Bridging Teams: A Leader’s Guide to Successful Cross-Team Projects
“It won’t work, people won’t move to your API even if it’s 10x better than what they have today” remarked one of my colleagues at Wix, in a conversation we had when I proposed a new internal platform to revolutionize our notification system. He was leading a product that was the #1 notifications producer and he suffered by the limitations of the current API, which should have made him the first to welcome a superior alternative. My vision was to consolidate all notifications into a single, team-managed system, enhancing the experience for both our users who consume these notifications and the engineers who send them. The only requirement was a minor code modification to integrate with our new API.
This project was a classic example of “all or nothing” — its success hinged on complete adoption. If even one team resisted, the unified notification experience would falter, and the project would be deemed a failure.
“I’ve never seen a cross-team initiative like this succeed here” he said, skeptical of its feasibility. “They either just fail or are imposed by the upper management. You might want to consider a different project”. Not exactly the encouragement I was hoping for.
Fast forward five years, I found myself as an architect at a different company, grappling with the chaotic engineering practices typical of a rapidly growing startup. Our bug backlog was expanding in tandem with our customer base, and the unsustainable pace of development was evident. I proposed a shift towards a more structured approach: integrating tests in new features and breaking down our monolithic architecture into manageable microservices, each owned by different teams.
Once again, I encountered resistance, this time from the CTO. “Trust me, It won’t work. People won’t write tests here; we simply don’t have the time for that” he asserted. His reliance on “Trust me” without a logical argument only served to fuel my motivation. I was determined to challenge this notion. “Give me a few weeks, and I’ll show you the benefits” I responded, thinking to myself “Give me a few weeks, and I’ll prove you wrong”.
Such resistance isn’t unusual. We are inherently skeptical, particularly when proposed changes challenge our established beliefs or practices. Often, it takes more than theory to shift perspectives; real-world success stories are needed to sway opinions. In the face of skepticism, the most ambitious projects often begin.
Throughout my career, I’ve led or contributed to numerous cross-team projects, witnessing both triumphs and setbacks. In this post, I’ll share the valuable lessons I’ve gleaned from these experiences and offer practical advice on effectively steering cross-team projects.
Navigating the Challenges of Cross-Team Initiatives
In the realm of cross-team initiatives, understanding why they often stumble is crucial for leading them to success. While my experiences at Wix and later at a growing startup highlight the potential of these projects, they also reveal common obstacles. From resistance to change to misaligned priorities, these hurdles can derail even the most well-intentioned plans.
Resistance to Change
One of the fundamental challenges is the natural human resistance to change, especially when the benefits are not immediately apparent. Employees often wonder, “What’s in it for me?” when asked to alter their established workflows. This skepticism is a basic human instinct.
In my time at Wix, proposing a new API met with skepticism, not because of its technical merit, but due to an inherent reluctance to shift from familiar methods. Overcoming this requires not just logical arguments, but also addressing the underlying apprehensions and illustrating the direct benefits that each team member will experience from the change.
To mitigate this, it’s crucial to communicate the direct benefits of the change to each team and individual. Demonstrating how the new system or process can make their work easier, more efficient, or more impactful can help in reducing resistance and fostering acceptance.
Unclear Goals and Expectations
A common pitfall in cross-team projects is the lack of clear goals and well-defined expectations. When teams are unsure of the initiative’s objectives or their role in achieving them, confusion and inefficiency ensue. Clear, concise, and achievable goals should be established and communicated from the outset. Each team should understand not only the overall objective of the initiative but also how their contributions are vital to its success
Organizational Prioritization
In many cases, cross-team initiatives falter due to conflicting priorities within the organization. Teams often gravitate towards “quick wins” that promise immediate results, sidelining long-term strategic projects like the ones I advocated for. This preference for short-term gains over long-term benefits is a significant hurdle. To counter this, it’s essential to demonstrate how these initiatives, while perhaps slower to yield results, are vital for the organization’s sustained growth and efficiency.
Failure to Establish Trust Among Team Members
Trust is the cornerstone of any successful team, but in the context of cross-team projects, it becomes even more pivotal and, at times, more elusive. This was particularly evident in my experience at Wix, an Israeli-based company with diverse teams spread across locations like Ukraine and Lithuania. The cultural differences and geographical distances posed a significant challenge in building trust. Establishing a strong sense of trust was not just about ensuring smooth collaboration; it was about bridging diverse perspectives and practices into a cohesive, functioning unit.
