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Silos are necessary for companies to function and keep accountability and responsibility among each other. They tend to form when information, focus, and control flow up and down.
Every company is split into departmental silos such as sales, technology and finance. None of the silos of a company are truly independent because each relies on others to perform its function.
Most teams use several different methods for sharing information. When everyone is using different tools, chances are the organization is suffering from siloed information, which prevents effective collaboration and effective decision making.
Teams that don’t interact on a regular basis are often unaware of what other teams are working on. These types of barriers can be broken down with team-based communication tools that empower employees to engage in constructive dialogue with executives.
To establish a collaborative culture that prevents the development of organizational silos, employees must develop the right mindset and understand the behaviors that support cooperation and unity.
Organizational silos form because individual or departmental goals become the all-important priority, causing employees to lose sight of broader company goals and purpose. An organization has a better chance for long-term success when teams break out of their silos.
Organizational culture must overcome silos to support effective, cross-functional interaction between teams in the relentless pace of change in the corporate world today. A common vision unites employees and helps them see and understand expectations for their roles while achieving the same goal, instead of pursuing their own departmental or individual agenda.
When individuals interact to solve a problem, they have opportunities to share ideas and learn more ways to overcome obstacles. Employees and leaders should be held accountable for breaking down silos by rewarding collaborative behavior and assigning joint incentives for multiple teams working together on one project.
Sharing information should be seamless between teams and departments.
A platform of well-integrated tools allows clear connections between people and information across an organization. Teams that don’t interact on a consistent basis are often unaware of what the other is focusing on.
The right collaboration tools can help reduce barriers to communication, provide better access to resources and help teams be more productive.
