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What is cross functional? Cross-functional collaboration. Difficulties associated with mistrust

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Over the past decade, such important business words as “team”, “team building”, “teamwork”,

Over the past decade, such important business words as “team”, “team building”, “teamwork” have been used so often that their meaning and meaning have become blurred, lost focus, turned into frequently used, but no longer a word that carries deep meaning.

However, it is in team work that atypical ideas are born, synergy arises, and the final result is multiplied. The “cross-functional teams” tool is becoming increasingly popular and increasingly used. Most often, cross-functional teams are used by organizations for their development, to solve problems related to improving business and internal practices, to improve processes, etc.

What are “cross-functional teams”? These are teams that gather to solve some problem that is important for business, i.e. to work on a specific project (usually internal) over a specified period. Such a project team includes people from various departments of the company who, to one degree or another, are related to solving the project problem at hand: for example, the financial department, HR department, R&D, IT department, sales department, etc. The presence of specialists with different experience and knowledge in the project team allows us to consider and analyze the task, its potential benefits and risks as fully and in detail as possible, as well as select the optimal solution. For example, to make a decision on the selection and implementation of a CRM system in a company, it is necessary to take into account the opinion of the IT department, sales department, financial service, marketing department, and specialists who create the product or service itself. In the absence of such diverse expertise (i.e., consideration of the issue by specialists from one or two departments), the risk of a one-sided solution to the problem increases, or even the likelihood of making a not entirely honest decision that meets the interests of a given department or manager and does not coincide with the interests of the business as a whole.

Cross-functional teams can meet:

For a short period, to resolve a very specific issue; for a long period, to solve a strategic problem - for example, getting a business out of a crisis situation. In this case, they actually acquire the status of a temporary governing body.

The possibility of using different views is also a risk for the work of a cross-functional team: sometimes it can be difficult to structure the fountain of ideas and select 1-2 main solutions from it. Accordingly, the role of the team leader and his ability to direct the team’s work in the right direction and maintain maximum efficiency are critical here.

If the project team members are not located in the same territory, then it is necessary to select the necessary communication tool, test it before using it, take into account the time difference, the schedule of each of the participants, and also ensure that the meeting is recorded and a copy of the materials is saved.

As always in project work, it is necessary from the very beginning to clearly define the goals and objectives of the team, the stages of work, the completion dates of each stage, intermediate results and the expected result. According to the classics of the genre, these intermediate and final results must be measurable, otherwise the team will never understand whether it has completed the task before it or not.

And, of course, each member of such a team should know from the very beginning what his role is and what is expected of him.

For a team leader, such management experience is not easy, but it is very useful, since it is cross-functional teams that most often achieve unique results, make unusual proposals, and enable the organization to make a “breakthrough.” And this is something that is an invaluable experience for all parties: the organization, the team leader and each of its members.

Illustration from life:

In the early 2000s, a large pharmaceutical company turned to consultants with a request to help “debug” its management system and improve the efficiency of its management team.

Management at that moment was carried out to a greater extent directly by the General Director, who had to delve into almost every aspect of the company’s work, double-check the implementation of his instructions several times, and the most effective tool was fines, a raised tone, without which tasks were not accepted by subordinates, and other analogues.

The CEO regularly gathered all the company's key managers to discuss the situation; the agenda for such meetings was usually sent to the participants in advance. Each manager prepared a report in his own area in the context of the issue under discussion. As a result, it often turned out that when discussing difficulties or failure to complete any task at a meeting, department heads, having accounted for themselves, shifted the blame for the failure to other departments and quarreled. Issues often remained unresolved, and leaders lived with constant resentment towards each other. It should be noted that almost every head of the department, as an individual unit, was very professional, competent in their matters and was very passionate about the common cause - the prosperity of the business.

The invited consultants, having understood the situation, suggested using the work of cross-functional teams. To begin with, 3 key tasks for the organization for the coming year were identified. These tasks were transformed into tasks for each department that was supposed to take part in solving them. For each task, project teams were formed together with the General Director, and a project team leader was appointed in each team. The necessary training was provided to all participants, and then the consultants took part in the first meetings of the project teams as facilitators.

