Can cross-functional team be high-performing? (1/2): Main pain points

Even when your team consists of smart, creative and driven people, you have no guarantee that all these people will instantly connect and start working in a fully aligned and synchronized way. Things are even more complicated when there are several teams which need to be aligned and work together effectively.

A strong team boosts productivity, increases efficiency and encourages innovation. Talented people are willing to become a member of these teams. Also employee engagement among people in well-functioning teams is high.

Cross-functional teams are often dysfunctional. It's common for them fail on at least three out of five main targets:

Illustration
  • meeting budget
  • adhering to specifications
  • meeting customer expectations
  • staying on schedule
  • staying aligned with the overall goals of the organization

What are the typical causes of failures, as described in an article on the management-issues.com website?

  • Absence of trust: team members have no clear idea about their future, so they're not willing or ready to build trust with the rest of the team.
  • Fear of conflict: because everyone feels that the artificial harmony should be sustained, workers don’t engage in productive conflicts.
  • Lack of commitment: when there isn't a strong buy-in, workers won't be willing to make decisions.
  • Accountability is not enforced: workers don’t hold each other accountable because they don’t want to threaten their interpersonal relationships.
  • Personal agendas: individual goals as well as personal status conflict with the collective goals.

Luckily, causes of dysfunction are curable. Smart technological solutions today may be used to convert complex issues into simple and useful insights. Leaders of cross-functional teams can then address the issues and foster teamwork. You can red more about how you can do it in the next part of the article.

-jk-

Article source Management Issues - British website cntaining practical information, tips and advice to managers
Read more articles from Management Issues