VIEW SPEECH SUMMARY
- Silos are natural in organizations as people simplify management by creating "kingdoms."
- Silos lead to loss of overall organizational visibility and hinder cross-team communication.
- NASA found over 60% of mission troubles were due to communication issues between specialized teams focused only on their areas (engineering, marketing, fuel, etc.).
Key Research Findings:
- Harvard Business Review: 75% of cross-functional teams face issues because different members have unclear or conflicting goals.
- University of Pennsylvania: In healthcare, lack of collaboration between doctors, nurses, and admin staff leads to failures.
- MIT: Teams with similar backgrounds solve problems 30% faster due to better psychological safety.
- Google’s Project Aristotle: Psychological safety where no question is stupid and open communication exists drives team success.
- Examples: Pixar encourages criticism regardless of role; Boeing’s failure (737 MAX) linked to ignoring engineer concerns due to changed mindset.
Five Strategies to Improve Cross-Functional Collaboration
1. Establish a Shared Vision
- Everyone from top to bottom should understand why the work is done.
- Example: Tesla’s unified vision accelerated sustainable energy; Kodak failed due to siloed focus.
- Action: Communicate and agree on a common vision across teams.
2. Clarify Roles and Responsibilities
- Clear understanding of who is responsible, accountable, consulted, and informed (RACI matrix).
- Example: IBM’s clear structure improved efficiency; failed hospital system lost $100 million due to unclear accountability.
- Action: Define and communicate roles clearly within teams and across silos.
3. Adopt Agile Practices
- Agile is a mindset, not just a framework.
- Iterative feedback and joint information flow speed project delivery and quality.
- Example: Spotify’s “squads” physically co-located members from different functions for better collaboration.
- Beware of "Agile in name only" as in Nokia, where traditional approval structures persisted.
- Action: Promote true agile thinking and processes that encourage collaboration and flexibility.
4. Foster Psychological Safety
- Create an environment where team members feel safe to express concerns and ideas openly.
- Leaders must act as both trusted confidants and protectors of the team.
- Action: Encourage open communication, allow questioning, and avoid blame culture.
5. Align Incentives around Collaboration
- Set cross-functional goals and KPIs shared among teams.
- Example: Salesforce uses shared KPIs for sales, marketing, and service leading to joint success.
- Counter-example: HP focused on departmental KPIs, losing cross-sale opportunities.
- Action: Develop performance metrics that reward collaboration and joint outcomes.
Overall Recommendations
- Implementing even one of the five strategies can improve team dynamics and project success.
- Small changes in mindset, communication, and incentives can significantly outperform competitors.
- Focus on people and shared goals more than purely technology for better organizational results.
Actionable Items
- Communicate and unify the team around a clear, shared vision ("Why are we doing this?").
- Define and document clear roles and responsibilities using tools like RACI matrices.
- Embrace agile principles genuinely, emphasizing iterative collaboration and feedback.
- Cultivate psychological safety by creating open, blame-free dialogue environments.
- Align KPIs and incentives to encourage cross-functional teamwork rather than siloed performance.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Breaking Silos to Accelerate Growth
11:05 - 11:35, 28th of May (Wednesday) 2025 / LEADERS STAGE
Too often, organizations remain trapped within departmental silos—engineering, marketing, operations, and finance each operating independently with minimal cross-pollination of ideas. These barriers stifle both creativity and efficiency, hindering companies from reaching their full potential. Through real-world examples, attendees will learn how successful teams achieve alignment via cross-functional “squads,” transparent feedback loops, and shared performance metrics that champion collective wins over individual successes.
But collaboration isn’t just about tools and processes; it’s about nurturing a mindset of mutual respect and open dialogue. We’ll examine why empathy and active listening are essential for bridging divergent disciplines and how leaders can nurture psychological safety to encourage bold thinking.
By the end of this session, participants will be armed with tangible strategies to break down organizational walls, foster true collaboration, and ignite rapid growth. Whether you’re part of a scaling startup or a mature enterprise, discover how cross-functional unity can transform your business into a powerhouse of innovation, agility, and sustained success.