Some time passed, and the work style of managers changed 180 degrees: people learned to work in teams. Now, having received an invitation to a meeting, they independently gathered together, discussed the situation, the difficulties that had arisen, and themselves proposed measures that would be useful to another unit so that the overall result was positive. They began to cooperate and help each other, and well understood the role and importance of each department in the overall process. Working in cross-functional teams taught them to work as one unit. And this did not take long to affect the results of the company’s work.

Why does a cross-functional team (which saves the company and gives it new growth) need to be formed not according to psychotypes, compatibility and temperaments, but according to the ability to set tasks “not to their subordinates”; how to unite this diverse and sometimes conflicting team and what HR should do so that the members of such a team do not run away with the words “Never again!” - toldHead of HR Department (Supply Chain & Regions) at FM logistic Yulia Meshcheryakova.

- Yulia, what do you see as the cross-functional role of the HR service? Why is it necessary to develop cross-functional connections and communications in the company?

Cross-functional teams include representatives of various services (operations department, merchants, financiers, quality department, human resources department, etc.) with cross-responsibility. They are created in order to launch a new product, start working with a new client, improve service, get out of the crisis a separate direction or the company as a whole and other project tasks.

In an operational project, HR is responsible for the involvement and interest of its players in the project (provides for the presence of motivation - material and intangible), for the nature of communications (constructive, with a focus on finding solutions, not problems) and for organizational decisions that can be made during the project (for example, change in regional structure). In a project concerning the functions of the personnel management service, HR is a key figure. For example, changing the motivation system, introducing new assessment methods or a personnel reserve system. To “sell” an HR project to operations, you need to involve operations at the preparation stage.

Also for HR, as a personnel development specialist, participation in projects identifies or develops potential employees and is, to some extent, a launching pad for growth. The project should be developmental for the employee, and not an experience after which you want to say, “Yes, but never again.”

- Where to start developing cross-functional connections and communications in the company? And how to support?

You need to start not with the development of cross-functional connections and communications in the company, but with the correct setting of goals for the team, determining the deadlines and the image of the desired result.

Implementing a culture of healthy and constructive communications is an ongoing effort, not tied to a single project. HR needs to analyze the state of communication in the company as a whole.. Is there regular information about projects and news, or are ordinary employees constantly amazed at the launch of a new service? What forms of communication are accepted in the company, what rules for using e-mail and holding meetings are there? How are decisions made and how are they escalated downwards? What relationship patterns are encouraged? What happens when an error is detected: a search for someone to blame or a solution? In an atmosphere of healthy working relationships and a communication culture, nothing needs to be done specifically to develop cross-functional connections; communications will not become a blocking factor.

- What principles should be used to assemble cross-functional teams?

According to the tasks that this team faces. Without illusions: you will never assemble a team based on psychotypes, compatibility and temperaments. A team of those who have serious experience in the matter and can produce results is being recruited. Petya Ivanov has been carrying out regional launches for 10 years, which means he will lead the cross-functional team. The HR task is to develop communications to such a level that the team does not fall apart at the start of the project due to irreconcilable differences that arise.

But I would definitely I did not recommend people who are not capable of teamwork to join the project team, and those whose management skills are in their infancy - after all, they will have to assign tasks other than to your direct subordinates.

Read also: Feedback culture: from an HR bow to a powerful tool

- How to avoid cross-functional conflicts and how to resolve them?

In a situation of intersecting interests (for example, a logistics merchant needs to sell, and an operator needs to carry out transportation, and this is not always possible at the established tariffs) - no way, let’s focus on “solving”.

First, lay down straws and make your life easier with the maximum amount intersectingKPIeven with different interests. The entire team should have a single goal, ideally tied to a quarterly, semi-annual or annual bonus. The task of HR is to offer an optimal motivation system. At the same time, the goal cannot be formulated as an immeasurable and vague “participation in projects”; it is better to be more specific: “regional launch within such and such a time frame.”

Secondly, any unconstructive interactions must not only be suppressed, but equated with a pattern of behavior that clearly worsens the result. Negotiations in the spirit of “it’s not me, it’s Vasya” should be considered destructive and not approved. Searching for errors and getting bogged down in flight analysis must be replaced with a calm search for solutions. This style should be implemented and cultivated by the manager and HR and spread to all processes in the company, but in projects where deadlines are tight, it becomes especially relevant.

