¿Quién puede guiarte en el liderazgo de equipos multifuncionales?

I think an example of a effective mentor for cross functional teams is a successful coach who understands the intricacies of process integration, people motivation, and interdependencies while yielding great results. Happy to hear other’s perspective on this.

Some key points related to cross-functional team leadership are: ✅Cross-functional teams consist of members from different functional areas in an organization and seek to perform unique, uncertain tasks to create new and non-routine products or services. ✅Cross-functional teams require individuals with different skills and capabilities to work together towards a common goal. ✅Cross-functional teams promote creativity and innovation by bringing together individuals with diverse perspectives and experiences. Effective cross-functional team leadership involves understanding and addressing the needs and development of team members in order to enable the highest possible team performance.

Look for more experienced individuals that perform an orchestrator type of role and lead orchestration types of teams. For example, leaders in Strategy & Operations, and program Management roles could be well-suited to be a mentor for cross functional leadership.

🖐️A mentor can provide guidance and advice based on their own experiences leading cross-functional teams.They can help navigate challenges and avoid common pitfalls 🖐️A mentor can help identify areas where need to improve skills and provide guidance on how to develop those skills 🖐️A mentor can introduce to other leaders in organization or industry, which can help build professional network 🖐️A mentor can provide an outside perspective on leadership style and help see things from a different point of view 🖐️Having a mentor who believes in you and your abilities can help boost confidence as a leader Overall, having a mentor in cross-functional team leadership can help become a more effective leader and achieve better results with team.

The right mentor can help a person in a cross functional team leadership role build individual and team resilience. This can be done through shared experiences, offering perspectives, giving emotional support, teaching coping strategies, and encouraging adaptability. Additionally, the mentor can push the team to be better by challenging comfort zones while helping to set realistic expectations.

The key word that comes to mind is coaching. They can coach you based on your desired goals and provide the insight and resources to help you grow those cross functional leadership skills while avoiding the mistakes most often made by leaders.

Cross-functional mentorship is essential to ensure that broader organizational perspectives are well understood. As leaders move to roles of higher seniority, the breadth of their influence, decision-making, and impact becomes much more pronounced. Strong leaders, especially in complex organizations, are the connective tissue for building relationships, strategic alignment, and finding opportunities to align on outcomes. Finding mentors that span functional service areas are essential if you want to expand your horizon, and identify ways to bring a higher order of value to your organization.

A mentor on a cross-functional team can be outside your direct leadership. It's helpful to understand the roles and processes of other teams you work with. So, actively seeking mentors within broader teams is a good way to develop relations and improve your business understanding.

I have found that one of the best mentors in a cross-functional team is an SME (subject matter expert). This could be someone with deep technical knowledge of a product, or it could be someone with extensive spreadsheet knowledge. Personally, I think mentorship is often correlated to just leadership - when in reality the most powerful mentors are the ones that help you grow your skills - which in turn makes you a better leader - because you can teach others.

It is important to remember that you can have more than one mentor. You are often better off seeking perspective from multiple sources. For example, you can ask your boss for suggestions on how to best lead a meeting, but you can also ask a peer who is attending your meetings for feedback as well.

Finding a mentor in cross-functional leadership is a unique challenge. Look for a seasoned leader who's had experience guiding cross-functional teams, one who will provide a safe space for you to reframe problems to arrive at better solutions, and one who would be willing to advocate for you if your team meets the resistance of organizational inertia.

Two dimensions of mentorship can be extremely valuable. One comes from a mentor who has been in a similar role and/or experience. These individuals can provide the lessons and insights highly relevant and applicable to your current role. Another can come from mentors that sit outside the team and/or have little direct experience in a similar situation. These individuals can often ask the kinds of simple, but overlooked, questions that can be highly impactful. These individuals also provide insights from similar, but not exact, experiences which open up new areas of learning and growth.

✅Look for a mentor who has experience leading teams with members from different functional areas or departments within an organization ✅A mentor should be able to communicate effectively with team members from different backgrounds and be able to provide clear guidance and feedback ✅A mentor should be able to understand and manage their own emotions, as well as the emotions of others, in order to build strong relationships and create a positive team culture ✅A mentor should be able to provide feedback in a way that is constructive and helps the mentee improve their skills and performance ✅A mentor should be willing to share their own experiences and knowledge with the mentee in order to help them grow as a leader

There is the wrong perception that a mentor MUST be a senior-than-you-individual. I would like to disagree. Having this mindset will only self-restrict you of having incredible people as mentors who have (certainly) something to teach you or guide you in. Hence forth, my advice, find in a mentor a person that you respect and admire. Chemistry is one of my must-have-trait while looking for a mentor. Let us define here chemistry as a person that you enjoy talking/listening to. Lastly, be humble enough to recognize that anyone around you might have a story to share that will resonate with your own

I agree with all the points above. The mentor will also have values that are aligned with the company objectives so you don’t incidentally veer too far off the company’s vision for your team. Finally, I suggest a mentor that is willing to challenge you and push growth.

