Breaking down charity silos
How to work together across departments.
I’ve been thinking a lot recently about siloed working in charities. I will be the first to admit that this is one of my soapbox topics.
I could talk about the need to break down silos between fundraising, communications and marketing teams until you beg me to stop! In this blog, I want to talk a bit about why siloed working happens and what we can do about it.
Siloed working is a key symptom of poor organisational culture
It reflects a scarcity mindset within the organisation. Individuals and teams feel they need to focus on their own outputs. This comes at the expense of contributing to wider organisational priorities.
There is a breakdown of communication, with departments working in isolation. The subsequent lack of trust results in hesitation to share resources and knowledge. This can often lead to duplication of effort or missed opportunities. Once these ways of working become embedded, people become resistant to change.
Breaking down silos has to start from the top
The first question leaders need to ask is why do their teams focus only on their own KPIs and targets? Do your performance metrics and appraisal systems emphasise individual achievements? Do contributions to the wider organisation receive the same recognition as meeting team targets?
The number one priority for leadership is to build psychological safety for your team. How can you develop a system that incentivises collaboration?
As a leaders, you should model good behaviour. Be visible and set the tone. Speeches about collaboration will only be effective if you back them up with action. Demonstrate mutual trust and respect between your peers in the senior leadership team. Encourage your teams to spend meaningful time building cross-organisational relationships. You don’t want a major project kick-off meeting to be the first time colleagues are working together!
Be clear about your united purpose
Don't assume that everyone knows and understands your organisational vision. Introduce the vision during staff inductions and hold informal learning sessions for all staff. Reinforce it through regular mentions in team meetings and one-to-ones.
Make sure everyone understands how their role directly contributes to achieving the vision. Develop feedback mechanisms which enable people to see the impact of their contributions to the wider organisational goals. Celebrate examples of collaboration and joint achievement just as much (or more!) than individual success.
If you’re struggling with siloed working at your organisation, Roots + Wings can help. We’d love to talk to you about leadership coaching to help you break down the silos and maximise your potential. Get in touch on hello@rootsandwings.studio.