As startups scale and grow, you must form distinct teams. However, you may initially stumble more than you ascend.
Cross-team collaboration is necessary for scale. It leads to powerful innovation, improved workflow, and valuable feedback to prevent falls and fix precipitous issues. So, consider the best way to establish and foster effective collaboration.
“A good collaboration pushes the boundaries of both partners.” – Neil Blumenthal
Reach New Heights
To scale high elevations, check your conditions and gear:
Speak the Same Language: Start with the same vision, values, and strategy so everyone knows how the business grows holistically.
Create a Charter: Draft a document together that defines purpose, roles, expectations, budget, and constraints. Everyone then signs.
Share the Customer Journey: Understand how your clients will succeed. Focus on identifying and thrilling clients which add value.
Define Roles: Ensure everyone knows how they AND others can succeed. Hire people with the skills to communicate and cooperate.
Align Metrics: Build platforms across teams offering full visibility. Base rewards on behaviors and results which improve the company.
Optimize Feedback: Measure progress and efficiency. Solicit insights from everyone. Acknowledge when reaching milestones.
Downsides to Collaboration
Even following these steps, downsides can exist:
Time – Teamwork requires more planning and discussion, so build in extra time for realistic milestones
Effort – More people likely means more disputes, so commit to addressing issues immediately with all parties
Communication – Less contact as teams specialize, so set expectations early and give updates regularly
Costs – New systems to share and monitor projects, so clarify the needs and then invest in the right tools
Align objectives, share insights, and facilitate projects across teams to scale efficiently and to summit unimaginable peaks.
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Photo by Sylvain Mauroux who can be found here: https://bit.ly/3wJ1wLd