Cross-functional management, what is it and how to implement it?

Cross-functional management is an increasingly popular innovative management style. It responds to the desire of many companies to break down a progressively obsolete pyramidal and hierarchical model in order to gain in competitiveness and agility. But what does this managerial practice actually entail, and how can it be properly implemented within a company?  

The definition of cross-functional management

Cross-functional management entails breaking down the silos within a company, mobilising employees and encouraging teams from various departments and hierarchical levels to cooperate around a common objective: logistics, sales, marketing, accounting, legal, finance, HR, CFO, etc. It thus constitutes a real decompartmentalization of the services within a company. In addition, cross-functional management is participative and cooperative: all employees are involved in decision-making and processes, regardless of their function, level of responsibility or area of expertise. → Not to be confused with horizontal management, which aims to reduce or even completely eliminate hierarchical levels. The advantages of cross-functional management are numerous:

• Decision-making is faster and more relevant.
• Problem solving is facilitated by the team's multi-sector expertise.
• Communication is transversal, information circulates faster, and exchanges are more fluid.
• Synergies and the exchange of ideas between employees from different professional backgrounds facilitate collective intelligence and boost the sense of innovation.
• The sharing of multidisciplinary knowledge promotes operational efficiency and the development of skills.
• Participative and transversal management improves well-being at work, motivation, commitment and the support of stakeholders; equally involved, they have greater freedom and are encouraged to take initiatives.
• By exploiting all the expertise at its disposal, a company is able to gain in competitiveness and assert its legitimacy.

Cross-functional management can therefore be a real driver of growth, enabling a company to become more agile, provided it is deployed effectively.  

How should cross-functional management be implemented?

The implementation of cross-functional management requires a complete rethinking of the way work is organised, a redefinition of processes and a break with the old company structure. The company’s life is completely redesigned, and an adjustment is necessary on everyone's part. → Note: cross-functional management will be easier to implement within a company that already applies a collaborative or participative management style. Moving from a vertical model and/or a directive management style to a transversal structure is a profound transformation that should not be taken lightly. Moreover, in a transversal model, the manager-managed relationship is completely redefined: a tripartite relationship is established between the:

• Cross-functional team member
• Employee's line manager
• Cross-functional manager.

The following are examples of good practices to be aware of in order to implement cross-functional management within your company.  

Define the issues related to cross-functional management

First and foremost, it is important to define the needs and issues related to the cross-functional project. Indeed, this type of management can be applied in different cases:

• In project mode, to manage a one-off mission, with a defined duration.
• To manage a working group created to solve a problematic situation (crisis management, emergency situation, etc.) or in a continuous improvement process.
• To be integrated in a recurring way into the company's processes and strategic orientations.

 

Communicate and overcome resistance to change

Before adopting this type of management method, whether on a one-time basis or on a permanent basis, it is essential to properly communicate with your employees. You must clearly explain the ins and outs of this form of management and highlight the benefits for the company and its employees. One of the major challenges in implementing cross-functional management is to succeed in bringing together profiles with varied and even divergent objectives, aspirations and expectations. It is therefore essential to anticipate resistance to change, to allay fears and to encourage all teams to be open-minded.  

Designate a cross-functional manager

The cross-functional manager is the project leader at the head of the cross-functional teams. The roles of the cross-functional manager are multiple. They must:

• Lead the cross-functional teams.
• Ensure the proper coordination of the members of each team.
• Promote team cohesion, mutual aid and exchanges.
• Value the initiatives, ideas and efforts of each individual.
• Adopt a participative management style.
• Develop cooperation between peers.
• Demonstrate leadership to mobilise teams.
• Clarify objectives and supervise the proper conduct of the project.
• Adopt a customer-oriented approach and unite employees from different departments around a common goal.

The cross-functional manager must possess a certain number of qualities that are essential for managing a cross-functional team, such as:

• A sense of empathy and active listening
• Good interpersonal skills.
• Leadership qualities.
• An ability to manage conflict situations and tensions with diplomacy.
• A sense of observation.
• A sense of pedagogy.
• A good capacity to adapt.
• High emotional and relational intelligence.
• The ability to motivate individuals with different personalities, backgrounds and ages.

 

Build cross-functional committees

The cross-functional manager will then have to build their cross-functional teams. To do this, it is first necessary to take into account each person's field of work. However, it is also important to target employees with complementary skills and personalities, in order to create homogeneous and balanced teams.  

Create a cross-functional corporate culture

More than a simple management method, cross-functional management is driven by strong values, which must be reflected in the company's culture. For this, the watchwords are team spirit, mutual aid, collective spirit, communication and open-mindedness.  

Call on an interim manager 

Even if you follow a rigorous approach, the implementation of cross-functional management within your company is a complex and time-consuming process, often difficult to implement. To ensure the success of this transformation, it is wise to delegate this mission to an interim manager. At WAYDEN, we provide companies with a network of 8,000 seasoned interim managers, able to intervene on the company premises, for a period ranging from a few weeks to several months. With 15 to 25 years of experience in strategic positions, these high-flying managers have all the keys to successfully carry out change management under the best possible conditions. The interim manager can also be called upon to act as a cross-functional manager and lead cross-functional teams on a short-term basis.