What is your plan for cross-functional team leadership career development?

> conducting assessments to identify current leadership capabilities and gaps at the organizational, team, and employee levels > creating leadership competency models that outline the key behaviours and skills required for success > developing training curriculum, programs, and resources that map to competency models and provide ability-building opportunities > incorporating intensive experiential development like leadership rotations, special projects, committee roles, etc. to accelerate growth > ensuring each leader has a formal mentor, coach aligned to their unique development needs focused, experiential development framed by clear competency models enables strategic leadership bench strength across the organization

I love this topic as I get these questions asked a lot. I always tell people that you need to first understand you - your strengths and weaknesses. Next, identify what your goals and career aspirations are. For some it could be getting to a team lead position or for others a more senior level/executive position. But whatever it is, interview people that are in those positions, figure out what it takes to get to those positions and then look at your gaps and how you can work on yourself to get to that next step. Taking on challenging roles, getting certifications or even leadership classes can go a long way!

I find that language makes a difference so will avoid weaknesses and use skill gaps instead. Note I also ask what can I do different rather than just focus on what I can improve. It pushes my thinking further and positively stretches me. I don't want to just improve on the status quo - I want to do something radically different ( most of the time) Making space for constant self reflection has allowed me to plan the next stages of my career. This means making time to think about when something did not go to plan and how I would change/influence the outcome/impact.

Certainly! Here's some guidance on the three career paths you mentioned. Remember that each of these paths requires careful planning and commitment. It's essential to align your career goals with your interests and strengths. Seek advice from professionals who have experience in your chosen path to gain valuable insights and make informed decisions. Whatever decision you make should be beneficial to you in particular and to the society in general.

Career development in cross-functional team leadership typically involves a combination of acquiring relevant skills, gaining experience, and demonstrating effective leadership qualities. Develop essential skills such as communication, project management, conflict resolution, and strategic thinking. Pursue education and training opportunities, gain experience in cross-functional teams, and seek mentorship. Build a professional network, actively seek feedback for improvement, and set clear career goals. Stay informed about industry trends and consider leadership development programs for ongoing growth.

Planning to lead a team from different parts Learn what you need to get better at Think of it as picking the right tools for a camping trip you need to know what youll face Book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

To get to the next step in your journey means to identify skill gaps. Talking with people that are in the positions you want to be in, taking on additional projects that can help you hone your new skills, taking classes or even listening to podcasts will help in getting you noticed. Come up with a plan to work on these goals weekly and analyze what's working and not at the end of the week so you continue to make progress.

When I am making a decision about what upskilling I am going to invest in I always ask the following: - How will it allow me to add additional value to my clients? - In what ways will it allow me to deliver different outcomes and impact in my role? - How does it get me closer to the goals I have identified? You need to be clear on these above before undertaking your research and starting a course of action. Otherwise you are flying blind and potentially wasting time and money in the process.

Again language matters so take failure out of your vocab. You will either get the outcome you want or you will learn. Either way this is a win-win. Never mention the 'f' word again if you want to change your mindset. As someone self employed I am responsible to my clients so I measure my career development against their satisfaction and the delivery of agreed project outcomes and impact. And the sustainable change on business DNA. Are the new ideas and knowledge I am implementing back in the business bringing value to my clients and how? This is how I keep myself honest in terms of career development.

Want to grow as a leader for a team with different skills Use what you know in real challenges It’s the best way to learn "Leaders Eat Last" by Simon Sinek

Acquiring real-world experience is an important aspect to develop adaptive leadership abilities that span various functions. By actively looking for opportunities to manage cross-functional teams and projects alike, you may put your knowledge and abilities to use in practical settings. You can do this by assuming leadership positions within your present organization or by participating in volunteer or community projects.

Knowledge only has value if you are trialling it out in the real world and then sharing the lessons with others to deliver different. Any new insight or piece of knowledge is shared back into my work but first I need to be willing to experiment with it out in the real world. Doing this has allowed me first hand experience and insights which I can use to refine future OD project approaches. It has also given me genuine credibility as nothing will beat lived industry experience with existing or potential clients/project partners. Anytime you are learning something different/new make time to stop and ask - how will I use this in my role to do positively different and add another level of value? Not just in your role but with others.

This AI-generated article is so general it could be about anything. Here are several concrete ways to increase cross-functional team leadership: 1. Spend regular time with people in other departments. Ask questions about their goals, challenges, and how they measure success. Look for links with your own and with other people you've spoken to. 2. Draw a visual map - like a process map or a customer journey map - of how the pieces of your organization work together. Look for ways to fill in gaps; show it to people and get their input. 3. Have your team write names of people they know on sticky notes (one per note). Clump the notes by department, look for gaps. Discuss how you can fill in those gaps.

Having career aspirations is a good thing! Remember that the people you admire from far were probably in your same shoes early in their careers. Reach out to them and ask for tips on how to progress in your career. Take risks at work - pick challenging projects where you get to interact with other teams. Enroll in classes or attend free webinars/podcasts to keep learning. The more you work with people with diverse backgrounds and experiences, the better you will be at understanding and then leading them.

To become a successful cross-functional leader, is a challenging but a rewarding process. But if you’re just starting out, the following would be key to achieve success. ➡️Be a good communicator: Adapt your communication style to meet the needs of the team. ➡️Be a good listener: Actively listen to the ideas and concerns of all team members. ➡️Be a good collaborator: Work with a diverse set of people who bring different perspectives. Try to steer away from the comfort of picking your xerox copies to work with. Value different perspectives and voices. ➡️Be a good facilitator: Resolve conflicts and keep the team focused on their goals. ➡️Be a good motivator: Keep the team motivated and engaged.

Always lead by example and ask feedback from your team on a regular basis. Schedule a monthly team meeting and ask them: how happy they are from 1 to 5. If they are less than 5, ask them why and to identify solutions. If the team agrees, let them solve their problems and enable them to be happy!

As a cross-functional leader you are uniquely positioned for one thing over others: connecting. This is a key area you should invest in, authentically of course, that opens up a wide range of opportunities for you. Opportunities that you might not plan or see but others that you connected with are aware of and see for you. This is one of those things that we cannot have just by developing ourselves or knowing our weaknesses or even having goals. As the saying goes, "you don't know what you don't know" but others that you connect with complement that.