Different Areas Of Expertise, One Team
SPECIAL OFFER – EXPIRES NOVEMBER 1, 2024: We’re pleased to offer a StrengthsFinder® training package for just $450. To learn more, call (303) 729-0611, or email info@strengthscoachingandtraining.com.
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People from different departments or areas of an organization sometimes come together to form an interdepartmental team in order to collaborate on specific projects, solve complex problems, or achieve goals that require a diverse set of skills and perspectives.
To function well – whether they’re temporary or permanent – interdepartmental teams need to break down silos, be committed to a cohesive company culture, and excel at collaboration. StrengthsFinder® can help ensure this and much more!
StrengthsFinder® Personality Test
StrengthsFinder® is an online personality test that identifies people’s top 5 strengths, out of a list of 34 strengths. Developed by the Gallup® organization and now known as CliftonStrengths®, StrengthsFinder® consists of 177 questions and takes about 35-45 minutes to complete.
Challenges That Interdepartmental Teams Face
StrengthsFinder® can help overcome some of the challenges that interdepartmental teams face, including:
Communication Barriers: Differences in jargon, priorities, and communication styles between people from different departments can hinder effective collaboration and understanding.
Conflicting Priorities: Each department might have its own goals and deadlines, making it challenging to align team members on the priorities of the interdepartmental project.
Cultural Differences: Organizational subcultures can differ significantly, leading to varied work habits, attitudes, and values, which can cause friction within an interdepartmental team.
Resource Allocation: Disputes can arise over the allocation of resources, (e.g. time, budget, and personnel), especially when departments feel their own projects might be deprioritized.
Leadership And Accountability: Ambiguity in leadership and accountability can lead to confusion and inefficiency on interdepartmental teams. Determining who has the final say in decisions can be challenging.
Integration Of Different Systems and Processes: Different departments might use disparate systems and processes, making it difficult for an interdepartmental team to integrate work seamlessly.
Measuring Success: Establishing clear, agreed-upon metrics for evaluating the interdepartmental team’s success can be challenging, especially if team members have opposing opinions about what success looks like.
Resistance To Change: People on an interdepartmental team might resist new ideas or approaches, preferring to stick with familiar departmental procedures.
Time Management: Members might struggle to manage their time between departmental responsibilities and interdepartmental team duties, especially if the organization doesn’t provide sufficient support.
Building Trust: Developing trust among interdepartmental team members who don’t work together regularly can take time, affecting the team’s cohesion and performance initially.
Building A Strong Interdepartmental Team With StrengthsFinder®
StrengthsFinder® can be the perfect team builder for an interdepartmental team. Talking about strengths can serve as both an icebreaker and a framework for an interdepartmental team’s culture. It’s one of the best ways to help people with disparate backgrounds, experience, expertise, and workstyles appreciate each other and be open to collaboration.
StrengthsFinder® can also help improve communication, foster innovation and creativity, build trust and cohesion, and enhance team dynamics. Best of all, perhaps, StrengthsFinder® can help increase engagement and productivity, when tasks and projects are assigned based on strengths, not educated guesses.
StrengthsFinder® Training And Workshops For Interdepartmental Teams
We offer remote and in-person StrengthsFinder® team building trainings and workshops for interdepartmental teams, and we can customize these to meet your exact needs.
In our StrengthsFinder® trainings and workshops, we typically cover:
- strengths charting for the entire team (a compilation of each team member’s top 5 strengths)
- overview of the 34 StrengthsFinder® strengths
- examples of the combinations of a person’s top 5 strengths
- contributions, needs, triggers, and overuse patterns of the 34 StrengthsFinder® strengths and how they can impact teams
- case studies
We’re happy to accommodate your schedule, including providing trainings and workshops on nights and weekends.
For more information about how to use StrengthsFinder® for team building with interdepartmental teams, or to schedule your free 30-minute consultation, call Elizabeth Mahoney at (303) 729-0611 , or email info@strengthscoachingandtraining.com.
Please note: Based in Colorado, we can deliver in-person StrengthsFinder® trainings and workshops all across the Denver metro area, Colorado, and the United States, as well as remotely.
See Related Topics
Team Building For Newly-Formed Teams
Team Building After Remote Teams
Team Building For Hybrid Teams
Team Building For Return To The Office Transition
Team Building For Small Teams And Staff
Team Building For Large Teams
Team Building For Government Agency Teams