Part 4: The real (and greater) cost of silos

Reader,

The real cost of silos.

In part four of this series on developing agency in your team, we’re diving into silos.

I’ve never heard someone use the word “silo” in a positive way, except in farming. In organizations, they’re problematic at best and damaging at worst. Let’s quickly touch on why.

Duplicated work. “Wait, what? You were working on that too?”
Disconnected outcomes. “That’s not really what we had in mind.”
Limited contribution to solutions. “The three of us thought it was a great idea.”
Slower results. “I did my part. I was waiting on you.”

Nearly every leader has a reason to lament that people aren’t collaborating and working together like they should.

Entire companies sometimes operate like football teams, where only two or three players are on the field at the same time. It could work…sort of. But it’s maddening to watch.

Why silos happen.

Let’s consider why they happen in the first place.

Working alone is faster. I can think about what to do, do it, and move on in the same hour.
It’s simpler. The only person I need to coordinate with is me, and of course, I’m easy to work with.
It’s easier. Fewer variables mean less friction as I move through my work.
It’s liberating. For younger leaders, the freedom to finally manage yourself feels great.
And it’s rewarding. Knowing I worked hard and did work I’m proud of is satisfying on many levels.

If the benefits of working alone outweigh the benefits of working together, and the structures for working alone are stronger than the ones that support collaboration, then people will continue to work alone.

What gets lost when people work alone?

Collaboration disappears. People don’t come together to make the work better than it could ever be alone.

And the spark that comes from moments like this never happens:

One idea ignites another, and another, and suddenly people are feeding off the incredible energy and excitement flowing around the room, whether virtual or in person.

A good idea is challenged, questioned, refined, improved, and elevated when someone asks, “Why?” and another says, “Tell me more.” That good idea becomes a fantastic one.

Different perspectives are freely shared, painting a canvas of possibilities until what was once a single flower becomes a bright mountain valley speckled with them and purple peaks towering in the distance.

One person sees a flower. A team collaborating sees the whole landscape.

The cost of silos.

When people operate in silos, there's a cost to the quality, volume, and level of results produced by the team.

But something bigger is lost, too.
Something more valuable.

The real cost is energy.

When people collaborate and ideas flow, energy grows, strengthens, and takes on a life of its own. That energy ignites and elevates the abilities, strengths, and skills of every person on the team.

Think of a Thanksgiving feast hosted by a team of champion chefs.

They plan the menu together, bubbling with excitement about what they could create. “Ooo…that’s good. You should add kumquats. The tartness will push it over the edge.” Then the big day arrives, and they cook up a storm, challenging one another to be at their best so the whole feast is off the charts.

Any one of them could cook an amazing meal alone. But together they are far better in every way.

Together, they are more excited.
More motivated.
More creative.
More willing to push themselves.
And the result isn’t even in the same ballpark.

Why it matters.

No company can achieve its potential when individuals working alone drag themselves through the day, plodding through the work without energy or excitement.

Truly excellent work never happens that way. It is always born from the elevating effect of a team.

What leaders must do.

So what’s the remedy for silos? Simple. Give people a reason to get out of them.

As a leader, you must do everything in your power to create a culture that values the whole messy, time-consuming process of collaboration. It feeds the work. It focuses people. It gives them the energy to endure. And it elevates them in every way.

But you’ll never experience it if your team doesn’t have the time, margin, and motivation to make collaboration a priority.

How will you pave the way for true collaboration in your team today?

Up next: Clarity is the north star your team needs to grow in agency and succeed together. Next, I’ll walk you through the levels of clarity that change everything.

Enjoy!
Sara

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