objectives skills appointed specific staff potential easier commitment maximize participate Cross-functional teams are becoming increasingly common in business today. But managing a group made up of 1____ from other departments as well as your own can be challenging. It is critical to 2____ the contribution of each team member. The first step is to make sure that you have a clear understanding of goals and 3____for the team. Clarify any key points and expectations for the project. If you are responsible for determining who should 4____ on the team, consider how each 5____ member can help you accomplish the assignments ahead. Keep the team as small as possible while still bringing in all the 6____needed to fulfill objectives. The smaller the team, the 7____it will be to manage and to keep focused on specific tasks. If other departments or senior managers have already 8 ____ some of the members, arrange to meet with those who've been selected. Inform them of the purpose of the project and invite them to the first meeting. Collect information about their 9____skills, how they can be used for the project and how much time they will have to devote to the team. And finally, make sure that each team member and his or her manager understand the time 10____and the importance of this project to the company.