Some time ago , in helping design an internal Leadership Learning Forum in The University of Kentucky’s I.T organization, we choose five excellent themes, one of which was the title above. It’s certainly needed everywhere. Especially you might argue in a large University. It turned out, of course, to be a very important focus. And with some real results.
Since then in almost every other organization I’m in, it’ s a key area of emphasis. Perhaps having become sensitive to it, I’m noticing more often, how much the planning/executing/communicating necessary for today’s work., requires more of it than has been the case! Few things can be effectively accomplished in 2011, because of the extensive “fish-netting” required . Everywhere. Much more than a few years ago, when we also knew it such cooperation was useful.
Pay attention to how you can increase cross-functional collaboration. It can be done. Others are!! It’s an imperative!! And also is divergent [ i.e., we’re never finished]