Most leaders understand the value of inclusiveness and driving innovation through collaboration, but this is rarely achieved across an entire organization. A pervasive problem that kills innovation at big companies resides in deep functional silos that limit interaction across divisions. A culture of silos inadvertently discourages mid-level and senior executives from strategizing across departments. That’s why, for innovation to thrive, cross-silo collaboration is crucial.
An open dialogue between divisions, as well as from leadership at the top, accelerates a company’s ability to innovate. Members of each team need to be aware of the bigger picture and understand the goals of the organization as a whole. Not only will this provide employees with a better idea of the mission, objectives, and priorities of the company, but it places a larger emphasis on the importance of their work. At the same time, upper level executives also need to be aware of the challenges and successes of those in other departments and how it affects their own priorities.
President of GT Software, Steve Hassett, stresses the importance of communication across all organizational divisions in his recent Forbes article, explaining that:
“Business leaders should reach deep into the other functional silos to encourage dialogue, share their vision and give their counterparts the ability to prepare.”
GT Software has helped organizations utilize their legacy systems to streamline business processes for more than 35 years. Using Ivory, one of the largest airlines in the world was able to modernize their mainframe and transform their product development structure and processes. In turn, they eliminated existing technical silos between their mobile development teams and the mainframe environment.
Click here to learn how breaking down silos can breathe new life into your company.