Unlocking the Secrets to Smooth Support Function Assignments

Picture this: a utopian workplace where egos and titles vanish, and collaboration reigns supreme. It’s a world where departments meld into one cohesive unit, a harmonious family of workers. A true matrix organization at its finest, where stress evaporates like morning dew.

Sadly, it’s a dream, and reality soon nudges you awake.

As you grudgingly return to the waking world, you remember the task awaiting you—assigning a team member to work with another department. If only your workplace mirrored your dreamland, it would be a breeze. It’s too bad hierarchies, self-preservation, and team boundaries complicate matters. Support function employees understand this all too well.

Your team member possesses the expertise needed for the work, but without authority, cooperation is hard to come by. Though persuasion and influence may help, there are ways to bolster your team member’s chances for success with a few clever strategies.

Here’s what you can do:

1. Facilitate a 3-way introduction meeting between your team member, the other team’s leader, and yourself. Let them know about your collaboration plan.
2. Empower your assigned team member by ensuring that team member has everything they need for the assignment. Help them create a checklist of requirements to set them up for success and discuss those in the meeting.
3. When the three of you meet, make sure you leave the meeting with everyone having a common understanding of what key stakeholders expect and how your team member will work with the other team, and agreed upon mutual commitments for working together.
4. Recognize that change may elicit some resistance. If the other leader’s team is to succeed, they will likely need to do some things very differently. The bigger the changes, the greater the potential resistance. Don’t blame or punish your team member for this resistance. It is natural and you should expect it. Instead of blaming, provide support by vocalizing your confidence in your team member to the other leader. Urge the other leader to challenge past thinking and practices and thoughtfully consider the proposed changes.

As the leader, you hold the key to your team members’ success when they assist other teams. The first key is to ensure a robust setup that bridges the authority gap through common understandings and shared commitments. The second key is providing unwavering support when your team member faces tough conversations challenging existing practices or advocating for change. Be your team member’s safety net, especially if the other team leader proves resistant or struggles with their commitments.

Though an ideal workplace might be a far cry from reality, you can still create an environment for success. By setting up assignments effectively and offering steadfast support, you’ll unlock the secrets to navigating the challenging terrain of support function work and pave the way for team member success.