Silos are essential on farms, but they have no place in the office. Organizations with a silo mentality don’t freely share information, which can lead to power struggles, stress and an overall lack of efficiency. Team members either don’t trust each other or just don’t make an effort to share updates.

Jim Kalbach, an author, speaker and instructor says silos don’t have to be the norm, but in a distributed, post-pandemic world, “siloization” has become more prevalent than ever.

What can teams do to combat this? Keep reading this issue of PromoPro Daily, where we cover some of Kalbach’s top strategies.

  1. Agree on some team-wide practices. When you institute common collaboration methods, Kalbach says you help provide a common language for teams to work from rather than improving with each interaction.

  2. Create a safe environment. This means creating the kind of culture in which everyone feels encouraged to connect to others throughout the organization. According to Kalbach, if they fear backlash or reprimand for taking action, cross-team communication can get bottlenecked or fully shut down.

  3. Hire strong collaborators. How can you tell? Start by asking how job candidates have reached across the aisle. Kalbach recommends moving forward with those who know how to empathize with other roles and operate in different contexts. He says it’s also a good idea to look into their background for a variety of roles and departments.

  4. Celebrate cross-team collaboration. When you see team members pausing their own projects to help out another team, reward that collaboration. From a simple “thank you” to a promo gift, rewarding employees who strive to collaborate often can help further your organization’s mission.

  5. Create cross-team learning programs. Even informal mentoring can help bridge connections between departments. Kalbach points out that it’s not about getting to know each other personally but understanding different workflows within a company.

  6. Make use of cloud-based collaboration tools. Your team members don’t need to be in the office on the same days to collaborate. Kalbach recommends using modern tools that create spaces that invite cross-team work.

  7. Get leaders on board. If your company’s leaders are aligned and committed to cross-team collaboration, Kalbach says employees are more likely to break the silos. If leaders are competitive and protective of their teams and team results, collaboration will remain disjointed.

Breaking down a silo mentality requires multiple steps, from establishing collaboration practices to prioritizing cross-team learning. It won’t happen immediately but can significantly benefit your entire organization.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Jim Kalbach is the chief evangelist at Mural, a visual work platform. He is also an author, speaker and instructor in innovation, design and the future of work.