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What lessons have you learned from managing cross-functional teams on complex projects?

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Md. Golam Rob Talukdar
Community Champion
Project Manager| AWR Development (BD) Ltd. Cox's Bazer , Bangladesh
Discuss the successes and challenges you’ve faced, as well as how you fostered collaboration and alignment among diverse team members.
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Md. Golam Rob Talukdar
Community Champion
Project Manager| AWR Development (BD) Ltd. Cox's Bazer , Bangladesh
Oct 30, 2024 1:44 PM
Replying to Quratulain (Annie) Zahid
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Having a clear communication method is biggest success, setting up daily standups to problem solve, provide feedback has been the other success. The biggest challenge was change management piece, stakeholders had hesitancy, resistance.
Thank you for sharing your insights! I completely agree that establishing a clear communication method is crucial for success in cross-functional teams. Daily standups can be a game-changer for addressing issues in real-time and fostering collaboration.
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Md. Golam Rob Talukdar
Community Champion
Project Manager| AWR Development (BD) Ltd. Cox's Bazer , Bangladesh
Oct 31, 2024 2:03 PM
Replying to Joseph Abboud
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From my experience, before you do anything, know the organization's culture.
If this is not healthy, nothing will work. Good luck solving problems.
Thank you for your perspective! Understanding an organization’s culture is vital for the success of any initiative. A healthy culture encourages collaboration and innovation, while a toxic one can hinder progress.

It's important to assess the culture before making changes. Engaging with team members can provide valuable insights. Have you found effective strategies for improving organizational culture in your experience?

Golam
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Md. Golam Rob Talukdar
Community Champion
Project Manager| AWR Development (BD) Ltd. Cox's Bazer , Bangladesh
Oct 31, 2024 5:22 AM
Replying to Bisharah Saeed
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Successes - allowed me to enhance my knowledge in functional areas and understand processes to streamline them better.

Challenges - Dealing with egos. We are dealing with people so it's quite natural.

Collaboration and Alignment - I make sure to understand both sides of the coin first and then bring them together to make a decision. For me as a PM, the end goal is what I focus on and I believe once the individual parties' perspectives are understood and they are brought together, it is much more easier. Of course, sometimes there can arise more challenges, which is when we have to be assertive and ensure it doesn't damage the project and relationships.
Thank you for sharing your experiences! It's great to hear how you've been able to enhance your knowledge and streamline processes—understanding the intricacies of different functional areas is key for effective project management.

Dealing with egos is indeed a common challenge in any team setting. Your approach of understanding both sides before bringing them together is commendable. It’s essential to create an environment where everyone feels heard, which can lead to more effective collaboration.

Golam
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Md. Golam Rob Talukdar
Community Champion
Project Manager| AWR Development (BD) Ltd. Cox's Bazer , Bangladesh
Oct 30, 2024 3:17 PM
Replying to Samuel Vaddi
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Yes, the key challenge may be with the people involved, their diverse ways of thinking and working, and how those diverse ways may cause conflict. I would recommend using a generative AI tool such as ChatGPT to explain the context of your project (while preserving sensitivity and confidentiality) and asking its help to anticipate some of the expected challenges and how you can setup your project upfront to mitigate them.

In general, I would also recommend this course: Talking to AI: Prompt Engineering for Project Managers

Collaboration and alignment: Ongoing status / progress meetings that are purposeful and effective. Calling out / being intentional with the team members that you want to foster collaboration and alignment, define what you mean / what success would look like, and ask for their input, ideas, and participation

Absolutely, the diversity of thought and working styles can definitely lead to conflicts. Utilizing generative AI tools like ChatGPT can be a great way to gain insights and anticipate potential challenges while maintaining confidentiality.



Your recommendation for the course "Talking to AI: Prompt Engineering for Project Managers" sounds valuable for enhancing communication and leveraging AI effectively.



For collaboration and alignment, holding purposeful status meetings is crucial. Being intentional about fostering collaboration, clearly defining success, and actively seeking input from team members can significantly enhance team dynamics and project outcomes.



Would you like to expand on any specific strategies for these meetings or how to effectively engage team members?

Golam

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Joseph Abboud Corporate Trainer and Management Consultant| Freelancer Kaslik, Lebanon
Oct 31, 2024 2:03 PM
Replying to Joseph Abboud
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From my experience, before you do anything, know the organization's culture.
If this is not healthy, nothing will work. Good luck solving problems.

If culture is not healthy, I do the following:



List the disadvantages / drawbacks of not collaborating, and present them in a meeting.



Present 3 advantages when collaboration is possible.



Let them choose the consequences.
(you cannot fix an unhealthy culture where teams opt to work in silos, especially if they have a history of doing the same thing over and over again).

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Thomas Walenta Global Project Economy Expert Hackenheim, Germany
Be humble.
Any team member is a human with capabilities beyond your role description.
Enable the team.
Make them get engaged and use their capabilities for the project. Do 1:1s.
Instill mutual respect.
Make everybody aware of the cultural differences in the team. Use resources like Hofstede's national cultures to let them explore potential gaps and mitigate behavioral surprises.
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