Defining Cross-Functional Teams

A cross-functional team is a group of employees that have a diverse background working toward a common goal. For example, you may have people from HR, Manufacturing, and Training and Development all mixed together. Members may also be invited to join the team from outside the organization.

The life span of a cross-functional team is much like a community of practice. If people see value in these teams, they will continue to participate and maintain the team arrangement. If not, teams may dissolve once their task or goal is achieved.

These teams work best when they are self-directed and able to focus on less structured interaction to solve a particular problem or achieve a goal. This allows the knowledge sharing practice to happen organically, much like the processes advocated within the community of practice model.

Case Study

Let’s use an example to illustrate this technique.

Olivia’s organization manufactures plastic products that are distributed all over the world. Her company is trying to become more environmentally friendly and introduce products that use less plastic. They are also trying to introduce products that use a higher percentage of recycled plastic than new plastic.

Olivia has been asked to put a team together to brainstorm ways to achieve these objectives. She remembers what she learned in her knowledge management course and chooses to create a cross-functional team from members within and outside the organization.

She first thinks of who can help her solve her problem. What departments and what positions would allow her to get the most results? She asks a senior manager from the products department, an employee from purchasing, an employee from sales and marketing, and a supervisor from training and development. She also asks an outside supplier to be part of the team. She then formulates a list of questions to focus the group on the problem at hand.

To help kick off the brainstorming and knowledge sharing, she informs the group of the goal she is trying to achieve. She also gives the following questions to each member:

• What might be one way we can decrease the amount of new plastic we use in our products?
• Are there other plastics companies who have attempted to use less new plastic and more recycled plastic? How did they accomplish this? What was the outcome?
• How might customers perceive our company if it is more environmentally friendly? What is the benefit or cost of this perception?

The great advantage of implementing cross-functional teams is that these teams turn traditional organizational learning upside down. They defy the top-down approach to knowledge sharing. These teams also operate without adherence to where you sit in the organizational hierarchy.

If you look at the team members Olivia has chosen, these members come from different levels within the organization: she has employees, supervisors, and senior managers working together for one common goal or objective. Normally, we see employees and senior managers travelling within the same circles. The cross-functional team breaks this class system and illustrates a few key points, most importantly that regardless of your experience, background, and status within the company, you have something to bring to the table. This attitude is open-minded, inclusive, and refreshing. It’s just the right type of environment you need for people to share and build their knowledge in pursuit of a viable solution.