How can you identify the right people for cross-functional teams?

2 Look for relevant and complementary skills

Once you have a clear picture of your team's purpose and scope, you can start looking for people who have the relevant and complementary skills that match your needs. Depending on the nature and complexity of your project, you might need people who have technical, functional, or domain-specific skills, as well as soft skills such as communication, collaboration, and problem-solving. You also want to ensure that your team members have different but complementary skills, so that they can leverage each other's strengths and fill in each other's gaps. For example, if your team is working on a new product launch, you might need people who have skills in product development, marketing, sales, customer service, and finance.

3 Consider the team size and diversity

Another factor that you need to consider when identifying the right people for your cross-functional team is the team size and diversity. Ideally, you want to have a team that is large enough to cover all the necessary skills and perspectives, but small enough to facilitate effective communication and coordination. A general rule of thumb is to have between 5 and 9 people in a cross-functional team, but this may vary depending on the scope and complexity of your project. You also want to have a team that is diverse in terms of backgrounds, experiences, cultures, and personalities, as this can foster creativity, innovation, and learning. However, you also need to be mindful of the potential conflicts and misunderstandings that might arise from different values, expectations, and styles, and provide the necessary support and guidance to help your team overcome them.

4 Assess the team readiness and availability

One of the most common challenges that cross-functional teams face is the lack of commitment and engagement from their members, who often have competing priorities and demands from their own departments or functions. Therefore, before you select the people for your cross-functional team, you need to assess their readiness and availability for the project. How interested and motivated are they to work on the project? How much time and resources can they devote to the project? How flexible and adaptable are they to work with different people and processes? How willing and able to learn new skills and knowledge are they? You want to choose people who are not only capable, but also enthusiastic and dedicated to the project, and who can balance their own work and the team work effectively.

5 Involve the team members and stakeholders

Finally, when you identify the right people for your cross-functional team, you want to involve them and the relevant stakeholders in the process. This means that you should communicate the team purpose and scope, the expected roles and responsibilities, and the benefits and challenges of the project to the potential team members and their managers, and solicit their feedback and input. You should also consult with the key stakeholders, such as customers, suppliers, or partners, who might have a stake or interest in the project, and seek their advice and support. By involving the team members and stakeholders, you can build trust, commitment, and buy-in for the project, and ensure that everyone is on the same page and aligned with the team goals.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?