Choose a mentor who - 1. Carries indepth knowledge of the work you are performing 2. Has got the experience of dealing with people 3. Can identify your team's dark spots 4. Has a control on the impulse of getting into managing your things instead of letting you know the improvement measures 5. Can act as a leader or a checker in your absense for the mean-time

A metaphor I bought into at my last shop was of the integrated agency as a "communication orchestra". Looking beyond the leader of your group for a true cross-functional mentor? Pay close attention to those who focus on choreographing the entire project (the orchestra) vs those whose focus seems to be solely on their group or team (the strings, percussion, etc) or themselves as soloists. Especially in pitches, you'll quickly notice who is angling for the spotlight, and who is working to bring voices and teams together. Pay attention to anecdotes shared from previous pitches, whose insight feels especially relevant? Privately share your appreciation with those who inspire harmony in a large team, and watch as the curtain is pulled back.

Maintaining transparency with your mentor is of utmost importance and carries significant weight. It plays a pivotal role in fostering a robust working relationship. Actively seeking guidance and openly discussing specific concerns has consistently proven to be more effective than vague or unclear inquiries. As time progresses, you'll notice that these questions and answers evolve into meaningful and enriching conversations.

Stay committed by setting regular meetings. In my experience it's easy to say you're going to be mentored or set expectations, but its most important to be consistent with the mentoring in order to evaluate on-going performance, goals, experiences and achievements. Without the regular meetings and commitment, you don't have anything except a fun initial conversation.

I agree with other perspectives and one additional element I would add is: - Mentoring should be seen as a two way formal contract Both the mentor and mentee should contract what both are contributing AND receiving from the relationship. Often it can be set up that the mentee ‘gains’ - the most successful mentoring relationships I have had are always two way - both parties are explicitly ‘gaining’ something As a mentor, I have gained insights to less tenured staff’s perspectives on a policy or way of working. I have gained knowledge about emerging trends. I have gained a new network If both parties gain, the relationship is likely to last longer term

Setting expectations is critical and understanding how each person's strengths/opportunities can be leveraged is helpful. I also suggest a planned approach of topics to focus on over time, vs trying to do everything at once. It can feel overwhelming and tough to cover all items and can lead over time to a thin list/conversation at the end. Prioritizing and pacing the topics is ideal and allow time for debriefs at a deeper level.

In my opinion, creating a productive mentoring relationship in cross-functional team leadership requires open communication and a shared understanding of objectives and boundaries. Regular, structured sessions with predefined goals and expectations ensure that both mentor and mentee stay focused and committed. Moreover, a willingness to act on feedback and express gratitude for the mentor's guidance fosters a mutually beneficial and growth-oriented partnership. Periodic evaluations help assess progress and adjust strategies, ensuring the mentoring relationship remains effective over time.

I have enjoyed when my mentor invited me to meetings and conversations not in my typical domains. After listening I would debrief with my mentor on the discussion and decisions but also the styling. If was the post-meeting review that was so insightful; I learned how to navigate so many situations to develop my own leadership style.

To find the right mentor in cross-functional team leadership, consider: 1. Senior Executives: Leaders who effectively manage teams across departments or industries. 2. Project Management Experts: Professionals with experience in large, multi-functional projects, especially those with PMI certification. 3. Leadership Coaches: Coaches who focus on improving team collaboration and dynamics. 4. Change Management Specialists are advisors who guide organizations through transitions and align team efforts. 5. The Ideal Mentor: Someone who genuinely wants your growth, leads by example, and co-creates a mentoring plan with you. 🌟

Aree with Tricia, even more valuable can be the debrief time you get with mentors and the stimulation that comes from attending meetings outside of your day-to-day domain.

The mentor should not feel like the relationship is a part-time job with no pay. Always bring something of value to your mentor. Be creative and put some work into the relationship so you aren't perceived as just another taker. It could be as simple as a snack or a coffee; it could be statistics of interest or other information your mentor might find valuable. As I often tell young product managers - always be the person that people in the meeting room are happy to see because they know you're a problem solver or you’re known as the person who keeps the meeting on course, or some other quality of value. Strive to be someone with whom your mentor looks forward to meeting.

I have had the privilege of having great mentors and of being a mentor for others. It is a gratifying position to be in, especially when someone you mentor is clearly interested in growth. I have found that a mentee-mentorship relationship works best when both parties are truly committed to success