How To Break Down Silos

Silos plague many companies, inhibiting collaboration, slowing progress, and hampering innovation. While some amount of specialization is necessary, overly rigid silos often develop over time as departments become insular and protective of resources, information, and decision-making power.

There are specific organizational behaviors and artifacts that can drive and reinforce “siloism”. A big factor that can lead to silo behavior is when there isn’t a strong External focus across the organization.

When people are not tuned into Market Dynamics – the competitive environment, bargaining power, product substitutability, and customer needs, wants and opportunities - focus in naturally drawn to the specific tasks at hand, and decisions are made within the limits of a person’s functional/departmental context.

Additionally, when the Purpose, Vision and Strategies of the organization are not widely understood or are lacking, it becomes difficult for people to see how their work fits in and supports that purpose or strategic direction. The natural tendency is then for people to focus on what is in front of them – their functional tasks – and deprioritize integrative, cooperative, and coordinating activities.

There are several actions organizations can take to break down silos and promote a culture of greater coordination and integration.

·??????It starts at the top: Leadership needs to invest in developing a clear and compelling Vision for the organization, and crafting the Strategies that will enable the organization to achieve its goals. This becomes the True North for the organization, and provides clarity and purpose for all employees.

·??????Ensure everyone throughout the organization understands how their work fits into the Vision and Strategic Direction. Functional and Departmental managers should drive this communication process and have explicit conversations with their teams regarding how what they do, and how they interface with others, connects and enables the achievement of the organization’s desired outcomes.

·??????Emphasize Customer Focus and staying abreast of the pressures, changes, needs and opportunities in the market. Frequently this information is housed within the Sales, Marketing, or Customer Service areas of the organization. Creating channels for regularly disseminating this information can broaden and deepen the whole organization’s understanding of the external market and integrate more of a Customer Focus into the company’s culture.

·??????Create opportunities for cross-functional teams to engage and collaborate. If silos are strong and cross-functional relationships are tense this may require setting guidelines for team interactions (identifying behaviors and practices that will support productive dialog), facilitating “give/get” conversations (to openly and safely discuss how they are meeting each other’s needs), and providing the cross-functional teams with opportunities to succeed together and celebrate their accomplishments.

·??????Institute annual 360 assessments. When cross-functional peers are given an opportunity to contribute to an individual’s development the learning and consequences of cooperation, coordination and integration are made tangible.

Silos can easily develop in organizations, but with the right strategies, leaders can break down barriers and promote collaboration. Leaders who recognize the dangers of siloed thinking make breaking these barriers down a key priority.

It starts with clearly communicating the company's vision and goals and ensuring all employees understand how their work connects to strategic outcomes. Emphasizing customer focus keeps teams attuned to external realities rather than internal dynamics. Providing opportunities for cross-functional interaction builds relationships and interdependency across departments. Instituting 360-degree feedback deepens understanding of the need for cooperation. While specialization has its place, rigid silos inhibit progress and stifle innovation. By taking proactive steps to shape an integrative culture, organizations can tap into their full potential, align around shared mission and values, and achieve their purpose. The path to future success requires bridging divides and bringing people together in common pursuit of organizational goals.

Reach out to me if you are interested in talking about how Daedalus Growth Partners can help you optimize your organization’s culture, promote greater coordination and integration, and realize your company’s full potential.