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As the influence of financial functions expands throughout organizations, their members need to work effectively with colleagues from all parts of the business. One area highlighting this trend is the intersection between finance and information technology (IT). Recent research from Robert Half Management Resources and Robert Half Technology found CFOs and CIOs are frequently working together more today than three years.
This trend isn’t limited to the C-suite. Cross-functional collaboration also is occurring more often at the staff level.
Working closely with other departments offers many benefits, but that doesn’t mean it’s all smooth sailing. In a Robert Half survey, financial professionals reported the greatest challenges they face when working with coworkers from different business units are learning to interact with a variety of personalities and managing stress during crises.
In light of these issues, how can you as a financial executive facilitate collaboration between different groups? Here are six tips:
Collaboration tip #1: Minimize jargon
Ask your staff to skip the accounting lingo and industry shorthand. For example, if the finance and technology departments are working on customizing your enterprise resource planning software, go easy on potentially confusing terminology like “contra accounts” and “AR/AP.” If IT colleagues give an alphabet soup of acronyms, ask for clarification.
Collaboration tip #2: Strengthen interdepartmental bonds
To promote collaboration, consider conducting fun activities to help people get to know each other better. Take this icebreaker, for example: Ask each participant to send a picture of their spirit animal in advance of a group meeting, and then put the images into PowerPoint. As everyone introduces themselves, display their image and have them explain why they identify with that particular animal.
Other ways to foster collaboration:
- Offer a brown-bag lunch topic such as, “Everything you wanted to know about finance but were afraid to ask.”
- Invite other departments to join yours for social events like group lunches, team dinners and baseball games.
- Team up with different divisions on companywide volunteer projects.
Collaboration tip #3: Give all workers a voice
Typically, when people gather together, some will dominate the conversation while others will hang back. Do your best to encourage more introverted members of the group to contribute to the discussion. Simply suggest, “Let’s listen to ideas from someone we haven’t heard from.” In addition, remind your team you welcome feedback via email, in person and by phone.
Collaboration tip #4: Show staff the bigger picture
Some of your accounting and finance staff members may have a hard time understanding why they need to collaborate with other departments or how their roles factor into the company’s success. Help them break out of a silo mindset.
Encourage collaboration by asking a leader from another department to give your team a presentation about his or her group, and include a Q&A afterward. Or, if an employee needs to work closely with IT, sales or marketing, arrange a job-shadowing experience so they can learn firsthand about their colleague’s priorities and pressures.
Collaboration tip #5: Nip conflicts in the bud
Team members are bound to disagree now and then, especially if they come from different departments. Individuals can work out small conflicts on their own, but bigger ones may require management to step in.
If you observe a problem taking root, step in before it escalates. It may require you to reassign teams.
Collaboration tip #6: Celebrate together
Celebrations are a great way to mark major milestones and completion of a big project. Recognize the entire group’s efforts and acknowledge their hard work. Give kudos to outstanding staff — from all departments involved.
With cross-departmental collaboration, your team might include a mix of social butterflies and wallflowers, creative types and critical thinkers, planners and spontaneous decision makers. But they all share a common goal: to do a good job and make the company better. Your responsibility as a manager is to highlight employees’ strengths and foster productive and profitable collaboration.
Tim Hird is the executive director of Robert Half Management Resources.