The receptionist had stepped out to address an urgent matter and by chance it’s the accountant that the client meets. The client asks about a particular issue about the solution she bought but the accounts replies, ‘That is not my call and I can’t help you madam. Bye’. She decides to move on with another supplier because of the bad attitude and the aloof culture. You as the team leader wonder what happened to client ABC. Definitely the accountant will tell himself, ‘it wasn’t me.’
Cross-functional teams comprise of individuals from different departments and functions that work towards a collective purpose.
Cross-functional teamwork calls for collective responsibility and care. What is a cross-functional team you ask! It is a team within an organization that comprises of individuals from different departments and professions brought together towards achieving a collective purpose.
Cross-functional team work is becoming the norm in the modern workplace environment due to its inclusive capabilities.
Collective accountability helps dispel the ‘it wasn’t me’ mentality and also breaks departmental silos/hostilities. Cultivating a culture of collective responsibility takes time and it can’t be an overnight wonder. First comes the element of change management to the lone rangers in the organization about solving problems as a unit. This requires a transformational mind shift that calls for dedicated effort from team leaders and senior management.
Collective accountability in teams spurs collaborative efforts towards problem solving
Team leaders should nurture a shift in their units that moves from ‘it wasn’t me’ to ‘how can we remedy the situation ‘. In the problem solving process investigating the root cause of the problem is very key towards collaborative solutions.
A team that flows as a unit, lasts longer. Collective accountability achieves trust, cohesion and loyalty within teams.
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