Exceptional leaders proactively and strategically develop their people.
They do this because they know the more developed their people are, the better they will perform. And that will result in better-than-industry-average results.
One overlooked method of development is cross-functional training. That means giving the person you are training exposure to aspects of the business that are not in their primary area of responsibility. As an example, someone in sales gets training in engineering. Or someone in human resources gets exposed to customer service.
For people to see what happens during the process of conducting your business helps everyone gain understanding and appreciation for what others in your organization do.
Leadership Tip
Methodically and systematically include cross-functional training in your organization. If you already do this, then evaluate it for effectiveness and refine it for perfection.
Effective cross-functional training benefits organizations in many ways. Here are a few:
- Strengthens working relationships.
- Breaks down silos.
- Minimizes turnover.
- Encourages and strengthens teamwork.
- Increases employee engagement.
- Improves company morale.
- Improves overall work performance and results.
Who doesn’t want all this?
Cross-functional training isn’t only about exposure; it’s about making the connection with how the pieces fit together. Therefore, be sure to include challenging questions and quizzes to ensure the right connections are being made.
