What is exceeding the limits?
Definition: Boundary crossing is defined as an effort within
an organization that involves an activity aimed at bridging one or more recognized
organizational boundaries to facilitate the flow of information across those
boundaries.
Over the years, there have been many instances where the
overshoot has occurred, so both companies have benefited. The term was coined
after WWII and it was found that most companies benefited from the Intel
exchange. Growth was faster and more efficient when boundary overlap was
applied.
It is a term in which you go beyond the limits set for
yourself, for the greater good or do a job. In business, overdoing it is about
stepping outside the boundaries set by your organizations and working with
someone else to accomplish a task.
For example, the United Nations was formed so that the
countries that are part of the nations work together and make the world a
better place. For such collaboration, regular overlapping of boundaries is
necessary.
Importance of effective boundary overlap
Limits reduce our power of perception and our ability to
grow and acquire essential knowledge for our development. The same is true in
organizations that have limits, as limits increase organizational silos, reduce
worldviews, and reduce resources.
Therefore, going beyond the limits is an important practice
to discover new opportunities and possibilities. It allows borders to cross and
collide to channel new forms of collaboration and innovative working methods.
It can help an organization discover new frontiers to solve certain problems.
Boundary Keys works with a wide variety of people from
different positions, backgrounds, and locations. Along with bottom-up or
top-down management, it is important for managers or leaders to work
horizontally as this will allow them to work with external stakeholders and
have cross functions to work in functions or locations (local or global).
Compared to managers who know and protect their boundaries,
managers who practice boundary crossing systems are increasingly successful
these days as they can work with a wide variety of colleagues from backgrounds,
cultures, experience, positions, locations. , origins, different communities. ,
etc. and optimize their work, innovation, communication and growth.
In general, it is essential to develop collaborative skills,
attitudes and mindsets that would ultimately focus on knowing, accepting and
adapting multiple perspectives, initiatives and support systems that can solve
even some of the most complex problems quite effectively.
5 types of boundaries leaders must navigate
Leadership that crosses different borders helps to
collaborate and navigate beyond borders. Different leaders navigating certain
common types of boundaries are considered boundary keys. Generally, these
limits are of five types:
1. Horizontal
These types of boundaries occur between organizational
functions that are generally associated with experience, peers, departments,
etc.
2. Vertical
Such types of boundaries occur between hierarchical levels
of organizations related to rank, seniority, class, power, authority, etc.
3. Interested
These are associated with different types of external groups
such as customers, constituencies, partners, value chain, communities, research
partners, etc.
4. Demographic
These boundaries revolve around a variety of groups
associated with gender, nationality, generation, culture, ideology,
personality, etc.
5. Geographic
They occur in a variety of locations associated with
regions, distances, markets, etc. that leaders have to go through.
Best practices for crossing borders
Some of the best practices for exceeding limits are:
1. Look at the end goal
It is important that leaders or delimiters are always
attentive to the end goal of a system and therefore must think about what kind
of boundaries they need to cross to maximize their success rate.
2. Developing common ground is critical
To lead successfully, leaders must develop goals that can
build an earth.
