Cross-departmental Collaboration

As Kingsgate grew from our 12-15-person office to a mid-sized company with multiple locations, we knew things would change. With 12-15 people there’s not much of a need for cross-departmental collaboration – it’s built-in. We operated with just three departments back then: Operations, Sales and Accounting, all of which under the roof of a small ranch office, so working with each department happened naturally. As we’ve expanded, we have numerous roles and almost double the number of departments, so Kingsgate has put a huge emphasis on the importance of cross-departmental collaboration.

To work efficiently and properly for customers and carriers, each department must work seamlessly with each other. There are tons of various problems that can arise when departments don’t work well together. We’ve seen it happen, but always look to improve those communication channels. Kingsgate has four cross-departmental groups that focus on collaboration and the exchange of information:

The Kingsgate Navigators

The “Navs,” for short, is a group of six employees from each department and each office at Kingsgate that meets bi-quarterly with the Communications/Marketing Department. The Navs discuss a variety of subjects and, at the core, works to keep the Communications/Marketing Department at Kingsgate informed on what’s happening in the company and the industry. Each meeting has a “word of the meeting” and a series of questions that guide and lead the discussion. Getting each department’s takes has helped Kingsgate improve communication and solve problems across the board!

BOOKing with Kingsgate

BOOKing with Kingsgate is Kingsgate’s book club. This group carves out 30-60 minutes each week to connect over a weekly conference call and digs into industry or business-related books. It’s a great way for our employees to invest in their development and continue to expand their skills as well as connect with other team members in various offices. The group’s first book is called Driving Eureka! It’s a great read about implementing a system of innovation in everything that you do.

The Innovators

Similar to the Navigators, Kingsgate also has a group known as the Innovators. This cross-departmental group meets weekly to discuss the tech and innovation strides Kingsgate has been making. The Innovators’ mission is to spread knowledge of Kingsgate’s new tech focus throughout the company by delegating members of various departments and then informing and educating them on the projects our IT department works on every day.

Leadership Meetings

Lastly, Kingsgate also hosts weekly leadership meetings for each department head and the Kingsgate partners (including myself). The group was developed so that all leaders of each department are in the know and can pass along crucial information to the employees in their specific department, as well as to increase communication from the top down.

We’ve seen some amazing growth and initiative come from these four groups. Each one has proved how when our team works together, communicates openly and works hard, truly incredible things happen.

How does your office promote cross-departmental collaboration?

All the Best,

Jeff Beckham