Why Handling Cross Functional Teams Is A Nightmare For Some Leaders ?
Diversity can ignite conflicts
Team, team spirit and teamwork are cliches when talking about leadership and management.
Despite gallons of ink on paper and millions of pixels on screen, the problem persists. It becomes especially prominent in managing cross functional teams in the workplace.
Often, a manager is well versed in leading one type of team or experts. Adding functional experts from other areas leads to group dynamics going haywire.
Let me illustrate this with an example from sports. You are the coach of a basketball team, a successful one at that. Now consider the dynamics of a boxing team. Or think of a fencing team, cycling team or even a ballet team.
The temperament, dynamics and the culture of each of these teams is different. All of them, however, have their own ways to arrive at common goals, methods of performance review, distribution of rewards and recognition.
Imagine the members from diverse teams such as — basket ball, boxing, cycling, fencing, ballet — working together, under you, a basket ball coach.
Now you have to ask a different set of questions, for deriving synergies.
Will they collaborate or work individually? How will you decide objectives and distribute rewards? Is there a common goal for the team? How do you arrive at one?
Have you ever led a big team comprising lawyers, designers, finance , and marketing personnel ? It is like members of a ballet, boxing, basketball and fencing players working under the same coach.
You may view yourself conducting an orchestra, but the result is not harmony, rather cacophony.
While general principles of leadership apply, but only so far. Beyond a limit, in high performance situations, nuances matter and subtle differences can grow into a chasm that cannot be bridged.
Instead of reaping synergies, you could be busy resolving conflicts.
Diversity dooms the team.
