure a cohesive workplace.

Tip: Try holding a virtual office party to break the ice among colleagues that may not interact much with each other and encourage them to think outside the box.

Establish a succession plan for high-potential team members

Planning for inevitable departures is an important way to ensure your team remains strong this year and beyond. Use assessment tools to determine which candidates are the best fit from the start.

Then tailor the training that will most engage those candidates. Finally, evaluate the impact of the training to monitor success.

Tip: Use a 360 survey to provide insight from all angles of an individual’s progress.

Improve alignment among department leaders

Different departments are often working toward similar goals but measure their success with different metrics.

Tip: Your company can take these practical steps:

Assess your current processes using the GRID Survey

Build a culture of collaboration across organizational boundaries

Establish service-level agreements to measure progress toward goals

Establish and maintain credibility

Cross-functional teams should maintain high levels of trust. This can be done by establishing and maintaining credibility, or doing what you say you’re going to do.

Tip: Consistently follow through with deadlines and make sure all team members’ ideas and opinions are taken into account.

Invest in your leadershipWhen your leaders thrive, the whole organization benefits. They can then help their teams flourish and become stronger.

Tip: Work on building the skills required for effective leaders. Train your leaders to develop strong influencing, conflict management, empowering, decision making and trust-building skills.

Try these tips to help your teams succeed in 2016 and

beyondOnPoint offers solutions to help your cross-functional team leaders and members work better together and achieve results.

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