Home / Problems we fix / Silos between departments
Team building for silos between departments When departments work around each other instead of with each other
Each team is doing its job, but the hand-overs between them keep breaking. We bring departments together on challenges that only succeed when they cooperate.
Usually solved with The Communication Programme
Signs you will recognise
- Departments blame each other when things go wrong
- Requests between teams disappear into a black hole
- People don't know what other departments actually do
- Each team has its own targets, and they pull in different directions
- Customers notice the gaps before management does
Why it happens
Silos usually come from structure, not attitude: separate targets, separate systems and few chances to see the whole picture. Over time the other department becomes 'them'.
The fix starts with seeing the whole chain. When each team builds one part of a bigger result, they feel how their part depends on everyone else's.
How we tackle it
Usually with The Communication Programme, adjusted to your team after the planning call.
Planning call
We ask which departments need to work together better and where the hand-overs break.
Build a Bridge
Departments are split across the two halves of the bridge, so they have to agree every detail across the divide.
Chain Reaction (full day)
Each team builds one section of a giant machine. One weak hand-over stops the whole chain, and everyone sees it.
Debrief and written summary
We map what happened onto your real hand-overs and agree practical fixes, such as a shared tracker or a weekly check-in between team leads.
What changes afterwards
- People who know the faces and pressures of the other departments
- A shared picture of where the hand-overs break
- Practical fixes agreed between the departments
What a team day can't fix
If the silos come from conflicting targets or systems, a team day won't change those. It will make the cost visible to everyone, including management, and the written summary gives you something concrete to take to the people who can change the structure.
Other problems we help with
Poor communication
Messages get lost, people assume instead of asking, and hand-overs keep breaking.
Usually: The Communication Programme
Conflict and tension
People avoid each other, take sides or have stopped speaking up.
Usually: The Communication Programme
Lack of trust
People keep things to themselves, don't ask for help and check each other's work twice.
Usually: The New Team Programme
Low morale
The team is tired and flat after a tough year, a restructure or constant pressure.
Usually: The Give-Back Programme
A new manager
A new manager is taking over, or someone has been promoted to lead their former peers.
Usually: The New Team Programme
Start with a 15‑minute planning call
Tell Mark what is going on in your team. He will suggest a programme and send a proposal with one all-inclusive price. No obligation.