Completely valid point. There’s different types of silos I guess. Team silos, communication silos, data silos, etc. Could be as simple as one team siloing their transformations of base data from another. And vice versa.
I think it starts to go wrong when each silo comes up with their own definition of what business terms/objects/data objects are or mean and separate logical definitions of metrics.
Great if they share it but also breaks down when it’s shared and the other team disagrees with it. They don’t have to accept it I guess. But this is where differing reporting numbers can happen.
Love the analogy of a data model as a social contract!.. but presume we’re leaving Hobbes and aiming for Kant over Rousseau? 😅).
Silos are necessary to get things done but checks and balances structures should be created to make sure everyone’s on the same page and silos don’t become technocracies.
In your version, it’s the data model that does this, but it could just as well be the company or dept goal, a division directive, stated ethical principles etc.
Joe, how would you advise a CEO who sees silos forming in their organisation. Loves the sense of identity, teamwork and cameraderie that they bring but despairs at the lack of cross-org collaboration. What would you do?
Silos is a representation of the politics. And politics isn’t bad.
There are bad and toxic politics. But not all politics are bad.
100%
Politics is a reality in all organisations, learn to adapt, influence and work with it.
Same with silos.
Completely valid point. There’s different types of silos I guess. Team silos, communication silos, data silos, etc. Could be as simple as one team siloing their transformations of base data from another. And vice versa.
I think it starts to go wrong when each silo comes up with their own definition of what business terms/objects/data objects are or mean and separate logical definitions of metrics.
Great if they share it but also breaks down when it’s shared and the other team disagrees with it. They don’t have to accept it I guess. But this is where differing reporting numbers can happen.
Having “too many” silos can result in “more time/cost” tracking vs. completing “interdependent” tasks.
Nice take. Diffuse and amateur ownership can really lead to big blockers downstream.
Moving from :
"rigid, isolated, and protectionist" to "stable, encapsulated, and accountable"
Love the analogy of a data model as a social contract!.. but presume we’re leaving Hobbes and aiming for Kant over Rousseau? 😅).
Silos are necessary to get things done but checks and balances structures should be created to make sure everyone’s on the same page and silos don’t become technocracies.
In your version, it’s the data model that does this, but it could just as well be the company or dept goal, a division directive, stated ethical principles etc.
Joe, how would you advise a CEO who sees silos forming in their organisation. Loves the sense of identity, teamwork and cameraderie that they bring but despairs at the lack of cross-org collaboration. What would you do?