You’re working on a cross-functional initiative that’s critical to your company. Given your position, you’ve assumed you’re in charge, but it seems your counterpart from another team has made the same assumption. And now you’re in the middle of a turf war. How do you determine who has authority? How do you navigate the situation with your boss, your counterpart, and others in the group? And even if you can come to an agreement, how do you make sure it lasts?
How to Navigate a Turf War at Work
You’re working on a cross-functional initiative that’s critical to your company. Given your position, you’ve assumed you’re in charge but it seems your counterpart from another team has made the same assumption. And now you’re in the middle of a turf war. How do you navigate it with your boss, your counterpart, and others in the group? Before you take your colleague to task for stepping on your toes, do some research. Ask your boss for clarity, or inquire with other people on the team if they know about a decision that’s been made that you weren’t privy to. If your research doesn’t turn up a definitive answer, or you’re not happy with it, schedule a time to meet with your rival and discuss how to disentangle the roles and responsibilities. It’s important to remain calm throughout the discussion. These disputes can feel personal (“Does this person think I’m not up to the task of leading this?”) but you’re unlikely to get to a resolution if you yell or act irrational.