How does their work connect to yours?
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The ability to work across teams builds your professional network and your business knowledge. As you move up, your success may depend on how well you can lead people from different backgrounds toward one common goal.
Professional success often comes from lateral influence—the ability to work well with people who aren’t your manager and who don’t report to you.
Start looking beyond your own desk to see how different departments work together. Take a moment to identify one person in a different department whose work touches yours. Understanding their pressures and goals helps you become a better partner, ensuring that your daily tasks actually help the whole organization move forward.
Building these bridges isn’t just about networking; it’s about context. It helps you see how a project moves from an idea to a finished product. This insight makes your own work feel more meaningful. A broader view of the big picture allows you to spot problems before they cross from one team to another and be the person who connects the dots between different groups.
Put these approaches into practice.
Let’s look at practical ways to work effectively with peers in other departments who do not report to you—to understand the pressures of your partners and spot problems before they cross team lines.
“I spent my first six months trying to impress my boss, but my projects were always late because I didn't know anyone in the Compliance department. I finally reached out to a peer there just to understand her workflow. Now, I know exactly what she needs from me to move my files fast. My boss is impressed by my speed, but the secret was building that lateral bridge.”
DON’T focus solely on vertical relationships (your manager) while ignoring the peers in other departments who actually touch your work daily.
DO identify one person in a different department whose work intersects with yours and proactively build a partnership with them.
“I used to get frustrated when the Dev team didn't prioritize my urgent marketing requests. I finally asked their lead about their current sprint goals. I realized they were under a massive security update. By shifting my request to align with their next downtime, I got what I needed without creating friction. Understanding their pressure made me a better partner.”
DON’T assume every department shares your specific pressures and deadlines; don't push your agenda without understanding theirs.
DO take a moment to ask partners in other teams about their specific goals and pressures so you can become a more effective partner.
“I was bored entering SKUs into a database until I asked the Logistics team how that data was used. They showed me how it triggered shipping labels across three continents. Seeing the big picture changed my attitude from 'data entry clerk' to 'global supply chain supporter.' I started spotting errors I would have ignored before because I understood the context.”
DON’T work in a vacuum where you only see your small piece of a project; don't ignore how a project moves from an idea to a finished product.
DO seek out the "big picture" context to see the entire lifecycle of a project, which makes your own work feel more meaningful and strategic.
“I noticed the Sales team was promising a feature that the Product team had delayed. Because I had friends in both groups, I spotted the dot that didn't connect. I flagged it to both leads before the client call. I saved the company from an embarrassing walk-back, and both departments now see me as a reliable strategic ally.”
DON’T wait for a problem to cross over from another team to yours before you speak up; don't adopt a "not my department, not my problem" attitude.
DO use your broader view of the organization to spot potential issues before they transition between teams, acting as a proactive safeguard.
“Our launch was stalling because Design and Engineering couldn't agree on a layout. Instead of picking a side, I organized a meeting to map both their concerns against the client's core need. By focusing on the common goal, we found a compromise in 20 minutes. My manager told me that my ability to unite different backgrounds is exactly what she looks for in future directors.”
DON’T treat cross-departmental work as a competition for resources or credit; don't prioritize your team's win over the company's success.
DO lead people from different backgrounds toward one common goal, proving you have the maturity to manage complex, multi-disciplinary projects.
Who’s one person in a different department you can invite for a 10-minute coffee chat this week to learn how their work connects to yours?
Integrate these professional strategies into your workflow—whether you’re refining your own work or mentoring your team or clients.