Move with leaders you do not control

Working on the business includes decisions whose consequences extend beyond your area. Agree with peer leaders on what each function owes the other, who can decide, and when the work is needed. Start with a current dependency that affects a business priority.

Discuss the constraints on both sides. If sales wants an earlier launch and operations needs time to prepare support, compare the business benefit, readiness, and customer risk. Agree on a feasible commitment and which assumptions would require you to revisit it.

Check whether your targets encourage conflicting choices. A local cost target may discourage one function from doing work another needs. Resolve the target or resource allocation with the person who owns it, then explain the decision to the managers affected.

Keep contact frequent enough to resolve shared decisions before commitments become uncertain. Credit your peer’s contribution when explaining a shared decision to your managers, including how their area changed its plans to support it.

When agreement is beyond your authority, take a recommendation to the person who can decide. State the shared facts, remaining disagreement, options, and consequences. Represent your peer’s position accurately and agree on when a decision is needed.