The benefits of working on cross-functional projects
Posted by
Working on a cross-functional project is a great opportunity and should be grabbed with both hands! Make sure you get the most from it and that you repay the trust your manager(s) placed in you when offering you the opportunity.
Keep the following points in mind to help you along.
1. Grow your business awareness.
Cross-functional projects touch many areas of a business opening up opportunities to understand how different functions work, how they can mutually support each other and how each part adds value to the whole. Build your strategic awareness and business acumen by understanding how the contribution of all the participants in the project will enable the overall goal to be achieved successfully.
2. Keep the goal in mind.
Why this goal? What is it about this project that makes the obvious investment in bringing together such a wide-ranging team so attractive? Cross-functional projects are not commonplace, which means that the commercial imperative or perceived competitive advantage to be gained is significant. Understanding the commercial drivers, the competitive landscape and how this project might change the future of the business will be an education in itself.
3. How will you add value?
What strengths, insights, technical knowledge and expertise will you need to contribute to support the team’s work? Aside from your own technical expertise, this could include your talent for ensuring everyone is heard or is able to contribute to the discussion. Or perhaps you have people in your network who might contribute a different perspective, technical experience or insights from similar previous projects.
4. Expand your thinking style.
Very often we become stuck in how we think about and address issues, perhaps driven by our team culture or the professional frameworks we commonly use. Working with people from different disciplines can offer useful insights about new ways of addressing problems or setbacks that we can take back to our teams and day to day work.
5. Raise the profile of others.
This could be your team, people in your network, or your profession as a whole. Be sure to credit people who have helped inform your thinking, those whom you’ve consulted between project meetings and professional resources you’ve accessed. No one will think less of you if your ideas are not purely your own. Rather they will admire your resourcefulness and are more likely to invite you to join other projects in the future.
6. Know your limitations.
Be clear when you lack expertise or knowledge. Listen carefully to others with more knowledge and experience. Take the time to ask them outside the meetings for suggestions about how you can either catch up on certain issues; whether that’s talking to them over coffee, asking what reading around a subject you might do, or their suggestions for experts you might interview. You are there to learn as well as contribute. Demonstrating curiosity and a desire to learn is highly rated in organisations and will enhance your reputation not diminish it.
7. Share what you learn with your team.
Update them about the project (assuming you are not bound by confidentiality issues), what you have learnt and the insights gained. This way everyone can benefit from your involvement.
8. Develop your networks.
By working in such close proximity to new people you will have great opportunities to expand and develop your networks internally and, perhaps, externally. Don’t miss this opportunity and stay in touch with your new contacts by taking an interest in what’s happening to them when the project ends, what else they are working on and how their careers are developing. Make this mutual too by using your networks to support your team, other colleagues and your contacts themselves when appropriate. For example, if you hear certain expertise is needed elsewhere in the organisation suggest your team-mate, colleague or contact if their profile seems to fit. They’ll likely be willing to return such favours for you in the future if you do.
TAKE AWAY
Cross-functional projects offer great career development opportunities so don’t overlook the many ways you can contribute, develop your understanding of the business and build your profile and network in the process.
1. Grow your business awareness.
Cross-functional projects touch many areas of a business opening up opportunities to understand how different functions work, how they can mutually support each other and how each part adds value to the whole. Build your strategic awareness and business acumen by understanding how the contribution of all the participants in the project will enable the overall goal to be achieved successfully.
2. Keep the goal in mind.
Why this goal? What is it about this project that makes the obvious investment in bringing together such a wide-ranging team so attractive? Cross-functional projects are not commonplace, which means that the commercial imperative or perceived competitive advantage to be gained is significant. Understanding the commercial drivers, the competitive landscape and how this project might change the future of the business will be an education in itself.
3. How will you add value?
What strengths, insights, technical knowledge and expertise will you need to contribute to support the team’s work? Aside from your own technical expertise, this could include your talent for ensuring everyone is heard or is able to contribute to the discussion. Or perhaps you have people in your network who might contribute a different perspective, technical experience or insights from similar previous projects.
4. Expand your thinking style.
Very often we become stuck in how we think about and address issues, perhaps driven by our team culture or the professional frameworks we commonly use. Working with people from different disciplines can offer useful insights about new ways of addressing problems or setbacks that we can take back to our teams and day to day work.
5. Raise the profile of others.
This could be your team, people in your network, or your profession as a whole. Be sure to credit people who have helped inform your thinking, those whom you’ve consulted between project meetings and professional resources you’ve accessed. No one will think less of you if your ideas are not purely your own. Rather they will admire your resourcefulness and are more likely to invite you to join other projects in the future.
6. Know your limitations.
Be clear when you lack expertise or knowledge. Listen carefully to others with more knowledge and experience. Take the time to ask them outside the meetings for suggestions about how you can either catch up on certain issues; whether that’s talking to them over coffee, asking what reading around a subject you might do, or their suggestions for experts you might interview. You are there to learn as well as contribute. Demonstrating curiosity and a desire to learn is highly rated in organisations and will enhance your reputation not diminish it.
7. Share what you learn with your team.
Update them about the project (assuming you are not bound by confidentiality issues), what you have learnt and the insights gained. This way everyone can benefit from your involvement.
8. Develop your networks.
By working in such close proximity to new people you will have great opportunities to expand and develop your networks internally and, perhaps, externally. Don’t miss this opportunity and stay in touch with your new contacts by taking an interest in what’s happening to them when the project ends, what else they are working on and how their careers are developing. Make this mutual too by using your networks to support your team, other colleagues and your contacts themselves when appropriate. For example, if you hear certain expertise is needed elsewhere in the organisation suggest your team-mate, colleague or contact if their profile seems to fit. They’ll likely be willing to return such favours for you in the future if you do.
TAKE AWAY
Cross-functional projects offer great career development opportunities so don’t overlook the many ways you can contribute, develop your understanding of the business and build your profile and network in the process.