The overdependence on technology, while helpful in maintaining communication, sometimes acted as a barrier to the personal connection necessary for fostering deep trust. In our cross-team endeavors, we learned that trust cannot be assumed or taken for granted; it must be actively nurtured through regular, transparent communication, cultural sensitivity, and inclusive practices.
These challenges, while daunting, are not insurmountable. Recognizing them is the first step toward effectively managing and leading cross-team projects. In the following sections, we’ll delve into strategies to overcome these hurdles, drawing from real-world examples and successful tactics.
Strategies for Effective Leadership in Cross-Team Projects
The key to successful leadership in cross-team projects lies in creating an environment where individuals are eager to participate, driven by genuine interest rather than participating out of obligation to upper management directives.
In my early experiences, I grappled with understanding why certain initiatives naturally attracted me, compelling me to dedicate my team’s resources, while others prompted resistance, only gaining my participation through direct mandates from my manager. This introspection led to a crucial realization: successful cross-team projects distinguish themselves by how they resonate with their members, offering clear, intrinsic value that motivates engagement.
This section focuses on outlining targeted strategies to achieve this goal. It’s about crafting a compelling vision and fostering an environment where joining the initiative is seen as a beneficial and strategic choice for all involved. We’ll explore how to lead through inspiration and shared purpose, transforming the traditional mandate-driven approach into one where your colleagues are motivated to ask, “How can we be a part of this?”
Tip #1: Active Listening and Feasibility Assessment
Before diving headfirst into your initiative, it’s crucial to engage in conversations with your colleagues about it. This step isn’t just about pitching your idea but, more importantly, about active listening. Your goal here is to gauge not only the technical feasibility of your initiative but also its organizational viability. Tech obstacles are often surmountable; the real challenge usually lies in aligning your project with the company’s existing processes and culture.
As you discuss your initiative, don’t simply aim for approval or ‘green lights.’ Pay close attention to skepticism and concerns. This feedback, particularly the specific and logical objections, is gold. For instance, if someone points out that your system lacks browser push notification support or highlights a skills gap like inadequate knowledge for writing tests, these are actionable insights. Such feedback can guide you in refining your project to meet broader needs and capabilities.
It’s also important to differentiate between constructive criticism and vague skepticism. For example, a comment like “trust me, it won’t work here” doesn’t offer you much to work with. It’s essential to probe such responses further to uncover any underlying concerns or to focus on feedback that provides clear reasons or specific limitations.
When faced with vague skepticism, try to understand the root cause. Is it due to a past failed initiative, a cultural barrier, or a lack of understanding? Addressing these underlying issues can be as important as solving the technical or functional challenges of your project.
Tip #2: Management Sponsorship (and what to do when you don’t get it)
One of the most effective ways to advance your cross-team project is by gaining the endorsement of someone in the management. A manager who understands and supports your initiative can be a powerful ally. They can provide essential resources, prioritize your project, or even a green-light to work on a POC. This kind of sponsorship can significantly accelerate the progress of your project by providing the necessary legitimacy and resources.
To secure management sponsorship, it’s important to present your initiative in a way that aligns with the organization’s goals and demonstrates clear value. Be prepared to articulate how your project can solve existing problems, save money, improve processes, or enhance overall efficiency.
Don’t find the sponsorship you’re looking for? It’s not a dead end! Consider it as an opportunity to demonstrate the value of your initiative independently. This might mean developing a POC in your own time if you really want to push it forward. While this approach requires additional effort, it allows you to build a tangible example of your project’s potential. A successful POC can be a persuasive tool in converting skeptics and eventually winning over management.
Tip #3: Start Small, Find your Champion and Gradually Scale it out
In launching a new initiative, especially one that spans across different teams, it’s wise to start on a smaller scale. Find a team within your organization that is open to experimenting with your idea — this team will be your ‘guinea pig’. The advantage of starting small is twofold: it allows you to gather focused feedback and enables you to make rapid iterations and improvements.
Reflecting on my time at Wix, we began introducing teams to our new notifications API starting with those working on less critical products with fewer notifications. The insights and feedback we gained from these early adopters were invaluable, helping us fine-tune our API. This initial success laid the groundwork for broader adoption, as other teams could see the tangible benefits and improvements firsthand.
