Slaying the Silos!

Are you managing a group of individual departments? Does it seem like each department does an effective job in a silo? And yet it does not feel right. Does it seem like the right-hand does not know what the left hand is doing? Does the company culture and values seem to be misaligned to reality? Does it seem like the mission and values are written but not modeled?

What I have found is that it is up to the leader to bring groups of people together to change the situation. Providing opportunities such as training together as a group or cross departments or coming together for problem-solving or brainstorming scenarios to solve real operational problems helps.

Think about departments that have to work together but do not have opportunities to meet.

Here are a few examples from my University days. After you have spent the first thirty days listening, meeting, and getting connected to your new employees, you will find golden nuggets in their words.

·???????Enrollment Team Meeting: Receptionist, admissions advisors, admissions support staff, student support services/advisors, testing coordinator, admittance essay review team (if applicable) registrar, financial aid advisors, new student orientation staff member, housing coordinator (if applicable). List all the people who take part in the enrollment process from the initial contact, through acceptance and new student orientation. Each person is integral to the success and timely matriculation process.

o??Example:

§?Diagram the complete enrollment process

§?Hold a meeting and visually show the role of each person in the process to show the ideal way for it to go. Point out that any lag causes a delay due to people, processes or people.

§?Share the enrollment timeline expectations

§?Provide a handout that lists the sequential steps to the enrollment process

§?Set up groups of people from mixed departments. Have them brainstorm solutions to aid in the enrollment process to reduce time, errors, or paperwork. Record the responses.

§?Send out minutes and begin to operationalize.

§?Hold a second meeting shortly after, but before this, solicit feedback from each manager on specific problems they are having and want a resolution. Then hold your next meeting with the same group and seek input.?Take minutes and operationalize. Train to your new expectations and processes. You may find some real savings in terms of time, resources, and frustrations.

·???????Other examples of groups that rarely meet are:

o First-year faculty members with first-year academic advisors

o First-year faculty members with first-year academic advisors, student tutors, librarians, and the academic success center staff.

o??Admissions, student coaches, financial aid advisors, registrar, and career services

o??Student support service and the academic success center faculty and student tutors

o??Career services, internship coordinator, professional development/career development faculty members, and alumni staff member.

While you may not work in higher education, you may experience these same issues. So where are new possibilities you might not have considered? Over time, you will discover the magic! Go out and be the silo slayer!