The path to leadership can take many forms, and each individual in a position of leadership, even within the same team or business, will have individual drives, ambitions and outlooks.
As someone who works regularly with leaders across different sectors, I recognise the unique perspectives; the benefits and, sometimes, drawbacks, that leaders can bring to the table via their own version of what leadership looks like to them.
Variety and diversity of opinion has been proven to strengthen teams, but its not always easy working cross-functionally, especially in larger and geographically separate teams. In this blog, we’ll look at the challenges some leaders face when it comes to working cross-functionally. Be it with other leaders of a similar level, or different teams from across the organisation – cross-functional collaboration is going to be essential to your leadership career, let’s find out why.
Stakeholder Management is More Important than You Realise
You will have had to prove your stakeholder management skills in order to secure your current leadership position, which will have probably been gained from working in your specialty on a number of different projects and within different teams over the course of your career.
Simply giving evidence of stakeholder management may have been enough to secure you your current leadership role – but what about progression?
When looking for your next leadership role, senior and hiring managers will not just want to see evidence of stakeholder management, but that you’re really good at it. The truth is, senior managers need to know they can rely on you to deal with any issues that may need resolving when working cross-collaboratively not just efficiently, but in a way that keeps all stakeholders happy and engaged with the project. In some teams this will mean taking a firm line, or it might be that certain individuals will respond best to a light touch, some might need more of your input, or more feedback and regular communication than others. Being able to manage stakeholders is one skill, but being sensitive and aware of how to get the best out of your stakeholders is another.
Developing your people skills will be key to this deeper level of stakeholder management, and will give you the golden touch and the great results needed to prepare you for your next leadership role. Remember that the skills that got you into your current leadership position will not necessarily earn you your next role – great leaders are constantly looking to self-improve, and your soft skills are a better place than any to focus this levelling-up.
Technical Skills vs People Skills – Striking the Balance
What did your path to leadership look like?
Many technical leaders find themselves in positions of seniority due to their invaluable technical skillset which has been honed over many years. When you become an expert in your field, it is expected that you will rise into those higher-level positions. But it’s essential to remain comfortable with the leadership elements of your role, don’t fall into the trap of paying too much attention to the technical parts of your role – the part you might feel most comfortable with – and forgetting that to be a great leader you need to continually hone your leadership skills too.
It’s an uncomfortable truth, but it can often be the case that leaders who have risen to where they are due to their technical skills, rather than a focused ‘management’ path, can feel a sense of imposter syndrome when it comes to their management abilities. Going even deeper, it can be that some people who have risen to a leadership position purely based on their technical abilities can even feel unworthy, or lacking in self belief, as opposed to their colleagues who come from leadership backgrounds.
How to Improve Your Cross-Functional Collaboration Skills
Being a leader in a technical space is about utilising your sector-specific expertise, delivered in a way that is beneficial to your colleagues and your direct reports.
- Recognise the part you play – some technical leaders who are highly skilled in their own craft can find it difficult to really see how valuable their input can be to the rest of the team. Your expertise is invaluable, that’s why you’re in a position of seniority. When working cross-functionally with other teams, think of your role as a jigsaw piece which is essential to the bigger picture, rather than a silo which only you understand.
- Work on understanding others and adapting your style – a little empathy can go a long way. When you need to work with a new or unfamiliar team, approach your interactions from a place of learning. Remind yourself to appreciate the level of understanding that other people are coming to the table with. If they lack understanding, aim to educate rather than feel frustration.
- Always be aware and open to the needs of others – it can be a common issue when working collaboratively that knowledge and processes are assumed – this can cause confusion and lead to friction, especially when working in an entirely virtual team. Your senior counterparts from a different team may have a very limited understanding of yours and your team’s skillset – it’s your job to share this knowledge and educate them.
Finally
Creating a successful cross-collaboration process takes some consideration. It is key that you seek to understand others, are willing to share your knowledge and are able to relinquish control when cross-team working.
Remember that no matter how developed someone’s technical skills are, it is also critical that they are able to be shared effectively, to create a seamless working relationship with other teams when necessary.
Until next time,
Julia Carter
About Zestfor
Zestfor delivers training coaching and development programs and resources scientifically tailored to develop new and experienced leaders and their teams in technical markets – including Pharmaceutical, Life Sciences and I.T.
Our blend of in-classroom, online, and virtual live-stream delivery methods will engage and assure even the most introverted team members from the first meeting.
You can find out more about our leadership training and development programmes here.
