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This newsletter is dedicated to the courageous leaders, team members, and colleagues with whom I have the privilege of partnering. You are my teachers and my inspiration. Thank you! |
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"Be the change you wish to see in the world"
~ Gandhi |
Leadership Challenge
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| How do I get the people in my organization to collaborate across silos in order to do what is best for the overall organization?
Most of the leaders with whom I work wish the people in their organizations operated consistently with a "good of the whole" mindset. Leaders are uniquely positioned to see the entire enterprise and the possibilities that can come from cross-unit collaboration. Many are frustrated with silos. Yet leaders can adopt practices that encourage cross-unit collaboration and help them to realize the possibilities of a laterally integrated organization.
Collaboration Cliff Notes ~
Leadership Practices That Drive Collaboration
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Model it!
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Structure for it!
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Reward it!
Many leaders believe they are supposed to have the answers. The current pace of change and widespread access to information via technology changes the role of the leader. The change leader's job now is to (1) model learning and collaboration and (2) create platforms for information sharing and collaborative thinking. These leaders enable on-the-job development for all employees as well as smart decisions and action.
1. Model It!
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Do I ask open-ended questions for the purpose of learning and understanding?
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Do I make eye contact and listen attentively?
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Am I visible collaborating openly with my peers and directs?
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Do I embrace differences, engaging others in dialog that opens up possibilities?
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Do I sponsor highly interactive gatherings that engage everyone in thinking about the business together?
2. Structure for it!
Your checklist
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Do I encourage collaborative leadership by flattening the organization as much as possible?
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Do I use internal technology & social media to (1) keep people connected and informed and (2) encourage idea generation and sharing?
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Do I have an annual communication plan that brings people together to take stock of how things are going and to generate new ideas together?
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Do I require that meetings be highly interactive and engaging?
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Focus on asking, exploring, and discussing key questions and clarifying next step
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Use PowerPoint only in ways that support interaction
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Use a blend of in-person and virtual formats
3. Reward it!
Your checklist
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Do I provide employees with opportunities to interact with others and gain the respect of fellow employees?
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Do I sponsor projects and job opportunities that enable learning, growth, and satisfaction?
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Do I thank and recognize employees for collaborative effort?
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Do I continuously share important information about the strategy and future of the business/organization? |
| Success Story #1: |
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This organization has a very large and geographically dispersed IT organization with multiple units that must work well together in order to provide first rate products and services to their internal clients. Each unit was motivated and rewarded by unit-specific goals and incentives that often cancelled one another out. The leaders of this organization decided to take action to break down the silos. They started with themselves. They built collaborative relationships among themselves first and then invited the next level of leaders to join with them in building collaboration and partnership between their units. With my consulting support, they identified specific behaviors and activities that build true partnership and "good of the whole" thinking. They rated one another on the behaviors and held one another accountable to engage in the change activities. Within 5 months, they raised their collaboration scores with one another by 62%! |
| Success Story #2: |
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An executive leader built a business unit that brought in unprecedented levels of new business and revenue and became a model for achieving extraordinary results. The problem was that this executive's success put unwelcome and heavy pressure on the rest of the organization to perform in new ways to support the additional business. In some areas of the company, resentment grew as employees and leaders felt that they were not being treated with respect by this hard-charging executive and her organization.
She asked me to gather specific feedback from those who were disenfranchised and to build and facilitate a process for bringing key leaders together across the organization units to create new ways of working together. This leader modeled collaborative behavior through the process. She embraced differences of opinion and broadly engaged key others in the process. She encouraged "out of the box" thinking by listening and inquiring for understanding. She acknowledged her part in creating both the challenges and the solutions and followed through on her commitments. Following her lead, those involved came to understand one another's work and challenges and participated in removing barriers to success. They built shared goals and measures and worked together to achieve them. Within seven months, they raised their collaboration scores with one another by 40+%! The silos came down and they moved forward together. |
| Featured Service & Call To Action - Call me! |
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Beyond Silos - Cross-unit/Department Collaboration
I use a highly interactive process that engages members of interdependent units in frank and creative dialog that leads to joint and measureable commitments and plans. Clients universally achieve dramatic and measurable improvements in their willingness and ability to collaborate as a result of this work.
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"When we decided to build stronger collaboration between our teams, we called upon Pat. She worked with us to produce fast and targeted change in how we work together. We could not have imagined a better process and outcome. In fact, we recommended Pat to other teams in our company as well. Pat is a top notch partner and consultant."
~Directors of IT and Marketing at a Fortune 20 Company |
| Suggested Reading |
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The Power of Collective Wisdom and the Trap of Collective Folly by Briskin, Erickson, Ott, and Callanan (Publisher: McGrawHill) -What every leader can do to promote a collaborative culture.
Roberta's Rules of Order by Alice Cochran (Publisher: Jossey-Bass) - How to have highly collaborative meetings.
NY Times interview - 1/17/2010 - Cristobal Conde, Pres and CEO of SunGard- "Structure? The Flatter the Better" - How executives can assure a collaborative climate.
The Wisdom of Teams by John Katzenbach and Douglas Smith (Publisher: HarperCollins) - Why it's smart to tap into the promise of teamwork and how to do it. |
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Please let me know if I can answer any questions you may have. I welcome feedback on my newsletter.
Sincerely,
Pat Newmann
Partner In Change
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pat newmann