Manager connection is a competitive advantage.

In an analysis of team performance across a mid-sized biotech company, I found that manager relationships with other managers predicts team performance.  When managers were highly connected with their peers, their teams tended to be top performers.  Managers who had few or no connections to other managers led teams with the lowest performance.

Reward Manager Collaboration

Help your managers build relationships with other managers to drive higher performance across teams.  A simple approach is to encourage managers to recognize their fellow managers with a thank you note or small cash award when their teams successfully collaborate.