What Dog Sledding Taught Me About Cross-Collaboration—and Why It’s the Secret to Data Activation
- Anne Legg
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
Recently, I found myself bundled in layers, standing on a narrow sled, holding tightly to handlebars, with six eager huskies ahead of me, waiting for the signal. I had signed up for a dog sledding adventure—mushing, as it's formally called—and while I was prepared for snow, cold, and speed, I wasn’t prepared for the insight I would gain into true collaboration.
And let me tell you, it’s stunning when it works.
Each dog in the team has a specific role. The lead dogs set the pace and direction. The swing dogs help navigate turns. The team dogs provide the muscle. And the wheel dogs—closest to the sled—anchor and help pull from the rear. Every dog is essential. Every role is clear. Every movement is in service of one goal: forward momentum.
This wasn’t chaos. It was choreography.
As I stood on that sled, guiding the team through winding forest trails, I couldn’t help but draw the parallel to what cross-collaboration should look like inside a credit union—or any organization striving to harness its data, innovate with AI, or reduce member friction.
1. Shared Purpose Creates Alignment
The dogs don’t need to debate the destination. They trust the path, the musher, and most importantly, each other. In our organizations, when we set a shared purpose—like transforming member experience or operationalizing data—we create the kind of alignment that moves everyone in the same direction.
Insight: Is your team clear on the shared purpose? Have you communicated the “why” behind the journey?
2. Everyone Has a Role—and It’s Honored
Watching the dogs work was a masterclass in role clarity. No one tried to lead from the back or muscle their way into a position they weren’t trained for. They relied on each other to play their part. In our cross-functional teams, this level of clarity (and respect for it) is crucial.
Insight: Are you leveraging each department’s strength, or are you unintentionally creating silos and redundancies?
3. Trust and Communication Are Non-Negotiable
I learned quickly that barking isn’t just noise—it’s communication. The dogs check in with each other constantly, especially when navigating challenges. The same is true for us. In high-functioning collaborations, trust and open communication are the fuel.
Insight: Are your teams talking to each other with intent and frequency? Do you have systems and culture in place to support this?
Here’s the big “aha”: Cross-collaboration is also what allows data to run through a credit union.
Think of data as the sled, full of potential value. One dog—one department—can pull it, but it’s slow, heavy, and limited. Add more dogs—more departments aligned and collaborating—and suddenly that sled rockets forward.
Cross-collaboration breaks down data silos. It ensures data isn’t locked away in IT, lending, marketing, or operations, but instead flows freely and informs strategy across the entire organization. It allows your credit union to activate data in real-time to improve member lives, make smarter decisions, and drive growth.
Insight: Is your data strategy powered by a collaborative culture? Or are you still trying to pull the sled alone?
When we design cross-functional collaboration with clarity, trust, and shared purpose, we’re not just running fast—we’re running together. Like a well-synced dog sled team, we’re pulling in unison toward a common goal, with every member contributing in the way they do best.
As leaders, our job is to be the musher—setting the direction, trusting the team, and removing obstacles from the trail.
Because when collaboration works, it’s not just effective—it’s beautiful.
And when that collaboration powers your data strategy?
It’s transformational.
Let’s mush forward, together.
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