At Tipalti Approve, I started by building the necessary infrastructure for running tests in our CI and for operating microservices. Then, I selected a non-critical part of the product and, together with a junior developer (intentionally), we developed a new microservice from the ground up using Test-Driven Development. This approach not only demonstrated the feasibility of the change but also showed that it could be successfully implemented even with less experienced developers. The junior developer, initially skeptical, became an advocate for the new process, sharing her positive experience with others in the company, which led me to expand this initiative more and more. The cool thing about it was that I had my own army of advocates that could scale my initiative properly :)
They shared their success story and their positive experience become a persuasive argument for others to join. When other teams witness a successful implementation, especially one that brings tangible benefits, they are more likely to be convinced of the value of your initiative.
Navigating Skepticism: Starting small also helps in managing skepticism. It’s easier to convince a single team to try something new than to persuade an entire company. Once you have a success story, it becomes a powerful tool to overcome the initial resistance you might face from other teams or management.
Tip #4: Understand Real Motivations and Navigating Organizational Dynamics
In cross-team projects, addressing the logical aspects of an initiative is just part of the equation. Equally important is understanding the real motivations, personal dynamics, and the politics within the organization. People are often driven by factors that go beyond the surface-level objectives of a project.
Reflecting on my experiences, I realized that logical arguments alone weren’t always effective in overcoming resistance. For instance, the CTO at my company was primarily motivated by a desire to reduce the frequency of distressing customer complaint calls he got in the middle of night on a daily basis. Addressing this pain point was more critical to him than the technical specifics of reducing bugs. Similarly, at Wix, I encountered a team that managed their own notifications by maintaining an internal notifications service that was not part of their core responsibilities, and the engineers were frequently interrupted by solving bugs in that system. Their primary desire was to stop supporting this system and streamline this process of adding new notifications, ideally enabling the product manager to handle notifications independently.
Individual Needs Over Organizational Goals: It’s essential to focus on the individual needs and underlying motivations of each stakeholder, rather than solely on the broader organizational needs. For instance, while reducing bugs is an organizational goal, the more pressing individual need might be to avoid stressful situations, like receiving complaints at odd hours.
People might be motivated by a variety of personal drivers, such as the desire to reduce workload, the ability to implement features more quickly in order to get higher salaries and promotions, or the ambition to manage larger teams. Understanding these drivers can provide invaluable insights into how to tailor your approach and effectively address any resistance you encounter.
By aligning your project’s objectives with the individual aspirations and needs of key stakeholders, you can create compelling reasons for them to support and participate in your project.
Tip #5: Build Trust Through Effective Communication
In managing cross-team projects, trust is as crucial as any technical or strategic aspect. While asynchronous communication methods like Slack and email are efficient, they often fall short in building the deep trust required for such initiatives.
The pyramid of effective communication suggests that the more personal and time-consuming the communication method is, the more trust it builds. Face-to-face meetings are at the top of this pyramid, followed by video calls, direct messaging, and finally public messages or emails, which build the least trust.
My experience at Wix illuminated this concept. I didn’t understand that at the beginning, until my manager suggest me to fly to our colleagues at Lithuania and Ukraine. These trips, often involving hours of travel for brief meetings, were pivotal. Initially, the idea of traveling for just a one-hour meeting seemed excessive, but the impact was profound. Conversations over a beer, in a relaxed, personal setting, did more for building trust than numerous messages or emails could ever have achieved.
This personal approach to communication drastically enhanced the trust and cooperation needed for the project. The key takeaway was clear: the effectiveness of your communication style can significantly strengthen the trust between you and other teams. Relying solely on technology or documentation can be a misstep. While these tools are efficient and necessary, they cannot replace the human element. People are more likely to engage with and support your initiative if they trust you, and building that trust often requires more personal and direct forms of communication.
Balancing Efficiency and Trust: It’s important to find a balance between efficient communication and methods that foster trust. While not every interaction can be face-to-face, especially in large, distributed organizations, making the effort for key conversations and meetings can be invaluable. This doesn’t mean abandoning technology but rather complementing it with more personal interactions when it matters most.
Remember, people need to trust you and your vision, and sometimes, this requires going beyond digital communication and making that personal connection.
