My approach to cross-functional relationships

When I enter a new role, especially in a leadership capacity, I lay the groundwork for cross-functional collaboration from the start.

The first step is identifying the leaders of the departments my team interacts with the most. Then, I sit down with them for some discovery sessions about what is and isn't working across the teams to see where things can be improved.

I have entered new roles where entire departments were barely speaking to each other.  Good thing I'm pretty accomplished at finding common ground and going from there. 

I'll regularly meet with my colleagues and focus on common goals. From there, together we can pave the way for improved communication, partnership, and of course, teamwork.

These are not always easy, nor are they always obvious. But they are there, and they can be uncovered. Once identified and implemented, these win/wins lay the foundation for future successes across teams.