Are you a bridge builder or fence builder?

When it comes to working collaboratively across the organization, we find two types of leaders: bridge builders and fence builders. Depending on which you fall into, it could affect your ability to be promoted.

Building a reputation for effective cross-departmental collaboration can significantly enhance your promotability, as it demonstrates leadership, communication skills, and the ability to drive organizational success. Leaders who are able to work collaboratively across departmental functions we call bridge builders, as they are able to find the common link and work with other areas to advance the goals and mission of the organization. On the flip side, when leaders work in silos and focus solely on protecting their budget, their employees, or their goals, they are in essence building a fence around their department keeping others out which hinders teamwork, collaboration, and progress of the organization.  In our experience, bridge builders tend to be promoted faster than fence builders.

Fostering strong inter-departmental relationships demonstrates essential qualities such as communication competence, strategic thinking, vision, and collaboration, which are essential for C-suite leaders. When leaders are able to exhibit these qualities in not only their own area, but across areas too, it sets them apart from other leaders. In short, when you make it to the top of an organization, you need to think beyond your own team, looking at the organization’s success as a whole. Below are some tips for enhancing cross-departmental collaboration in order to grow your promotability. 

1. Vision Alignment:  As a leader, focus on creating value that supports both your team and broader organizational goals. Ensure you’re driving the vision forward by setting clear objectives that resonate across departments. Clear objectives enable departments to work together towards common aspirations. By driving initiatives that align with organizational goals, you showcase strategic thinking—an essential quality for leadership. When you reach out to other departments, find a common goal that you can both work towards to build that initial relationship. 

2. Over-Communicate: Maintaining open lines through regular meetings with other teams ensures everyone stays informed about projects and can address issues promptly, overcoming potential barriers before they escalate into conflicts. Regular, open communication also fosters trust and transparency across departments. Being known as a communicator who keeps all parties informed elevates your reputation as someone who can manage complex interactions—another crucial leadership skill.

3. Recognize Contributions: Acknowledge successes and contributions from individuals in different departments to foster a culture of mutual respect and shared achievement. Celebrating successes and recognizing contributions strengthen team morale and creates an environment where people want to support your advancement.

4. Identify Needs Across Departments: When you engage in regular discussions with other departments, you gain an understanding of their needs and how your team can assist them effectively. This builds trust and establishes you as someone who is supportive of collective goals. By engaging other departments regularly helps identify mutual needs or opportunities where collaboration could improve outcomes for both areas. 

5. Support Open Dialogue and Feedback: Work with other department leaders to foster an environment where they are comfortable sharing their ideas and opinions. When they share their ideas, actively listen to their feedback and thank them for caring enough to bring it to your attention. 

6. Commitment to Continuous Learning and Improvement: We find that great leaders are great learners. In today’s ever-evolving business landscape, staying ahead means embracing continuous learning. Dedicate yourself to acquiring new knowledge by keeping abreast of industry trends and innovations. This proactive approach enhances your skills and positions you as a leader who embraces change rather than maintaining the status quo.

Mastering cross-departmental collaboration enhances workflows between teams and prepares you for future leadership roles where these skills are essential to the organization’s success. As you implement these strategies, remember that effective leaders don’t just manage their own teams—they create strong bridges between others too! 

Dusty Tockstein is a senior consultant at Peter Barron Stark Companies. Dusty works with clients to improve their corporate culture through a variety of tools, including Employee Engagement Surveys, 360 Leadership Development Assessments, Leadership Coaching, and Organizational Assessments.