In my experience, one of the biggest challenges organizations face is the issue of silos. Teams and departments naturally pull in different directions, which can make collaboration difficult. Bridging silos requires understanding the relationships between them. For instance:
- IT and Accounting: Bridging silos between fundamentally different functions is inherently challenging.
- Engineering and Operations: These silos, being closer in scope and purpose, are easier to connect.
- Intra-team silos: Resolving silos within the same team should be straightforward and non-negotiable.
A Lesson from the Past: Show a Willingness to Help or A Little Gas Money goes a Long Way
Here’s a story from my time at GTE Data Services (the technical division of GTE in Temple Terrace, FL). I was promoted to Technical Lead and Manager, supporting the commercial side of GTE, headquartered in Tampa.
One of the first things I did was take my team on a short 30-minute drive to meet our clients face-to-face. We didn’t discuss technical details; instead, we simply asked how we could better assist them and understand their challenges.
When we returned, the director of the data center met us at the door, thrilled. He told us, “They just called and said they’d never seen anything like that.”
What stood out wasn’t any technical solution but our willingness to connect and help. That small gesture of driving over to meet them had far more value than spending hours solving a technical issue.
The Challenge: Recognizing Workable Boundaries
To break down silos, it’s essential to recognize the nature of the boundaries:
- IT and Accounting: These silos are difficult to bridge and require significant effort and empathy.
- Engineering and Operations: These are easier to resolve due to shared goals and overlap in workflows.
- Team-level silos: These must be resolved immediately, as collaboration within a team is foundational.
Resolving Team-Level Silos
The primary issue with team-level silos is that work continuity is disrupted when a siloed team member is unavailable. This creates delays and inefficiencies that can impact the entire team’s productivity.
Challenges
- “We’re too busy to share knowledge.”
Teams often feel they lack the time to document processes or cross-train because of immediate demands. - “If I share my knowledge, I lose my value.”
Some team members fear losing their importance or unique expertise by sharing information.
Solution
To address these challenges:
- Mandatory Documentation: Require team members to document fundamental tasks and resolutions for recurring issues. This ensures critical work can continue smoothly in their absence.
- Define Roles Clearly: While documentation covers routine work, the original team member retains ownership of resolving more complex, technical problems.
Resolving Silos Between IT and Accounting, Engineering and Operations
For bridging silos between distinct functions or departments, I apply a consistent approach to foster collaboration:
- Listen First: When contacted by someone outside my team, I focus on understanding their issue. I respond in the same way they reached out, whether through email or a call, to ensure clarity and connection.
- Provide Initial Help: If the issue persists, I offer simple, actionable technical documentation to address their need. In most cases, this resolves the problem.
- Gauge Commitment: If they reach out again with the same issue, I refer them to the original documentation. At this point, I observe whether they are making a reciprocal effort to solve the problem.
- If they show progress and commitment to solving the issue, I match their effort by dedicating time to collaborate further.
- If they repeatedly ask the same questions without demonstrating effort, I step back, as the process requires mutual commitment.
By fostering a willingness to help while expecting accountability, this approach ensures that collaboration is efficient and constructive.