One question I get a lot is:
"How do I make the other team do what we need them to do?"
My answer:
That's the wrong question.
Nobody exists to execute your priorities.
The people that seem good at influence aren't pushing harder.
They're creating reasons for the other team to care.
A few things I think about:
- Get clear on the impact.
Usually we're not even clear ourselves.
Keep working on the problem until you can explain:
What changes if this gets done?
What doesn't happen if we don't do it?
Why now?
That exercise often changes my own view of whether it's actually worth pursuing.
And if I can't explain it clearly, I shouldn't expect another team to prioritize it.
- Understand what matters to them.
What are their key metrics?
What customer outcomes are they trying to improve?
What constraints are they managing?
Don't skip this step.
Because it leads directly to the next question.
- Reframe the ask around their goals.
Don't explain why you need it.
Explain why they should care.
Show how this helps improve something they're already trying to improve.
The best cross-team work doesn't feel like one team helping another.
It feels like both teams trying to move the same thing forward.
- Lower the lift.
Don't just ask them to take something on.
Offer to help.
Take pieces of execution.
Pilot it.
Or even take on other work to create space.
The question I try to answer is:
How do I make this easier to pick up?
- Build relationships at all levels - before you need them.
With ICs.
With managers.
With leaders.
Different relationships help in different situations.
And when priorities don't naturally line up, those relationships help you navigate and elevate the ask.
Curious:
What's something you've seen work well when trying to influence across teams?