An interesting phenomenon occurs when organizations fail to align strategic priorities across business units. Each department becomes so hyperfocused on its own objectives that it resists sharing information with anyone else. This silo mentality can cripple an organization from duplicated efforts, delayed deliverables, and increased tension between all involved—which means everyone in the company. This is what we see as teams working in silos.

I recently met with a small-business owner wƒho’s had a particularly troublesome year. An important project was running significantly behind schedule and considerably over budget. His team was tapped out, grumpy and tired, openly complaining about the extra hours they were logging. With no budget to hire, he was overwhelmed and unsure of how to get things back on track.