Understanding the sources of Silo Mindset
Teams exist and at the same time they don’t seem to exist, that’s where people seem to feel that cohesiveness is missing in the organisations. I see many organisations constantly trying to seriously “address” the issue of working in silos and cohesiveness . At the same time, whatever we try to do , the truth is that working professionals are becoming increasingly lonely in the hypercompetitive era of business . I asked one of my coachees “ When was the last time you had a hearty conversation with your colleague ?” And the answer was “ I don’t remember..”. Forget about others , it is difficult in this fast paced world to be connected to ourselves and that could be the beginning of loneliness.
While working as team members, competing is the way of life for people to grow up the ladder. While there are many conversations around “Collaboration”, possibly, these are systemic issues cropping from the intent itself. Many times it becomes HR agenda to constantly fight the tendency of people to get into silos, consciously. However, the fundamental question is how much and how along can we deny the fact that there is a growing tendency for people to avoid people? Is there really scope for collaboration in the kind of culture modern organizations are creating? Are we getting in pseudo-collaboration without deeply engaging with each other’s expectations? Is “Collaboration” happening at a superficial level?
According to an article published on this topic by Kerry Chandra, Loneliness is a universal human emotion that is both complex and unique to each individual. Because it has no single common cause, preventing and treating this potentially damaging state of mind can vary dramatically. Loneliness, according to many experts, is not necessarily about being alone. Instead, if you feel alone and isolated, then that is how loneliness plays into your state of mind. I would like to invite the attention of people to reflect on the true meaning of collaboration in the workplace. Here are some questions for reflections :
Questions for reflections :
- Do you really feel secure when you are in company of your colleagues?
- Is hyperrcompetition in the workspace making you feel worse than being lonely?
- How do you feel about loneliness?
- Do you really need team work for some of the tasks that need individual ownership?
- Is there a way to reduce human dependence for things that can be automated?
- What will be impact of extensive automation on human emotions?
- What all should we start accepting about the changing nature of teams and individual living the AI world?
There is some work we are trying to do through the initiatives with some progressive companies. Sharing some links for you to visit and think through:
- Creating Vibrant Workplace : How do we build vibrant teams? https://grovalselectia.com/creating-a-vibrant-workplace/
- Develop Leadership Traits : What are some timeless traits for an effective leadership? https://kabirlearning.in/workshops-for-high-impact-leadership/
Feel free to share your reflections with us. You can share your thoughts by writing to : [email protected]