I've had amazing cross-functional relationships, so-so ones, and poor ones. I've learned from all of them.
For me, it comes down to these four things: Alignment, Value, Respect, and Time.
🤝 Alignment - Get on the same page about projects you work together on. Agree on common goals, objectives, who owns what. Ambiguity leads to confusion and friction.
💎 Value - Look for ways to provide value to the team, or individuals you're trying to build a relationship with. Bring a skill or data to the table that they were missing or never have time to do on their own.
❤️ Respect - Mutual respect is key. This comes from being reliable, trustworthy, and genuinely caring about the people you're working with. Personal relationships are crucial.
⏰ Time - You can't cultivate relationships without time. The longer you have the stronger they'll be and the more chances you have to overcome rough patches (which will happen). If time is short, then you'll have to over-index on the first three.
What's worked for you?