Third, project leaders must be prepared to make full use of their management skills (even if they are not managers) and negotiation skills. It’s better to have such skills, because the very first assignment may end in finding out that the project manager is not the boss of the operations or marketing specialist. Clearly define and separate work between the main job and the project. The first will not go away, and in the midst of the project, when replacing a player will be painful for the result, it may turn out that the financial controlling service has begun a budget process and the controllers cannot be distracted.

- What do organizations get as a result if they learn to work in cross-functional teams?

Successful implementation of projects, be it entering new markets, upgrading a service system or implementing ISO standards. Project teams can be change management engines, innovation pilots, and talent breeders. Players gain experience in project interaction and the opportunity to try themselves in a new role as part of a team without rotating to another permanent job.

I know examples where, thanks to successful participation in a project, an employee with potential was promoted to a higher position: the project finally convinced the prof. suitability one step higher. I don’t really believe that a person grows through training. If you want to develop it, give it a project or include it in a project group, and on the time line you will see the expression of all the necessary competencies. A project, although risky, is a more effective event for analyzing managerial potential, and participation in project work should be “sold” by HR like a carrot for further growth opportunities.

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“It is not products, but the processes of their creation that bring companies long-term success” - with this formula, the ideologists of the process approach, Michael Hammer and James Champy, many years ago defined a management philosophy: to manage an organization means to manage its processes. That is, the organization is viewed primarily not as a set of various departments responsible for their part of the work, but as a set of business processes through which its activities are carried out. This follows the criterion: a company is as effective and good, including in the eyes of customers, as effective and good its business processes are.

Business Process Definition

A process is a defined, repeating sequence of interrelated tasks performed by people and/or machines to achieve a specific goal. A process is initiated by a certain event and ends with a certain outcome or by calling another process.

A business process is an end-to-end and cross-functional process that produces a result that is valuable from the customer’s point of view.

End-to-end Process is a process considered from beginning to end, i.e. until a result that is valuable to the customer is achieved.

A cross-functional process is a process that is not limited by functional boundaries, i.e. crossing the boundaries of functional departments.

The very idea of the process approach is to describe, analyze, automate and control the activities of an organization at a horizontal level, through the formalization of “end-to-end” or cross-functional business processes passing through various functional divisions of the company. Synchronizing the interaction of various functional departments in a “cross-functional” business process makes it possible to optimize it according to certain parameters. As a rule, this is achieved through simplifying existing procedures, harmonizing the formats of transmitted information, reducing waiting time, automation and reducing the number of participants in the business process. All this helps reduce the execution time of a business process by several times, and most importantly, often reduces its cost, which makes the company more competitive.

Definition of the process approach

Business process management (BPM) is a systematic approach to identifying, designing, executing, documenting, measuring, monitoring and controlling automated and manual business processes to consistently and accurately achieve results consistent with an organization's strategic goals.

BPM gives an organization the ability to align business processes with business strategy, which leads to improved bottom-line productivity by improving performance at the departmental level, the enterprise level as a whole, and at the interfaces between organizations.

In theory, everything is very simple, but in practice there are many nuances. First of all, this is the lack of competition in many Russian markets, which leads to the reluctance of management to improve their activities, and therefore to introduce business process management in their companies. Secondly, the appointment of managers according to the principle “the weak is better, but your own and with trust” leads to the fact that most managers are not interested in the transparency of their activities and work on the principle of distributing tasks and subsequent “kicks” for their non-fulfillment. Thirdly, constant changes among top managers, and subsequent “incursions” into the company by successive “management teams” with new principles, approaches and methods of management, lead to a decrease in the maturity of the management system in the company in a very short time, and the transition to the simplest method of management - on orders.

One way or another, this managerial entropy can only be combated through constant description, analysis, improvement, regulation, automation and control of key business processes. If a company produces something for a competitive market, then it needs not only to build up internal business processes, but also to launch a regular procedure for their improvement. In competitive markets you cannot stop, you need to run as hard as you can, otherwise your competitors will catch up and surpass you, so the process approach is not only about describing and standardizing business processes, but about continuous improvement and finding new ways to provide quality results in the shortest possible time and at an optimal cost .

