Cross-functional teams bring together different skills and perspectives, offering a rich landscape for collaboration. Yet, in our experience, these teams often face invisible patterns, shaping both their strengths and their struggles. Asking the right questions uncovers these patterns, creating opportunities for conscious adjustment. Here are six questions we believe can reveal underlying team dynamics—and guide teams toward better collaboration.
What unwritten rules guide our interactions?
Patterns often emerge beneath the radar—silent agreements no one announces, but everyone obeys. Over time, we have noticed that each team develops its own collection of rules, influencing how people speak up, make decisions, and handle mistakes. These might be rules like:
- "We don’t challenge the project manager during meetings."
- "Design always gets the final say on visuals."
- "We avoid discussing delays unless someone asks directly."
Unwritten rules are usually born from past experiences, comfort zones, or organizational culture, but rarely from open discussion.
The question, then, is—what unspoken agreements are shaping us? Sometimes, we only realize their power when someone breaks the rules, risking discomfort or even conflict. When we name these rules together, we can consciously choose which to keep and which to change.
How do we handle conflict or disagreement?
Disagreements are part of any collaborative effort. What often matters most is not that conflicts occur, but how a team handles them—quiet avoidance, heated debate, polite silence, or honest feedback. In our observation, teams tend to fall into predictable conflict habits:
- Some avoid direct confrontation, creating a polite but tense atmosphere.
- Others let discussions spiral, turning every difference into a larger fight.
- A few openly surface tensions with trust and curiosity.
The way a team handles conflict shapes psychological safety and creative freedom.
We encourage teams to take a clear look at their own habits. Ask: When did we last disagree, and what happened next? Who feels free to speak, and who tends to remain silent? These answers reveal not just how we handle conflict, but how we build trust—or erode it.
Whose voices influence our decisions most—and whose are missing?
Cross-functional teams are built to value diverse perspectives. However, over time, certain voices can dominate while others recede. Sometimes, the loudest or most experienced person shapes decisions. At other times, hierarchy or expertise overshadows quieter contributions.
Real teamwork brings all voices to the table.
The question we ask is: Who do we regularly hear in meetings, and who is rarely heard? We find that the power to contribute is not always equally shared. Often, missing voices belong to those with unique insight into customers, partners, or processes—people whose input could shift our decisions for the better.
Making space for those voices invites the whole system to participate, turning decisions into collective choices. This requires intention, and sometimes, courage to question the familiar.
How do we share information and feedback?
Patterns of communication can either build strong bridges or create walls between team members. Is information shared openly, or is it filtered through a few channels? Is feedback a regular practice, or do team members wait until something goes wrong? The way information moves often reveals the health of the team.
We've seen teams where engineers and marketers exchange updates daily, constantly adjusting plans. In others, departments protect their knowledge, fearing judgment or blame. When silos form, even small misunderstandings can grow into larger problems.
Open, honest communication supports trust and shared learning. Ask: How do we make sure everyone has what they need, when they need it? Are we transparent about challenges, or do we hide failures? When feedback flows, the whole system learns rapidly—together.
What stories do we tell about ourselves as a team?
Stories are powerful. The tales we tell shape our beliefs and actions, sometimes more than facts do. Some teams carry narratives like, "We always find a solution," or, "We struggle to meet deadlines." These collective stories influence confidence, cynicism, or hope—often without conscious awareness.
When we shift the stories, we can shift the team's future. We have found that asking, "What do we believe about our strengths, and what do we fear about our weaknesses?" can start this process. Surfacing these stories makes it possible to challenge and rewrite them together.
Our stories become self-fulfilling.
When we invite everyone to share their version of the team’s story, we discover perspectives that often go unnoticed. Sometimes, the stories we tell “about us” hide as much as they reveal.
Which patterns help us succeed—and which hold us back?
Not all patterns are problems. Some routines help teams deliver, adapt, and support each other well. Others, though, keep the group stuck. By naming these helpful or limiting patterns, we gain real power to respond differently.
- Helpful patterns might include regular check-ins, open brainstorming sessions, or celebrating small wins.
- Limiting patterns might involve persistent bottlenecks, recurring misunderstandings, or unresolved tensions.
Self-awareness lets teams choose what to keep, discard, or change.
We suggest asking: What do we do, again and again, that leads to strong outcomes? What keeps us from moving forward? Shining a light on these routines opens the space for new options—and new experiments in how the team works together.
Conclusion
Every cross-functional team develops hidden patterns that shape how work gets done, who feels included, and what kinds of results are possible. Bringing awareness to these patterns, through thoughtful questions, allows teams to choose different actions—unlocking growth and better collaboration.
In our experience, honest inquiry opens the door to trust, creativity, and positive change. Try these questions in your own team, listen closely, and pay attention to what surprises you. The answers may change your story—and your results.
Frequently asked questions
What is a cross-functional team?
A cross-functional team is a group of people from different departments, functions, or areas of expertise who work together to achieve a shared goal. This kind of team often blends skills from areas like engineering, marketing, sales, design, and operations. The main idea is to harness different perspectives and knowledge for complex projects or challenges.
How to identify team behavior patterns?
To identify behavior patterns, observe team meetings, communication habits, and decision-making routines. Listen for repeated themes, such as who usually speaks, how feedback is given, or how problems are solved. You can also ask open-ended questions about how the team works and actively notice moments of tension, avoidance, or recurring success. Reflection and open conversation help reveal patterns that may otherwise stay unnoticed.
Why are patterns important for teams?
Patterns are the invisible routines and habits that shape team performance, inclusion, and satisfaction. Recognizing these patterns allows a team to make choices about what supports their success and what needs to change. Without noticing patterns, teams can end up repeating the same mistakes or missing opportunities for improvement.
How can questions improve team work?
Questions encourage reflection, open up hidden conversations, and help team members see themselves more clearly. By asking thoughtful questions, teams can surface assumptions, bridge misunderstandings, and create new possibilities for cooperation. In our experience, regular questioning builds trust and leads to continuous improvement.
What challenges do cross-functional teams face?
Cross-functional teams often face challenges such as conflicting priorities, communication barriers, unclear roles, or differences in work style. They might also struggle with decision-making or with balancing diverse viewpoints. Recognizing these challenges early—and talking about them—can help the team find ways to address them together.
