/krɒs ˈfʌŋkʃ(ə)nəl/
Definition
An adjective used to describe any team, meeting, or initiative involving at least two departments that fundamentally misunderstand each other but share a common calendar invite. Theoretically promotes collaboration; practically generates alignment decks.
Common Manifestations
- Projects with twelve owners and zero accountability.
- Daily stand-ups where Marketing “ideates,” Product “strategizes,” and Engineering “mutedly panics.”
- Slack channels that begin as collaboration hubs and end as archaeological sites of emoji reactions.
- Used in org charts to justify why everyone reports to everyone else.
Usage Example
“We’ve formed a cross-functional tiger team to ensure the chaos is evenly distributed.”
HR Guidance
Cross-functionality should foster synergy, not existential dread. However, prolonged exposure may result in communication fatigue, dilution of responsibility, and spontaneous use of the phrase ‘Let’s take this offline.’