Teaching in a nursing leadership academy this week about acting as a change agent or change catalyst in an organization or team. Common theme for the participants – frustration overcoming silos, working across silos, aligning silos – silos, silos, silos. As a family member, as a nurse, as a band member, as a person with MS, as a team leader, I respect and value silos. Defined boundaries – them and us – helps with identity, internal effectiveness and growth, focus, controlled expertise, and protection. At the same time I’m the health hats guy – proud of my many hats, teams, identities. I try to connect dots, align, reach across, welcome, join, participate. I’m anti-silo. Quite a tension. Who doesn’t deal with this challenge? How do we value silos and overcome them? Appreciation, trust and alignment.
First, appreciate other silos as reservoirs of ability, history, perspective, and value. Next, be trustworthy to other silos – share, deliver, respect. Trust in each other’s strength, abilities, integrity. Finally, align. Clarify joint mission – together we’re trying to do something – better life, spread knowledge, entertain, growth and development, best health. So if we know what we’re trying to do together, if we act in a trustworthy way, and appreciate each other’s value, then we can honor and overcome silos. A magic lever of best health.
