The reflex
“This problem touches two teams. I don’t know who to pass it to.”
Everyone knows about the problem. Following it up belongs to nobody.
The builder’s reflex
“There’s a gap here. I’ll sort this case by Thursday, and find out who takes it from then on.”
Why
The most expensive problems live between two job descriptions. A candidate has been waiting ten days to hear back after an interview. Recruiting thinks the manager writes; the manager thinks recruiting handles it. Each is right according to their job description. The candidate takes another offer.
A job description says what is expected of you. It does not say everything you can do. A builder sees the gap and acts: writes the message, calls the right person, proposes the fix. They do not wait for the problem to be assigned to them.
Taking a problem means sorting the case in front of you, then naming who handles it next time. That second part is often the most useful: it closes the gap for good.
Try this
Pick a problem that drags between two teams. Make the smallest move that sorts it for the case in front of you.
“I’ll send the message to the candidates before Thursday. After that, who handles it after each interview?”
Afterwards, check the need is covered and that what comes next has a name. If nobody takes it, say so plainly rather than quietly picking the task up again.
In a first job, look at your own list first: a task that is waiting on someone else. Make the move that unblocks it for this case, and tell your lead what you did.
To discuss
Which problem has been dragging between two teams here for more than a month?