Fixing Cross‑Functional Breakdown in High‑Growth Teams
This programme is built for high‑growth teams where cross‑functional collaboration is breaking down - ownership is unclear, communication is inconsistent, expectations are misaligned, and political tension is slowing execution. This is not a behavioural or interpersonal package. It is a governance‑grade structural intervention that stabilizes how functions work together, how decisions move, and how leaders operate across the organisation. 1. Cross‑Functional Breakdown Diagnostic (Session 1) A governance‑grade review of the structural issues causing misalignment: - unclear ownership - inconsistent expectations - decision bottlenecks - altitude mismatch - communication drift - political tension between functions This is not a behavioural or interpersonal assessment, it is structural. 2. Decision Pathway Mapping We map how decisions currently move across functions and identify where they stall, duplicate, or escalate unnecessarily. You receive a clear view of: - where authority is unclear - where communication collapses - where functions operate at the wrong altitude - where leaders unintentionally create friction 3. Leadership Alignment Intervention We correct leadership signals that are causing drift: - mixed messages - inconsistent expectations - unclear priorities - reactive decision‑making Leaders learn how to communicate with structural clarity so teams stop working at cross‑purposes. 4. Cross‑Functional Collaboration Architecture We design a simple, senior‑grade collaboration structure that clarifies: - who owns what - how decisions move - when escalation is appropriate - how functions coordinate without friction This is not a “team building” exercise - it is operational architecture. 5. High‑Growth Pressure Analysis We identify how growth pressures (speed, scale, new stakeholders, shifting priorities) are distorting communication and decision‑making. You learn how to stabilize the function even when growth is chaotic. 6. Cross‑Functional Stabilization Plan (Final Session) A concise, actionable plan outlining: - the structural corrections required - the communication patterns to maintain - the leadership behaviours that prevent future breakdown - the decision pathways that keep functions aligned This becomes the leader’s operating guide for restoring cohesion.
What's included
My style is structured, direct, and grounded in governance psychology. I work with leaders who require clarity, altitude, and strategic correction - not motivational coaching or broad advice. Sessions are: 1. Architectural - focused on systems, power dynamics, and influence pathways. 2. Non‑performative - no HR framing, no emotional processing. 3. Senior‑grade - aligned with executive expectations and governance realities. 4. Outcome‑driven - every session produces a shift in clarity, authority, or political stability. Clients describe my work as: - stabilizing - clarifying - strategically corrective - immediately actionable This work is built for leaders and teams who need governance‑aligned intervention to operate at senior altitude.
- A clear structural understanding of why cross‑functional work is breaking down.
- A predictable decision pathway that prevents escalation and duplication.
- A stabilized leadership corridor that aligns functions around enterprise priorities.
- A Cross‑Functional Stabilization Plan tailored to their organisation.
Meet your expert
Dr. Paula C.
Enterprise Transformation & Change | Coaching Leaders Through System Shifts
I’m an executive coach, advisor, and organizational psychologist with 16 years of experience supporting senior leaders through high‑stakes change - M&A, restructuring, AI disruption, culture shifts, and enterprise transformation. My work sits at the intersection of behavioral science, governance, and leadership judgment, helping leaders align people, operations, and strategy when the pressure is highest. I bring deep expertise in leadership development, decision architecture, and transformation design, shaped by roles leading Behavioral Science at Barclays, contributing to Deloitte’s human capital and transformation work, developing leadership and succession solutions for top financial institutions and teaching graduate‑level psychology at Cambridge University. Leaders work with me because I combine scientific rigor with executive‑level insight. I help them see around corners, strengthen judgment, pre‑empt bottlenecks, and operate at the altitude of the next role while mobilizing and aligning the layers below. My coaching is structured, governance‑aligned, and designed to create clarity, capability, and measurable impact.
