The Silo You Don’t See
Everything we’ve discussed in the past 10 months plays a crucial role in building and leading a successful team.
But as you lay the bricks of your team, one by one, it’s surprisingly easy to build silos—walls that separate your team from other departments and, sometimes, the business as a whole.
The problem? Silos are almost inevitable. Almost.
There are tactical changes you can make to prevent this, which I’ll cover shortly, but it starts with a mental shift.
You must challenge yourself to draw lines that connect your team to the broader organization.
It’s about measuring impact—a concept that’s hard to quantify and even harder to confront.
Why? Because realizing your team’s efforts have minimal impact on the organization can be discouraging. I get it.
But here’s the thing: leaders often gloss over impact to avoid discomfort. Instead, they focus solely on their own team, becoming a silo.
They view their KPIs as the ultimate measure of success. Hitting those goals becomes the end-all-be-all.
And while there’s nothing wrong with fighting tooth and nail to achieve your objectives, the issue arises when leaders think it all ends there.
“We’re not the problem. We hit our goals.”
That may be true, but your accomplishments can still lead the business to failure.
The reality is, for a business to succeed, everything has to work. Everything is interconnected.
Your team is but one branch of an oak tree, and every branch matters.
When you’re in the thick of implementing changes and processes, it’s easy to lose sight of the tree.
I’ll spare you another metaphor (for now), but know this: tactical changes, when paired with the right mindset, can help you avoid the silo effect.
Here’s a guide to help you break down those walls and build better connections.
1. Set Up Cross-Department Communication
Why? Teams often operate in isolation, leading to misalignment and reduced efficiency.
Action Steps:
Schedule recurring cross-department check-ins.
Invite other departments to key meetings or presentations.
Rotate team members to act as “liaisons” with other teams.
Pro Tip: Use a shared tool like Slack or Teams to create channels for inter-departmental updates.
2. Practice Radical Candor
Why? Avoiding tough conversations with other teams perpetuates silos and inefficiencies.
Action Steps:
Clearly identify where another team’s work impacts your own.
Provide direct, constructive feedback in a way that shows care and invites collaboration.
Follow up by co-creating solutions to shared challenges.
Pro Tip: Use the Radical Candor framework to balance kindness and clarity.
3. Build Bridges Between Conflicting Team Members
Why? Tension between individuals or teams reinforces division and slows progress.
Action Steps:
Meet privately with each party to understand their concerns.
Mediate a collaborative session to find common ground and shared goals.
Celebrate small wins together to rebuild trust and foster collaboration.
Pro Tip: Act as a facilitator, not a judge. Keep the focus on solving the problem, not assigning blame.
4. Align on Shared Goals
Why? Focusing only on your team’s KPIs creates a narrow view of success.
Action Steps:
Tie your team’s objectives to broader organizational goals.
Collaborate with other departments to set shared metrics for success.
Regularly revisit these goals to ensure alignment and adjust as needed.
Pro Tip: Use visual tools like dashboards or OKR software to track shared progress.
5. Measure Team Impact Beyond Your Silo
Why? Understanding your team’s impact on the business fosters connection and accountability.
Action Steps:
Create metrics that showcase how your work supports company-wide objectives.
Review these metrics quarterly with your team and leadership.
Share wins and learnings with other departments to demonstrate collective value.
Pro Tip: Use storytelling when presenting data to highlight the human impact of your team’s work.
Final Thought
Breaking down silos isn’t a one-time fix; it’s a mindset. By fostering communication, practicing candor, mediating conflicts, aligning on goals, and measuring impact, you’ll create a culture where collaboration thrives, and success extends beyond your team.
