How does their work connect to yours?

Collaborate outside of your small circle for a broader view.

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.