To solve pivotal customer problems, assembling the right team is paramount. With a thoughtful approach, you can build a team that's effective but also agile and adaptable, ready to tackle any challenge head-on.
Think Beyond Boundaries: Embrace Cross-Functionality
Break free from departmental silos. Look across your organization for individuals with the right mix of diverse skills and expertise. Varied perspectives equip the team to address complex issues. Each role on the team should contribute to different aspects of the product development process.
Diversity Drives Innovation: Build a Balanced Ensemble
Celebrate differences. Seek team members from different backgrounds and experiences. A mix of viewpoints fosters creativity and ensures your team can approach problems from multiple angles.
Learn from Experience: Seek Outcome-Driven Team Players
Look for team members with a track record of delivering results. Focus on individuals who conduct discovery work to understand the customer problem deeply, are adept at navigating uncertainty, prioritize effectively, reduce risk by running experiments, make evidence-based decisions, and drive towards desired outcomes. Past success is a good indicator of future performance.
Gain Managerial Support: Secure Commitment from Above
Ensure that functional managers are supportive of your team's goals. Their backing is crucial for securing resources and ensuring team members have the time and support they need to succeed.
Plan Ahead: Lay the Foundation for Success
Invest time upfront to set clear goals and outcomes. Align around measures that define success. Define roles and address potential gaps in skills or resources. A solid foundation will help your team hit the ground running and stay on track toward achieving its objectives.
Strength in Unity
As Phil Jackson once said, "The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team." By assembling a cross-functional, diverse, and capable team, you set the stage for success.
Written By: Pam Krengel