Horizontal Teaming
Horizontal Teaming
Horizontal teaming is characterized by the partnership and synchronization among colleagues or groups on the same organizational level in order to pursue shared objectives. The implementation of this strategy enhances the rate of innovation, fosters communication, and by utilizing diverse skills and perspectives from various teams, increases the overall productivity.
What are the key benefits of horizontal teaming?
One of the primary advantages horizontal teaming brings is the better communication between departments, and the problem-solving is enhanced by the different perspectives, and thus, the innovation is increased by the joining of various knowledge. To illustrate, a product development team that works closely with marketing can come up with a product that is more aligned with customer preferences and therefore, it would sell better.
How can organizations implement horizontal teaming effectively?
Horizontal teaming is a practice that organizations should adopt by starting to engage in open communication, promoting the setting up of cross-functional teams, and providing collaborative tools to ease the teamwork. Furthermore, the holding of frequent meetings and the introduction of team-building activities are some of the measures that can be taken to help team members develop good relationships with each other. To illustrate, a technology company could build an army of horizontal teams that will include members from different units such as programming, design, and commercial in order to bring all project dimensions in one queue.
What challenges might arise with horizontal teaming?
Horizontal teaming could face some problems like possible tensions created by contrasting goals, poor communication, and vagueness about roles and responsibilities. To solve such problems, institutions must set specific objectives, build a culture based on respect, and make sure all team members are informed about their contributions. A real-life instance of this would be a situation where marketing and engineering teams would argue about deadlines; thus, regular check-ins will be the medium for their agreement on objectives.
Can horizontal teaming be applied in remote work environments?
Definitely, horizontal teaming can also be implemented in remote work settings through certain digital collaboration tools such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Zoom. Regular virtual meetings and collaborative platforms provide teams with the possibility of sharing ideas and progress which keeps them connected despite being physically distanced. For instance, a group of remote teachers might work together on curriculum development by using shared documents and video conferencing.