Idea in Brief
The Problem
When leaders launch cross-group initiatives, they often fail to consider how the proposed collaboration might threaten the security of those involved. Groups may feel that their territory is being encroached on and reflexively assume a defensive posture.
The Solution
Leaders who want to foster effective cross-group collaboration should start by doing a threat assessment. How might the collaboration threaten the identity, legitimacy, and control of the groups involved? Only after leaders have checked their collaboration blind spot should they focus on logistics, processes, and outcomes.
A few years ago, the leaders of a multibillion-dollar energy systems company, which I’ll call EnerPac, decided to offer an after-sales service plan for one of its products. The new plan promised to generate a sizable new revenue stream and was strategically important for the company. The key to success would be figuring out how to integrate the service plan seamlessly with the sales process. And the best way to make that happen, the company’s leaders knew, would be to bring people from the sales and service departments together and ask them to collaborate.