Tip #6: Set a Clear Vision, Goals, and Expectations
The success of any cross-team project hinges on a well-defined and compelling vision. It’s crucial that everyone involved understands not just what the project entails, but also the why behind it. The vision should clearly articulate the motivation and the intended outcomes of the initiative. This clarity helps in aligning the team’s efforts and maintaining focus throughout the project.
Along with a clear vision, it’s essential to lay out a detailed plan that includes specific subtasks and milestones. Every stakeholder should have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities, and how these contribute to the overall objectives of the project.
One of the most critical aspects of project planning is setting realistic deadlines. These deadlines should not be arbitrary but based on a thorough understanding of the project’s scope and the challenges involved. Engaging stakeholders in setting these deadlines can ensure their buy-in and commitment. It’s also wise to include buffer time to accommodate unexpected issues or delays, which are common in complex projects.
Avoid ‘Fake Deadlines’. Setting unrealistic deadlines, often referred to as ‘fake deadlines,’ can be detrimental to the trust and credibility of the project leader. If stakeholders feel that deadlines are arbitrary or unachievable, it can lead to frustration and a loss of confidence in the project’s management.
Keep all stakeholders informed about the progress, and be transparent about any changes or challenges that arise. This ongoing communication helps in managing expectations and ensures that everyone remains aligned with the project’s goals and timelines.
Tip #7: Set a Kickoff and Progress Meetings
Start your cross-team project with a kickoff meeting with each team, separately. This is your opportunity to present the project, outline the goals, and clarify the definition of done. It sets the stage for the entire initiative and ensures everyone starts on the same page.
During the kickoff, assign a clear owner for each task. This helps in creating accountability and clarity about who is responsible for what.
Weekly or Bi-Weekly Check-Ins: Although they might seem time-consuming, regular meetings with each team are essential. They serve as touchpoints to track progress, identify any obstacles, and ensure alignment. These meetings keep the project moving forward and maintain the momentum built during the kickoff.
The key is to keep these meetings consistent and focused, ensuring they provide value and don’t become just another meeting in the calendar.
Tip #8: Celebrate Success and Share Achievements
The importance of celebrating success in any project, especially a cross-team one, cannot be overstated. When your initiative reaches its milestones or achieves its goals, take the time to celebrate these achievements. Yes, beers and donuts are great, but there’s more to it than just the festivities.
At Wix, we had a practice of holding special meetings where all of the backend engineers would come together to share their recent work. This platform provided an excellent opportunity for teams that had transitioned to our new API to share their experiences. They discussed the duration of the transition, the challenges they faced, and, importantly, the benefits they reaped from moving to our new notifications API.
Utilize company meetings, newsletters, or internal networks to broadcast these success stories. Highlighting how the project has positively impacted the teams and the company not only boosts morale but also encourages others to embrace similar initiatives.
This practice serves multiple purposes. It validates the efforts of those involved, reinforces the value of the project, and provides real-life testimonials that can motivate other teams. It also helps in building a culture of recognition and appreciation within the organization, and encouraging wider adoption of the initiative across the company.
Conclusion
As we conclude this exploration into the world of cross-team project leadership, the stories from Wix and Tipalti emerge not just as narratives of overcoming challenges but as affirmations of what can be achieved with the right approach. At Wix, the journey culminated in the company-wide adoption of the new notifications API, a system that eventually handled over a billion notifications each month. This achievement stands as a testament to the power of a well-executed cross-team initiative and the importance of aligning an organization around a shared vision.
Similarly, at Tipalti Approve, my guidance in moving all teams towards microservices and adopting Test-Driven Development proved transformative. It allowed us to maintain our systems more effectively, significantly reducing the number of bugs and enhancing overall operational efficiency. These experiences underscore that the success of cross-team projects is not measured merely in completed tasks but in the lasting improvements they bring to an organization’s functioning and culture.
This journey highlights the essential principles of effective cross-team project leadership: building trust, aligning motivations, setting clear visions, and celebrating successes. These principles are not just strategies but pathways to creating an environment where innovation, efficiency, and shared success thrive. As leaders in such dynamic settings, our role is to inspire, encourage, and unite diverse teams towards common goals, transforming potential challenges into opportunities for growth and impactful achievements.
Are you working on such initiative and looking for assistant how to push it forward in your organization? I provide free mentoring and consulting sessions, feel free to reach me out.
