Written By Cari Borden

You don’t have to be in corporate long to hear the word silos thrown around like confetti at a strategy meeting. Everyone agrees they’re bad, yet they’re everywhere. Teams guarding their turf. Departments avoiding each other like rival high schools at a pep rally. Leaders wondering why communication feels like a game of telephone.

So, why do silos exist in the first place?

Why Silos Form

• Power & Control → Leaders protect their turf because resources, budgets, and headcount equal status.
• Fear & Insecurity → If my team collaborates too much, will leadership realize we’re not “indispensable”?
• Misaligned Incentives → When KPIs reward individual performance but not cross-team outcomes, collaboration takes a back seat.
• Lack of Trust → Without psychological safety, teams hoard information like it’s survival rations.

Why They’re a Problem

Silos kill innovation, slow down execution, and create confusion for customers and employees alike. In short: the business loses while egos win.

How to Navigate Them (Without Losing Your Mind)

1. Get Curious, Not Combative – Instead of calling out the wall, ask what’s behind it. “Help me understand your priorities” can disarm defensiveness.
2. Build Micro-Bridges – Find allies in other departments. Small connections often create ripple effects.
3. Translate Value Across Silos – Don’t just speak your team’s language. Frame solutions in terms of what matters to them.
4. Model Transparency – Share what you know, even if others don’t. Someone has to go first.
5. Push for Shared Goals – Advocate for metrics that measure collaboration and customer outcomes, not just departmental wins.

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Final Thought

Silos don’t disappear because someone wrote “collaboration” in the company values. They disappear when leaders, and yes, even you, choose trust over turf.

👉 CTA: Ready to lead beyond silos? Let’s talk about building teams that collaborate without ego. Connect with me on [Fiverr] or check out more insights on my blog LeadBoldly1.blog.