Communicating with Other Managers — Collaboration Without Power Struggles

Better communication. Better collaboration.

When I first became a supervisor, I thought communicating with my team would be the hard part. But sometimes, talking to other managers was even harder. Especially when they didn’t see things the same way—or when we both needed the same resources. I learned fast that peer-to-peer communication is where teamwork across departments either thrives… or breaks down.

This chapter is about building strong, respectful relationships with your fellow managers without letting egos, budgets, or “ownership” get in the way.

Why Peer-to-Peer Communication Is So Hard

Communicating with other supervisors or department heads isn’t like talking to your team. You’re not in charge of them. They’re not in charge of you. And that balance—if not handled carefully—can cause:

• Power struggles over who owns the project or resources

• Budget battles when two teams want the same slice of funding

• Blame games when something fails and everyone’s pointing fingers

• Meeting overload with no real outcomes

The truth is, your peer relationships matter just as much as your boss or your team. Because if the managers don’t work together, their teams won’t either.

How I Learned to Work With Other Managers

I’ve had good experiences and bad ones. I once worked with someone who constantly tried to take over the funding I had budgeted. Their project had run short, and instead of owning that, they tried to shift priorities in meetings to justify redirecting my budget. It felt like a chess match—every interaction was about control.

Eventually, leadership saw through it. But it taught me something: not all managers are collaborative by default. Some want to compete, not cooperate.

So I started being very clear, early and often. I brought documentation. I stuck to meeting topics. And I never showed up without knowing my numbers and project scope cold.

Tips for Collaborating Without Clashing

1. Set Expectations Early When your project touches another team, don’t assume they know what you need. Set up a quick sync to walk through timelines, ownership, and how you’ll keep each other updated.

2. Respect Their Priorities They’re juggling just as much as you are. Acknowledge that. Ask:

“What’s your biggest priority right now so I can work around your crunch points?”

3. Clarify Roles and Ownership two teams are working together, decide:

• Who owns the final deliverable?

• Who leads the meetings?

• Who reports upward?

Write it down. Share it. Refer to it when scope starts shifting.

4. Keep Meetings Focused I hate meetings that wander. So I always use:

• A clear agenda in the invite

• Time blocks for each topic

• A list of action items at the end

If someone derails the meeting, I gently say:

“Let’s take that offline, I want to make sure we cover today’s goals.”

5. Document Everything After meetings, send a short recap:

• What was decided

• Who owns what

• Next steps and dates

It avoids “he said, she said” later.

What If They’re Difficult?

Sometimes, despite your best efforts, another supervisor might:

• Hoard information

• Undermine decisions

• Take credit for joint work

• Refuse to coordinate

Here’s what I do:

• Document everything in writing

• Loop in leadership only if needed, and do it calmly

• Protect my team’s work and timelines, without attacking theirs

• Stay polite but firm

You don’t have to be friends. You just have to be professionals.

What If You’re the Difficult One?

We don’t always see ourselves clearly. Ask yourself:

• Do I dominate conversations?

• Do I dismiss others' input?

• Do I interrupt or “correct” others in front of their team?

If yes, it’s fixable. Start listening more than you talk. Ask questions. Give credit. Be the partner you’d want to work with.

Pep Talk for the New Supervisor

If communicating with other managers feels intimidating, you’re not alone. For me, it was always harder to speak “up” or “across” than “down”—probably from my Navy days where the chain of command ruled everything. So I learned to team up with someone detail-oriented to help draft and review things before I sent them. That small act gave me confidence.

You don’t have to be perfect at this. You just have to be intentional.

• Don’t compete—collaborate.

• Don’t assume—clarify.

• Don’t avoid—communicate.

Cross-team respect starts with you.

What You Can Try Today

• Reach out to another manager you work with often. Ask for a 15-minute sync just to check in.

• Before your next meeting, write a one-line goal: “By the end of this meeting, we will decide ____.”

• Create a simple shared doc for any joint project with roles, timelines, and meeting notes.

Next Steps

Being a good supervisor doesn’t stop at your team’s edge. The best leaders build bridges across departments.

If you want help:

• Join our peer group for new leaders navigating cross-team work

• Try Neighbor Chat to talk through a sticky situation

• Book a Next Step coaching session for communication planning

You’re not alone in this. Strong communication makes everything easier—from meetings to milestones.

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