Let’s Put the Pedal to The Floor !
As a rally car racing pilot, risk analysis, fast decision-making but most importantly making it happen is crucial to avoid a car crash. For The past 20 years, I have been teaching such skills to numerous innovation projects to expedite their success. Nowadays, this same courage-based skill is much needed in large organizations to bring adaptation and agility into their operations to shift into the new economy with their talent base. We use cross-functional collaboration as a first step.
In today's fast-paced business environment, cross-functional collaboration has become a main ingredient for companies experiencing rapid growth… or rapid change! Exactly like typical Tech Startups building a capable and strong team as they grow, both contexts present significant challenges.. Let’s investigate what Tech Startups can teach larger organizations how to re-invent themselves in an agile manner!
This approach to teamwork brings together employees from different departments, fostering an environment that enhances talent retention and drives innovation. As organizations grapple with the challenges of high-speed expansion, they're finding that breaking down silos and promoting cross-team interaction is key to creating a skilled and engaged workforce. By encouraging mutual understanding among team members from diverse backgrounds, companies create a more dynamic and inclusive workplace.
The talent war and labor crisis are human, solutions are a cocktail of human ingredients shaken, not stirred. In this article, we explore how cross-functional team collaboration contributes to achieving strategic goals, addressing performance gaps, and ultimately retaining top talent in organizations undergoing hypergrowth, just as Tech Startups must do to become successful.
"What do you think should be our top company-wide goal for the next year? How do you envision the ideal cross-functional team at TechCo?"
Creating a Collaborative Ecosystem for Making the Tight Curve Safer
Just like Accelerators of Tech Startups, cross-functional collaboration has a significant impact on fostering innovation within organizations. By bringing together diverse talents and experiences, with the only goal to make it happen.
This ecosystem approach has proven successful in conservative industries such as aerospace, automotive, and healthcare. Innovation hubs, which bring together R&D institutions, venture capital, and start-ups, have been shown to generate 60 percent of US exports and attract workers with above-average earnings [1].
Cross-functional teams are a micro expression of the Innovation Hub or Accelerator.
To build a thriving innovation ecosystem, leaders must establish a strong identity rooted in clear aspirations and forward-looking goals. This identity should resonate with employees and organizations, exciting them about pioneering new models for working, collaborating, and living [1].
Wearing Many Hats Like in Tech Startup: Improves Problem-Solving Skill
Peer learning programs have gained popularity as companies recognize that employee growth starts with relationships. This method not only boosts employee engagement but also creates an environment of trust and mutual respect.
Cross-functional projects help employees understand how different parts of the organization work together, enhancing their overall knowledge and skill set [2]. Peer coaching has been found to be particularly effective in skill development and problem-solving [2].
Wrap-up and Make it Happen
Cross-functional collaboration has a profound influence on talent retention in hyper-growth companies across conservative industries like aerospace, automotive, and healthcare. By breaking down silos and fostering an environment of shared knowledge, these organizations create a dynamic workplace that appeals to employees across generations.
Before I conclude this short article, I will share with you simple, practical and actionable tools you can use in your organization. They are Tech Startups Golden Nuggets directly coming from the techpreneur field delivered to you.
Eliminate Emails Entirely
Replace email with real-time communication tools (like Slack or Microsoft Teams) to enhance collaboration and reduce the overload of inbox management.
Implementation Tips:
- Set clear guidelines on communication priorities and styles (e.g., prioritize in-person, phone and written order; use threads for discussions to avoid clutter).
- Encourage the use of asynchronous “video messages” or audio notes for communication to make interactions more personal and efficient.
Adopt a Holacratic Structure
Shift away from traditional hierarchies to self-organizing teams (holacracy), where roles are fluid and responsibilities shift as needed.
Implementation Tips:
- Train teams on the principles of holacracy and how to function in this decentralized structure.
- Use tools like GlassFrog to define roles and projects transparently, allowing anyone to take initiative based on their skills.
- Regular “tactical meetings” provide teams the time to address immediate challenges collectively without management involvement.
Autonomous Project Teams
Allow teams to self-select and form around projects they are passionate about, enhancing motivation and engagement.
Implementation Tips:
- Create a platform where employees can pitch project ideas and invite others to join based on shared interests.
- Set a minimum viable product (MVP) timeline to encourage rapid prototyping and experimentation without bureaucratic hurdles.
- Recognize and reward teams that successfully bring their projects to life, regardless of their official roles within the company.
About ventureLAB
ventureLAB is a leading global founder community for hardware technology and enterprise software companies in Canada. Located at the heart of Ontario’s innovation corridor in York Region, ventureLAB is part of one of the biggest and most diverse tech communities in Canada. Our initiatives focused on raising capital, talent retention, commercializing technology and IP, and customer acquisition have enabled thousands of companies to create over 6,800 jobs and raise more than $420 million in investment capital. ventureLAB is powering hardtech founders to build and scale globally competitive ventures that advance Canada's knowledge-based economy.
References
[1] https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/public-sector/our-insights/building-innovation-ecosystems-accelerating-tech-hub-growth
[2] https://workbravely.com/blog/growth-development/career-development-when-promotion-is-not-an-option/
