Lateral steering teams often experience challenges in their attempt to complete projects successfully. For instance, they can be impeded by a personality conflict, particularly between junior and senior leaders who have contending interests, resulting in tension and disagreements in the team. I agree that these challenges can lead to wastage of the time vital for completing the project as the team holds numerous meetings in the attempt to reach a common ground. You have recommended that to overcome these problems, the steering group’s membership should be of executives and managers from different levels. Additionally, you have stated that the right people should be selected, providing them with the right information and a schedule to follow during the project implementation. You have also recommended setting a common goal and a clear line of communication. Besides these commendable proposals, the group should have a defined mission that is monitored through proper decision-making and deliberation. The committee should define the project’s scope and level of difficulty to ensure that the team is properly consolidated to tackle any challenges that will arise without conflicts or excessive disagreements. A clearly defined mission and understanding the project’s scope and level of difficulty will prepare the team to fulfil all expected deliverables, making the mission a critical aspect of a lateral steering group (site).
Implementing lateral management leadership in multinational organizations can be challenging, especially when there is no teamwork. This can be particularly problematic for complex projects. Your point that an inclusive corporate culture is needed in lateral steering is commendable. Indeed, building trust among the stakeholders and project implementers is necessary for influencing success. It is also necessary to establish an action-driven mission to act as a guide or a roadmap to the committee, showing the directions to be taken and how to overcome challenges along the way. This mission charter will offer a process and procedural methodology on how the team will organize itself, set expectations, minimize conflict and save time and improve productivity. Further, the steering committee should have a strong leader, a focused communication and cooperation framework. With a streamlined two-way or 360-degree communication and feedback acquisition, the leader will be able to show direction and rise to the occasion when challenges emerge. The leader will be able to bring the team together to a common interest, ensuring that each member is completing their assigned tasks in time. The leader will also be important in enhancing collaboration and solving conflicts, ensuring that setbacks are resolved in time by formulating a working-code.