Bridging the Gap 
Believe in a Better Way

Hi All, 

As the days get shorter and we begin to feel that chill in the air, we know that Autumn has arrived. A season known for letting go, and as the trees shed their leaves, now is a perfect time to break those bad habits, review and plan for business or personal transformation. 

This month I would like to share with you a paper I wrote on ‘Silo working’, which is something on many leader’s minds with coronavirus creating physical distance between colleagues whether or not people are able to work in the same spaces or not. People talk to me a lot about whether they have a ‘silo culture’.

The paper provides insight on what is ‘silo working’?, how does it show up and where does it come from? 

1. Create the space for you to have a dialogue with people about their fears, acknowledge them and try to understand where they come from. You may not think it’s a problem or real, but if someone in your team does then it is real to them and therefore a problem if it isn’t resolved. By using the tools I work with to measure culture you can have a dialogue about the data that is presented which contributes to a safer discussion than going into all guns blazing or imposing a ‘removal of silos’ strategy. This will also allow you to understand what people are concerned about and be able to address those concerns. Not only will this be an engaging process to go through you will also build trust and understanding - thus starting to reduce the barriers. 

2. As Leaders it is likely you will play a role in silo working playing out. My invitation is for you to stop and consider how they are contributing to the situation and start to change your own fears, values and behaviours and talk openly about the change you are undertaking and why. By role modelling the change and creating an environment for psychological safety you will build trust with those you lead that you are serious about wanting to do things differently and give signals that it is safe and positive for them to do so. Leading this process with love and compassion to yourself and others will likely feel very uncomfortable, particularly after a long period of working to ‘be the best’ so notice the discomfort and share it gently with those around you. To quote my colleague Elaine “Do what you love, in the service of people, who love what you do"

3. Check the purpose and mission of the team, department and organisation. Why does this [team/department/organisation exist] and how do we learn and develop. Two key questions to ask people in the area where you observe silo working existing. If you can’t answer that question that an 8 year old would understand then it’s probably not clear enough, never mind to the people in that part of the organisation or your stakeholders. Alignment could be a huge help here. 

4. Create a goal or an intention for everyone to move toward that involves working on an outcome across different teams and departments and agree the behaviours each person will take to both move themselves toward this intention and how to help others in a kind and loving manner if they forget. Ask also what else do people need to monitor progress? Book in regular check ins to see what progress is being made and whether the goal or intention is still the same. 

If you are ready to take a step towards renewal and growth, book a get together HERE and we can explore your curiosity together over a zoom coffee. 

Until next time, stay safe. 
Ed