Cross-Functional Collaboration: Tools and Skills for Working Across Silos

Redundant efforts, unwelcome surprises, an inability to come together and achieve common goals…the negative consequences of silos are well-known. And yet, despite widespread frustration with silos, and multiple efforts to “bust” silos or break them down, siloed action persists in higher education. Why? Because there are unique challenges that derail efforts to work across silos. When those challenges aren’t addressed, our efforts at cross-functional collaboration fail.

This course will help you develop key cross-functional collaboration skills. By learning to identify interdependencies, navigate cultures, and understand cross-functional workflows, you can help your institution work across silos towards success.

Combining interactive face-to-face sessions with asynchronous learning, this course emphasizes strategies and peer-to-peer learning through interactive activities. You will share best practices, learn from each other’s experiences, and lay the foundation for successful cross-functional collaborations.

Workshop Topics:

• The challenges of cross-functional collaboration.
• Visualizing and analyzing operational interdependencies.
• Understanding the influence of organizational culture on a unit.
• Conducting a cultural assessment to enhance collaboration.
• Improving communication and reducing misunderstandings across silos.
• Building empathy and understanding between units.
• Navigating cross-functional workflows effectively.
• Creating process maps to clarify and streamline workflows.

Workshop Outcomes:

• Analyze operational interdependencies to identify linkages between teams and departments.
• Assess cultural norms in other units and anticipate their impact on communication and collaboration.
• Clarify differences in language between units to improve cross-functional communications and prevent conflict.
• Explain another unit’s priorities, realities, and responsibilities.
• Facilitate process mapping to help teams outline cross-functional workflows.

Workshop Schedule:

Our face-to-face virtual meetings will take place on Tuesdays in April from 1:00–2:00 PM (Eastern):

• April 15
• April 22
• April 29

Participants will also complete additional learning activities asynchronously between meetings. Expect to spend 1–2 hours per week for this portion of learning.

Participants are expected to attend all face-to-face virtual meetings. If you cannot attend a meeting please contact Josh Humbel (josh.humbel@scup.org).

Facilitator

Dr. Alison Handy

Higher Education Professional

Registration

Workshop Cost

Schedule:

Our face-to-face virtual meetings will take place on Tuesdays in April from 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM (ET):

• April 15
• April 22
• April 29

Participants will also complete additional learning activities asynchronously between meetings.

Registration closed on April 11 at 12:00 PM Eastern.

Please contact registration at registration@scup.org with any questions.