How can you encourage cross-functional teams to share knowledge?

Each team might have a different goal and each team might think their goal serves the customer and business needs stated at higher levels. This means digging deeper. -Share points of view about goals. Don't try to convince anyone of anything, just offer what your team's goal is and why you chose it. -Offer the team's insights related to goals. Maybe you've heard lots of customers express a particular need. That informs the discussion. -Look for existing common ground. After hearing each team's point of view you may be able to craft a collective goal that everyone can agree on. -Don't try for consensus in one meeting. This isn't easy, so don't add the pressure of getting there in an hour. -Let the answers happen. Don't force them.

Encouraging cross-functional teams to share knowledge is essential for effective collaboration and innovation. this can be achieved by setting clear goals and expectations, creating a culture of transparency, providing opportunities for knowledge sharing, encouraging mentorship among the team, and encouraging feedback among each other. By these, you can create a culture that values and rewards knowledge sharing among cross-functional teams, leading to better collaboration, increased innovation, and improved overall performance.

The seed of innovation is fed by the nourishment of differing perspectives. It allows growth through the cultivation of ideas that may oppose one another, or be misaligned, in the beginning stages of development. Through meaningful collaboration the visions of others can become one, focusing on a common goal which can shed light to uncover a better solution - and in the process contributing to success for all.

We use this in our business. Microsoft Teams provides the perfect avenue for this type of communication. Team members can chat, upload and download shared needed information all in one easy to use space!

As leaders, we need to set the example. As part of our performance excellence team I spent a lot of time listening so I could offer ideas to other team members that would save them more time/effort than they would need to fully engage with the team. By proactively sharing my expertise and creating value for them, the others reciprocated, sparking creative cross-pollination.

Engagement, engagement, engagement! Building a rapport and developing a sense of trust between teams creates confidence in cross functional teams to readily *want* to share useful knowledge with each other. This is the best soft skill that transforms a company into a well oiled machine. Professional and courteous communication is truly the best way for information to be shared and optimized to benefit a company as a whole.