How can you master the key skills and competencies that cross-functional team leaders need with mentorship?

Mentorship offers advantages to both the mentor and mentee. I recommend identifying these benefits in the initial chemistry-check meeting. Although these benefits might develop further with time, it's important to have some stated from the beginning.

Benefits of mentorship in cross-functional team are enormous. Gaining relevant and usable insights by experienced professionals. Enjoying the benefit of accessibility to their life work and research. Leveraging on their networking through your addition in their learning network to see older mentees and other professionals in your niche. Building capacity across usable skills in leadership, communication, management, problem-solving and collaboration.

Mentorship is like having a GPS for your career journey in cross-functional team leadership. It's not just about learning the ropes; it's about gaining insights that can only come from experience. As a mentor myself, I've seen firsthand how sharing knowledge can empower leaders to make informed decisions, foster innovation, and drive success. Remember, the right mentor can be a game-changer, so choose wisely and make the most of the relationship. 🚀💡👥

Every member of the team has best knowledge, but only in his scope, different perspective and finally personal positiveness of solution. leading is effective if they are looking at the problem together and define rules of responsibility, than others can openly share own advice and attitude without fear. position of mentor is guiding, not leading... they are experts, not us.

A mentoria é uma ferramenta extremamente poderosa para o desenvolvimento de líderes em equipes multifuncionais. Os benefícios mencionados, como acesso a insights valiosos, feedback experiente e exposição a diferentes perspectivas, são fundamentais para o crescimento profissional e pessoal. Além disso, o suporte e a orientação fornecidos por um mentor podem ajudar os líderes a desenvolver habilidades essenciais e a superar desafios com mais confiança e eficácia.

There are 2 things to consider when finidng a mentor: 1. Find a mentor that inspires you and have the skills you want to build. 2. Find a mentor that challenges you and your perspective. This kind of mentor will expand your perspective and shine lights on your blind spots. Depending where you are in your career, what skills you want to build and the challenges you are facing with cross-functional leadership, choose the one that will take where you want to be.

Finding the right mentors is crucial for mastering the key skills of cross-functional leadership. Look for leaders who possess specialized complementary skillsets to yours, such as project management expertise in an engineering manager or communication prowess in a marketing director. Shadowing these mentors and partnering on projects allows you to directly observe their motivations, challenges, and decision-making processes. This immersive experience is invaluable for understanding diverse perspectives, fostering effective communication, and developing practical strategies for tackling cross-functional challenges.

Identificar os objetivos e necessidades específicos é o primeiro passo crucial, pois isso ajuda a direcionar a busca por mentores adequados. Pesquisar potenciais mentores com base em sua experiência, conhecimento e reputação na liderança de equipes é fundamental para encontrar a combinação certa. Além disso, é importante abordar os potenciais mentores de forma clara e direta, comunicando suas intenções e expectativas de forma transparente.

You can also find mentors by looking at other leaders of cross functional teams you interact with and who are in a more senior position. People you may want to seek out are likely to ask thoughtful questions, allow dialogue to unfold, and speak with clarity about their point of view and the key issues that will drive confidence in a decision.

Defina seus objetivos e identifique seus gaps para liderar equipes multifuncionais. Procure mentores que possuam experiência nessa posição e que sejam bons onde você tem dificuldade.

I was assigned a mentor when I was in a rut in my banking career. After our first meeting, she asked me to mentor her instead of the other way around. I realized that I needed to find my own mentor and it needed to be someone that understood my strong personality. It took some time but I found a great one and my rut was over. Some of the things that my mentor taught me I use almost daily in my business.

It's really important that cross-functional team leaders engage with mentors on topics that will help them to work in an agile manner. Developing team charters, ensuring team effectiveness, resolving conflicts quickly and maintaining team protocols are some topics where mentors can play a key role. Working with diverse team members can be challenging even for the best of the leaders and a little help and support at this stage to help manage the intra team issues.

Steven Spielberg: "The delicate balance of mentoring someone is not creating them in your own image, but giving them the opportunity to create themselves."