And now the trend of introducing process management is clearly visible among those companies that operate in competitive markets - the financial industry, telecommunications, education, retail and wholesale trade and many others, which need to be more effective than their competitors in order to “survive”. Companies in other industries will move towards process management either when faced with a deterioration in their market position, or through instructions from above about the need to modernize the existing management system.

Analyzing the activities of some foreign transnational companies, in fact, in all of them I found clearly defined standardized business processes, and the corresponding management and motivation system, powers and responsibilities are delegated to the lower levels of management, and the management system by instructions is perceived rather as an anachronism.

As a conclusion:

The introduction of a process approach for a company operating in highly competitive markets has virtually no alternatives, however, this management model requires an increase in the level of maturity of company managers and a desire to launch a cycle of continuous improvement of the company.

Group activity is characterized by people's desire for either competition or cooperation. In the first case, conflicts often arise, working time is used ineffectively, everyone insists on their own point of view, neglecting the opinions of others. All this negatively affects the performance of the organization as a whole. To avoid such consequences, it is necessary to build effective cross-functional interaction.

Organizations often have complex relationships between different functional departments (sales, finance, production, logistics, etc.). First of all, in this case, those who work directly with clients suffer, but disruptions also occur in the daily work of other departments. Cross-functional interaction is the coordinated actions of employees of different areas of activity in the course of performing their functional responsibilities to achieve the company's goals.

Relevance of the issue

Currently, a huge number of companies are either expanding or merging. Similar processes have taken place at all times, but it is now that business owners have begun to attach special importance to building a system of staff relationships during such processes. When a company becomes larger as a result of a merger, changes in its structure affect many employees due to the inevitable optimization of costs, income and resources. At the same time, the first thing that can be optimized without reducing the number of personnel is communications.

The relevance of the topic raised is due to the fact that effective communication allows companies to solve global problems at much lower costs. For most organizations this is very important. When finding out the reasons for a particular problem in a company's activities, many managers discover that these are mainly a lack of agreement between departments, an ineffective management system, and a lack of understanding of the role of the internal client in the company. All this adds up to a diagnosis of ill-conceived functional relationships. In such a situation, the first thing you should pay attention to is cross-functional collaboration.

Example

In a trading company, sellers who needed to receive a certain product from a warehouse tried not to once again contact the head of warehouse logistics with a request to release the goods to them only because they were afraid of him and could not interact normally with such an employee. Because of this, there were delays in the delivery of goods, accompanied by the loss of customers. Since sales began to noticeably decline, the general director got involved in solving such a minor (and to some extent even funny) problem. As it turned out later, a similar situation arose due to unkind remarks from the head of the sales department regarding the work of the warehouse logistics department. If the head of one department speaks unflatteringly about the activities of other departments, his subordinates immediately pick up on this and begin to have the same negative attitude towards their colleagues engaged in other areas of activity. As a result, developing interpersonal conflict greatly reduces the performance of the company as a whole.

An analysis of interviews conducted over recent years shows that top managers of companies are increasingly linking business performance with well-functioning communications between line managers and their teams. That is why the topic of cross-functional collaboration has now come to the fore. The friendly interaction of the company's divisions makes it possible to link their work with a single goal, to form a team spirit, and to solve the problems of functional isolation. Cross-functional collaboration must be developed to find best practices, make optimal decisions, constructively allocate resources and minimize risks.

Particular attention should be paid to cross-functional collaboration in the following cases:

when solving problems (including new ones) that go beyond the scope of one function;
if there are restrictions on the powers/competencies/resources of the unit;
at the project startup stage;
when changing the organization's business processes;
in the course of solving non-standard problems;
in the presence of an aggressive target;
in a situation of conflict of goals and objectives.

IN table 1 The advantages of well-functioning cross-functional interaction in the company and the disadvantages of its absence are presented.

With well-established cross-functional interaction, absolutely all employees unanimously share the common goals of the company; everyone clearly understands what is required directly from him, to whom he can turn with this or that question; All areas of responsibility of employees are strictly separated.

