Navigating Organizational Politics In Cross-Functional Work

Too often, I’ve been in a meeting where everyone agreed collaboration was essential—yet when it came to execution, things stalled. Silos persisted, friction rose, and progress felt painfully slow. A recent Harvard Business Review article highlights a frustrating truth: even the best-intentioned leaders struggle to work across functions. Why? Because traditional leadership development focuses on vertical leadership (managing teams) rather than lateral leadership (influencing peers across the business). The best cross-functional leaders operate differently. They don’t just lead their teams—they master LATERAL AGILITY: the ability to move side to side, collaborate effectively, and drive results without authority. The article suggests three strategies on how to do this: (1) Think Enterprise-First. Instead of fighting for their department, top leaders prioritize company-wide success. They ask: “What does the business need from our collaboration?” rather than “How does this benefit my team?” (2) Use "Paradoxical Questions" to Avoid Stalemates. Instead of arguing over priorities, they find a way to win together by asking: “How can we achieve my objective AND help you meet yours?” This shifts the conversation from turf battles to solutions. (3) “Make Purple” Instead of Pushing a Plan. One leader in the article put it best: “I bring red, you bring blue, and together we create purple.” The best collaborators don’t show up with a fully baked plan—they co-create with others to build trust and alignment. In my research, I’ve found that curiosity is so helpful in breaking down silos. Leaders who ask more questions—genuinely, not just performatively—build deeper trust, uncover hidden constraints, and unlock creative solutions. - Instead of assuming resistance, ask: “What constraints are you facing?” - Instead of pushing a plan, ask: “How might we build this together?” - Instead of guarding your function’s priorities, ask: “What’s the bigger picture we’re missing?” Great collaboration isn’t about power—it’s about perspective. And the leaders who master it create workplaces where innovation thrives. Which of these strategies resonates with you most? #collaboration #leadership #learning #skills https://lnkd.in/esC4cfjS

🔑 Understand Organizational Dynamics — Lead with Strategic Awareness As part of my recent talk at NYU’s School of Professional Studies Leadership Academy on Cultivating Influence, I shared four core principles—today, we’re diving into Principle 2: Understanding Organizational Dynamics. To lead effectively, it’s not enough to master your own role—you need to understand the system you're leading within. Understanding your organizational landscape is your power move. Every organization has a unique ecosystem of relationships, decision-making structures, and invisible norms. Too often, leaders focus solely on their role, direct reports, or projects—but your real impact expands when you can read the room, understand power flows, and navigate relationships across functions and titles. Leaders who take time to understand this broader landscape elevate their ability to align, influence, and create meaningful momentum. ✨ Here’s why this matters: Organizations are ecosystems of people working toward shared goals. And ecosystems thrive when you understand the flow of energy, information, and influence. 🛠️ Intentional Leadership Actions to Grow This Slice: 1️⃣ Map out key decision-makers, stakeholders, and cross-functional influencers—those with formal and informal power in your ecosystem. 2️⃣ Identify allies, sponsors, and stakeholders you can collaborate with and learn from. 3️⃣ Build genuine relationships across teams, functions, and levels to gain a broader lens on how work actually gets done and by whom. 4️⃣ Learn the “unwritten rules” of the culture—the norms, language, and expectations that don’t live in a handbook but shape how things move. 5️⃣ Pay attention to patterns: Who gets listened to? Who brings people together? Where are the bottlenecks and bridges? 6️⃣Build bridges, not silos—your relationships across teams shape your reputation more than your résumé. Understanding your organizational landscape isn’t about playing the game—it’s about leading with clarity, strategic insight, and purpose. Leaders who grasp the full ecosystem drive alignment, unlock hidden opportunities, and build influence where others hit walls. They don’t just execute tasks—they shape outcomes, shift culture, open doors, guide progress, and move the organization forward with intention. 💭 Call to Action: What’s one relationship, team, or process you need to better understand to expand your leadership impact? 👇 Share in the comments or message me directly—I'd love to hear how you're growing this slice of your leadership toolkit. #OrganizationalDynamics #StrategicLeadership #LeadershipToolkit #InfluenceInAction #SelfLeadership #IntentionalLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #GrowthMindset #CrossFunctionalCollaboration #ExecutivePresence #LeadershipJourney #LeadershipInsights #Teamwork #IntentionalLeadership

If you think performance speaks for itself, you haven’t been inside the system long enough. I’ve seen people with the right answer lose. I’ve seen high performers get sidelined while underperformers stay protected. Not because of capability. Because of politics. And it’s not limited to executives. I’ve seen it at every level. Frontline employees. People managers. Senior leaders. Smart, capable people who deliver. Pushed out, blocked, or ignored. Not because they failed, but because they disrupted the wrong comfort zone or challenged the wrong person. It’s not always about who’s best. It’s about who feels safe. Who’s aligned with the right leader. Who knows how to manage perception and navigate power. This is the part people don’t say out loud. The game shifts. It’s less about results. More about relationships. Decisions aren’t always made on data. They’re made on dynamics. Truth gets filtered by hierarchy. And that’s where HR sits, right in the middle of it. We see the protection of mediocrity. We see the power struggles behind the scenes. We see how trust is hoarded, not built. We see leaders say one thing in public and another behind closed doors. We hear the public values and witness the private exceptions. Strategic HR is not about programs or perks. It is about navigating politics with integrity. It is about influence without authority. It is about knowing when to push, when to hold, and when to let people trip over the politics they created. Sometimes the most competent person in the room is the least supported. Not because they are wrong. Because they are inconvenient. If you’ve ever watched the wrong person win, you know exactly what I’m talking about. #HR #Power #Politics #Performance