Practice: Driving Alignment in Cross-functional Projects
Practice answering the question, "When you're planning a project involving work across multiple teams, how do you drive alignment?"
What the interviewer is looking for:
- Thoughtfulness around dependencies and deadlines.
- Ability to get buy-in from a large audience.
Here's what a good answer looks like:
"Working across multiple stakeholder groups can be one of the most challenging and fulfilling parts of being an engineering manager. My approach to driving alignment is always to identify each individual stakeholder involved in the project, and discuss the project in a 1:1 with each of them. This way, I can get individual buy-in before proposing the project in a group setting.
In each stakeholder 1:1, I'll propose the project but also ask for feedback, input, and thoughts, and hear how the project may align with their own priorities. Often, I may make adjustments to the project based on each stakeholder's input and thoughts, so that the project isn't just something I'm driving, but feels like a group decision.
Sometimes, I may encounter someone who disagrees that the project should exist. In those cases, I try to listen and understand the reason for disagreement, while also communicating our needs and the vision I have for the project. Beyond just alignment on the project itself, I also start thinking about the different teams and their dependencies on each other. For instance, we may want to start the project with the product and design team, and then shift it to the engineering team, and then loop in marketing as the project completes.
After talking to the right people individually, I'll often propose the project with a vision, KPIs, and a timeline that the relevant teams have already signed off on.
Explanation This answer demonstrates that the interviewee has a framework for building consensus among stakeholders and experience leading complex projects that involve multiple teams working together.
Try it yourself
Record yourself answering this question. When you're finished, score your answer on the criteria below.
Great answers:
- Demonstrates a framework for collecting and evaluating input from all necessary stakeholders.
- Demonstrates competency navigating dependencies and setting reasonable deadlines.
- Demonstrates an ability to get buy-in from a large audience.
Grading Rubric
Has a framework for collecting & evaluating all necessary input while project-planning.
☐ Your answer clearly shows that you value input from all stakeholders.
☐ Your answer details how you collect and evaluate input.
☐ Your answer includes your thoughts on how to handle disagreements.
Shows competency handling complexity in planning a project with multiple dependencies, and can set reasonable deadlines.
☐ Your answer considers dependencies and demonstrates how you think about them / incorporate them into your plan.
☐ Your answer includes an example of a large project you planned including project kickoff, review processes, and any cross-functional syncs.
Has proven ability to get buy-in from a large audience.
☐ Your answer includes a specific example of a time when you were able to get buy-in from a large group. Talk through the details and include results. Use numbers to quantify impact.