Nowadays there are practically no employees left in companies responsible for only one function. Likewise, many customer-critical operations cannot be said to be the responsibility of one specific function. For example, when concluding a deal with a client, sales managers must work with the contract. If the company has poor cross-functional interaction, and the sales department has a strained relationship with the legal department, managers begin to draw up such agreements on their own. At the same time, they waste time as sellers and do illiterate legal work, which cannot but have a negative impact on customer satisfaction and their formation of an appropriate opinion about the company. In addition, duplication of functions occurs: the sales manager draws up the contract incorrectly, and the legal department has to redo it. Or, for example, the accounting department believes that its main responsibilities are accounting and reporting, and such a minor operation as invoicing may well be handled by departments working with the client. Meanwhile, from the business side there is a completely opposite understanding: invoicing is part of the most important process, and accounting and reporting are auxiliary activities...

The human resource management strategy should focus on the implementation of the company's business strategy and focus on the effectiveness of achieving business goals. The HR manager needs to periodically work with employees aimed at maintaining and encouraging fruitful team interaction. To increase the efficiency of interaction in a company, it is necessary to use advanced technologies (databases, the Internet) and develop communication channels. There are special programs aimed at improving cross-functional collaboration used by external trainers. Moderation is of great importance in such programs.

Main stages of moderation

1. Introduction.

2. Formulating the topic of moderation (defining the problem).

3. Search for solution options.

4. Ranking of solution options.

5. Recording the results.

The moderator must not express his own opinion; do not evaluate the statements and behavior of participants; activate the group with questions; perceive all statements and opinions of the group; listen, accept information and demonstrate a neutral position.

Stages of a cross-functional collaboration improvement program

Stage one. Meeting with all representatives of the company's top management. Conducted in interview format. In addition, moderation with cards is used. At this stage, the company's main problems, their supposed causes, management's vision of the situation are identified, and the desired results are outlined.

Stage two. Development of a program for a strategic session. Based on the information obtained as a result of the meeting with managers, a program for the strategic session is developed and necessarily agreed upon with the company’s top managers (application). During the approval process, adjustments are often made to the program.

Stage three. Implementation of the approved program of the strategic session. At this stage, session participants reach a common understanding of the importance of team interaction and ways to achieve it. Top managers and line managers of the company participate in all program events.

It is very important for all heads of structural divisions to participate in the session, since it is through them that the main value guidelines for team interaction will be conveyed to employees.

First, activities aimed at team building are carried out, during which friendly relationships are established and readiness to build further cross-functional interaction is assessed. Further, as the program is implemented, participants determine what cross-functionality is and what it gives to the company. They gain an understanding of the goals and objectives of different functional departments, as well as their impact on the company’s business processes. In particular, session participants determine in what situation certain units will interact with each other, as can be seen from table 2. Then the company's goals for the next two to three years are discussed.

During the discussion, many minor difficulties that prevent the organization from functioning fully are resolved. For example, the heads of departments of a trading company asked each other many questions about the functioning of the teams entrusted to them and eventually came to a common decision to standardize the agreement, which previously had to be constantly edited.

Stage four. Development of rules for cross-functional interaction. It is carried out on the basis of spreading them to the heads of departments that conflict with each other. At this stage, new rules often appear.

Stage five. Drawing up an action plan for cross-functional interaction. Each organization establishes its own supporting activities.

For example, a manufacturing company created a group charged with overseeing the implementation of cross-functional collaboration rules. In addition, the HR department was instructed to develop an “entrance” book to familiarize new employees with these rules. Or, for example, an internal trainer of a trading company developed and implemented training on the application of the rules of cross-functional interaction for department heads, who, in turn, conducted mini-trainings with their employees.

The main goals of implementing a program to improve cross-functional interaction are as follows: each employee must understand what his place in the company is and his importance for its development, understand the degree of his responsibility and the importance of interaction with colleagues from different functional departments.

Effective cross-functional working can create a collaborative and supportive environment within the company. As a result of purposeful actions, an atmosphere of mutual understanding, goodwill, and demands for the quality of work is created. Teamwork becomes a way of functioning and achieving common goals.

Application.

Draft program for the strategic session (1 day)