Anyone ever see firsthand how damaging stovepiping can be?
During my time at the CIA, I came across something incredibly impactful that had the potential to help multiple teams, but when I asked to share it more broadly, I ran straight into resistance. This was actually pretty common, and happened because the "owners" were skeptical, and deeply protective of how the information was handled.
I knew I couldn't approach this from a place of argument. The only path forward was building real relationships with the skeptics, taking the time to understand their valid concerns, learning the history behind their caution, and asking questions to understand rather than to poke holes.
It took more than a year to break through the resistance. I met with people one on one, asked questions, and genuinely listened. Slowly, walls came down and we found creative ways to open the aperture while still protecting what needed protecting. And once that information could be used more widely, the impact on the mission was huge!
That experience taught me that silos only dissipate when people feel heard and respected. When you show up consistently with empathy and prove you can be trusted with the small things long before the big ones.
I’m curious. Have you seen this in action? What have you found that works to break down silos?
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