Leading Cross Functional Teams

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Course Overview

The ability to build, develop and lead cross-functional teams is a key skill in modern business. The increasing use of 'matrix' organisational structures often means that a manager needs to work effectively across boundaries, building teamwork and collaboration with colleagues and team members whose time may be only part-assigned (or not formally assigned at all) and where the manager has no formal line authority.

This type of situation is especially obvious in project management but also exists in many day-to-day initiatives or business processes in the matrix environment that do not qualify as fully-fledged projects as such.

The central aim of this workshop is therefore to upgrade the key soft skills needed in the building and development of matrix teams, including the leadership and influencing skills needed for managing team members and key stakeholders, with the aim of creating open and collaborative working patterns that can build effective solutions, provide early warning of issues and build consensus for change.

Audience

Anyone involved in leading, managing or participating in cross-functional projects and initiatives, including those involved in multi-site teams.

Skills Gained

The delegates to this course will learn how to:

• Develop a group of individuals from across the organisational matrix into a productive and committed project team
• Understand team roles and team attitudes, and adopt the leadership styles that will be most effective in any situation
• Lead, influence and steer projects through listening and persuasive communication, resulting in good motivation and co-operation
• Work effectively with team and group dynamics, in steering meetings, obtaining feedback, and in leadership decision-making
• Develop a team-culture of openness and inter-support to successfully manage projects to meet objectives, requirements and schedules
• Minimise interpersonal conflict, and maximise individual potential in their teams

Course Outline

DAY ONE

Module 1: Team Fundamentals

This module addresses the fundamental, underlying concepts involved in building and leading cross-functional project teams which may also include remote contributors.

• First Core Concept: Managing the Matrix
• The Skills and Qualities of Matrix Leadership
• The Development of Projects and Initiatives
• What is a Team?
• Establishing the Cross-Functional Team

Module 2: Core Leadership and Influencing Skills

• Second Core Concept: You, and what you Cause
• Assertiveness
• Winning Commitment and Building Consensus
• Developing Personal Influence
• Leadership SWOT Analysis

DAY TWO

Module 3: Developing the Cross-Functional Team

• Third Core Concept: Facilitative Leadership
• Team Roles: Responsibilities and Tasks
• Management Styles: Leadership by Situation
• Establishing Ground Rules
• Effective Team Meetings

Module 4: Executing the Project

• Collaborative Planning
• Management Summaries
• Conducting Progress Reviews
• Handling Conflict and Building Agreement
• Notes on Stakeholder Management