Cross Functional Teams: Empower Inclusion!
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Advantages of Cross Functional Teams
Cross functional teams are groups of people from different areas and backgrounds of the company.
Cross functional Teams can:
– Give people new opportunities: mutual understanding is a bridge between cultures and allow employees to develop new roles and experiences.
– Bring creativity and innovation in the organization: teams are diverse based on age, gender and geography make better decisions than all male teams and when the organization is perceived as inclusive, their ability to innovate increases by 83% (Deloitte,2013).
– Encourage a culture of sharing and collaboration: employees who perceive their organization as supportive have a 42% uplift in team collaboration (Deloitte, 2013).
– Get better business results: when people feel their organization support diversity, they feel more included and this lead to 19% more revenue due to innovation (Boston Consulting Group,2018).
– Higher customer experience: the strategic collaboration between different areas and the ideas generated by different perspectives priorities the customer needs.
Cross Functional Teams and Inclusion
Anyway, just having “different” people invited to the table doesn’t mean inclusion.
The concept of inclusion should include the:
– Active process of change: policies and initiatives.
– Emotional outcome: feeling of inclusiveness as mutual trust, respect and belonging.
How to develop Cross Functional Teams
Which step can you follow to develop and boost cross functional teams?
1) Select inclusive leadership: every cross functional team should have a quality leadership able to identify which particular professionality and competency contributes to the success of the goal.
2) Clarify objectives: is important that everyone knows which task to accomplish and no part of the project is duplicated: define each team’s member purpose and role.
3) Stimulate Horizontal Communication: Even if relationships with vertical functions still privileged, the Harvard Business Review shows that relationships between silos result in better customer solutions.
4) Promote a fair workplace: make sure everyone has the chance to be heard and is treated respectfully. Only creating a safe working environment people can share ideas and enhance collaboration.
5) Align all work styles: everyone has their own work style dictated by age, culture or role. This can be a strength but always remember that it is vital to filter and “shape” every team member’s work style in order to achieve objectives.
Do you manage cross cultural teams in your organization? Do you have some tips to facilitate the integration and collaboration of team’s members?
We’re glad to hear your voice!
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