Ask Pam | Breaking Down Barriers: Steps to Bust Organizational Silos

This bi-weekly LinkedIn Newsletter will address common and not-so-common questions leaders and executives, like you, have about the culture of the C-suite.

I've been serving in executive roles, reporting to Boards, CEOs, and Executive Directors since my early 20's. I've seen and experienced quite a bit, but mostly, I've learned a lot. These experiences are what led me to executive coaching.

If you're serving in the C-Suite or are headed in that direction, I'd like to hear from you. It's not often you can find a trusted advisor to answer your most pressing questions - for free. So here I am, let's talk!

This Week's Question:

Dear Pam,

My organization?is stuck?in several silos. What steps can I take to make sure?our outcomes can be achieved?

Side-Stepping Silos

This Week's Response:

Dear Side-Stepping Silos,

I'm unsure of your position, but let's start with what a silo is. Silos in organizations occur when teams or departments operate in isolation, limiting collaboration and communication with other departments. It sounds like you have several teams or areas hiding knowledge (withholding requested information) and/or hoarding knowledge (not sharing any?information) - both can be aggressive and passive-aggressive.?

To overcome this and achieve desired outcomes, consider these strategies and ask these questions:

• What are the problems associated with the silos beyond strategic drift?
• What are our shared values and goals?
• Do the teams reflect these shared values and goals? Are the teams cross-functional/cross-collaborative?
• What are the norms for communication in my organization? Are the silos a reflection of how we communicate or the exception? How do we deal with exception behaviors?
• Are teams held accountable for?just the outcomes or also for?the behaviors (values) that lead to outcomes??What needs to change?
• Have we created?heroes?out of teams and individuals rather than of outcomes??This?means we celebrate Pam (and her team) for our financial success, but we fail to mention others?who were?involved.?

Next, based on your answers, begin the rebuilding and reinforcement of a more collaborative culture. Make sure you do not just point out the problem. Be sure to collaborate to identify what success looks like and how it will?be rewarded. If you want to bust up a silo, you have to stop rewarding silo behaviors. Review your performance evaluation process. If you're still recognizing and rewarding individual contributions,?you're going to?keep getting more of the same.

Think about it, and let's hear what others have to contribute.

-Pam

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