Learning objectives :

• Develop a comprehensive understanding of your team’s relationships with other departments, business units, and networks
• Strengthen cross-team communication and foster a sustainable cross-functional culture
• Identify the source of tensions between teams and implement concrete measures to resolve them
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Course :

Session 1: Strengthening Your Cross-Functional Perspective
You can’t streamline cross-functional projects without first understanding who you’re really working with and how. Participants map out their network of key stakeholders: what are the interdependencies with other departments, what tensions already exist, and which relationships to invest more in.

Example of a tool : "Network" or "value chain" mapping (what relationships exist? What tensions are present? Which relationships should we invest more in?) to visualize cross-team boundaries, identify key touchpoints, and decide how to foster them.

Case Study : Map out your key stakeholders and identify, among your current cross-team relationships, which ones deserve priority attention and why.

Session 2: Strengthening Cross-Functional Cohesion
Collaboration between teams cannot be imposed; it must be nurtured through simple, consistent actions. Participants discover practical rituals to foster a lasting “one team” spirit: cross-departmental monitoring, internal newsletters highlighting the work of other departments, cross-team ambassadors, and sharing success stories from other functions. These actions deepen mutual understanding and accelerate cross-functional projects.

Example of a tool : The cross-functional cohesion toolkit (recurring rituals, key phrases, shared communication channels) with concrete examples of cross-team messages that foster closeness and reinforce the "one team" spirit.

Case Study : Identify the rituals to implement to strengthen cross-functional culture in your context, and practice writing a communication that highlights another team’s work using the right language.

Session 3: Understanding and Addressing Tensions
Inter-team friction rarely stems from ill will; it often arises from legitimately different work rhythms and objectives. Participants learn to look beyond the surface: clearly articulate each team’s needs and constraints, identify areas of potential agreement, and collaboratively design solutions that improve cross-departmental communication.

Example of a tool : The method for analyzing conflicting needs (articulating each team’s legitimate needs / identifying each side’s non-negotiable constraints / finding common ground and concrete actions to develop together).

Case Study : Analyze an actual inter-team conflict by identifying the legitimate needs of both sides, then collaboratively design a solution that takes into account each party’s constraints.