Silos. Why they exist, and how to eliminate them.

Leadership lessons

Mar 21

A couple of years ago, I did a discovery report with a high-growth company where all the leadership team challenges led back to the fact that the teams were working in silos. This was a large tech company that had recently expanded globally, compounding the negative impact of silos. The company continued to struggle because the silos were acknowledged but not addressed. Nothing ever changed.

I have since experienced similar impacts of silos, and here's what I believe:

CEO/founder

Almost invariably, a CEO/founder isn't naturally collaborative. They are focused on action and results, not building great teams. They often believe they are collaborative, but what they actually do is work with people to 'tell', not 'ask'. The good ones hire people around them who are good collaborators.

Culture

As a business grows, the culture of silos often strengthens. Take time to review and reset. Make changes to address it. It doesn't right itself.

Capability

Each team leader must stop focusing on delivering only their own results. When outputs and results are linked to the business strategy and everyone has the same strategic goals, by default, teams must learn to work together. (Option, link performance to pay/bonus/equity based on a combination of the company's performance and the individual's performance.)

Communication

Stop playing the silo victim. As the the leader, recognise your role in removing the silos. Ask questions. Engage other teams. Listen to what they say.

Removing silos is everyone's responsibility. Small changes go a long way.

Mary Butler

I’m a consultant in the people space, working through the people side of complex deals. I have 30 years’ deep expertise and experience (and a book) in the buying, scaling and selling of businesses. I help uncover and mitigate the hidden people risks in transactions.

I understand the people dynamics in a transaction which helps make deals move faster, be less risky and more profitable.

I do this through a process of Discover, Design and Deliver – involving interviewing key people, developing a recommendations report and delivering on the recommendations. The level of engagement depends on the size, complexity and risk of the transaction.

You wouldn’t buy a second-hand car without lifting the hood for a comprehensive pre-purchase inspection!

https://marybutler.net