In today’s fast-paced tech environment, cross functional leadership is no longer a nice-to-have; it is how critical work actually ships.
Nick Palomba, a leader at Microsoft with deep experience across cybersecurity, AI, and cloud infrastructure, shared on the podcast how he has led huge, high-stakes initiatives by breaking down silos and getting very different teams to row in the same direction.
This article unpacks his approach so you can practice cross-functional leadership long before you ever get the title.
Why Cross Functional Leadership Matters More Than Ever
Modern tech projects rarely live within a single team. A single deployment might touch:
- Cybersecurity
- AI and data teams
- Cloud and infrastructure
- Operations and support
Nick points out that without a clear, shared mission, these efforts drift quickly. His rule of thumb is simple.
“If we do not have a clear yes that this supports the mission, then let us table it for now.”
That one filter does two things:
- Keeps every team aligned on the same north star
- Cuts out work that feels urgent but does not move the mission
If you want more context on setting priorities and staying focused across a busy week, this pairs well with the ideas in How to Plan the Week.
The Hidden Challenges of Cross Functional Projects
During COVID-19, Nick helped lead critical deployments across multiple military branches and government agencies. The tech stakes were high, but the human stakes were even higher.
His biggest lesson is that the hardest problems are usually not technical.
“The challenge comes into place when people want something that is different than what we are building.”
In other words, every group arrives with its own expectations, incentives, and mental model of success. If you ignore that, you get:
- Conflicting definitions of done.
- Scope creep driven by invisible stakeholders.
- Passive resistance from teams that feel unheard.
Cross-functional leadership starts by surfacing expectations early and reaching a shared view of success.
For a deeper dive on how language can quietly undermine this alignment, check out Weak Communication Phrases Killing Credibility.
The Three Fs: Firm, Fair, and Fun
Nick’s leadership philosophy runs on three Fs:
- Firm: Stay anchored to the goal and the mission.
- Fair: Give people context, listen, and treat teams with respect.
- Fun: Keep some levity and humanity in the work.
He is honest that when the pressure spikes, fun is usually the first thing to go.
“Firm has to stay in place because that is the goal.”
As a cross-functional leader, you can:
- Use “firm” to protect the mission from distractions
- Use “fair” to protect people from being steamrolled
- Intentionally reintroduce “fun” once the fire is under control, through small rituals, shoutouts, or friendly competition
Ownership and Accountability in Cross Functional Meetings
One of the biggest productivity killers in cross functional work is the classic line, “This is not for my team.”
Nick does not accept that at face value. Instead, he pushes people to evaluate the real stakes of the project.
“What could we deprioritize in our current workload that will take priority?”
That question reframes the conversation from avoidance to prioritization.
Practical ways to create ownership in your meetings:
- Start by reminding everyone why the initiative matters.
- Ask each function explicitly what success and risk look like for them.
- Clarify who owns which outcome, not just which task.
If the answer is that this project is truly not a priority, say that out loud, adjust expectations, and remove people from the meeting rather than dragging them along.
For help making those trade-offs visible across your week, revisit How to Plan the Week.
Making Cross Functional Leadership Worth the Time
Large cross functional meetings can easily turn into status theater.
Nick recommends:
- A clear agenda that aligns with the mission.
- Tight time boxes for each topic.
- A bias toward decisions and owners, not endless discussion.
Tools help here, too. In Microsoft Teams, features such as the Countdown timer and integrated task tracking can help keep meetings on track and turn decisions into action items, as described in Microsoft’s guide on keeping meetings focused and productive in Teams.
If you are looking to increase your Productivity in Office 365. Take a look at this course to regain 10 hours per week.
Key Takeaways
- Cross-functional leadership is about influence, not title; you can practice it from any role.
- A clear mission is the filter for every decision; if work does not serve it, park it.
- Firm, fair, and fun keep you anchored to results without burning people out.
- Meetings should create ownership and momentum, not status reports and confusion.
Keep Growing Your Cross Functional Leadership
If you want to keep sharpening your cross functional leadership skills, communication, and career resilience, I share more breakdowns like this in the newsletter.
You will get:
- Practical playbooks you can apply in your next one-on-one or project meeting.
- Real-world examples from leaders like Nick and other cross functional leadership experts.
- Tools to navigate today’s messy, fast-moving work environment with more clarity.
