How to Break Down Silos in Sales Enablement

Still trying to break team silos? You're solving the wrong problem. I've built and led teams for the world's most recognized brands. Here's what I've shared with my team leaders: - Team silos aren't walls. - They're mirrors. Each silo reflects your leadership blindspots: 1.  Communication Theater ↳ You host "collaboration meetings" ↳ But real decisions happen in private ↳ Trust dies in the shadows 2. Metrics Trap ↳ You reward individual excellence ↳ Then wonder why teams compete ↳ Your KPIs are building walls 3. The Authority Illusion ↳ You preach "one team" ↳ But hoard critical information ↳ Power games kill innovation 4. Recognition Bias ↳ You celebrate solo heroes ↳ While bridge-builders go unnoticed ↳ Collaboration becomes optional 5. Resource Wars ↳ You create artificial scarcity ↳ Teams fight for limited budgets ↳ Competition replaces cooperation 6. Cultural Disconnect ↳ You talk about transparency ↳ But penalize bad news ↳ Fear breeds isolation 7. Project Ownership ↳ You assign single-team leads ↳ Instead of cross-functional ownership ↳ Territory lines get deeper 8. Innovation Paradox ↳ You demand breakthrough thinking ↳ But keep expertise locked in teams ↳ Great ideas die in isolation 9. Success Myopia ↳ You celebrate team victories ↳ Instead of system wins ↳ The bigger picture gets lost Breaking silos isn't about new tools or more meetings. It's about breaking YOUR patterns first. Start here: ✅ Share the ugly truths openly (this makes everyone uncomfortable) ✅ Reward cross-team wins ONLY ✅ Make helping others visible ✅ Build shared scoreboards ✅ Create joint accountability metrics ✅ Promote those who break barriers Remember: Teams don't naturally build walls. They mirror the boundaries we create. --- ♻️ Share to help others break down silos 🔔 Follow me Cicely Simpson to close your leadership gaps

Many solutions to solve the silo problem fail. Companies spend millions on collaboration tools, cross-functional teams, and leadership initiatives to break down silos—yet they persist. A recent Harvard Business Review article explains why. It is because silos aren’t a single problem with a one-size-fits-all solution. The article makes an important distinction: Not all silos are the same. There are three types, each requiring a different approach: 1. Systemic Silos – When departments focus on their own goals rather than the organization’s success. 2. Elitist Silos – When certain teams hoard knowledge, believing others won’t understand or add value. 3. Protectionist Silos – When teams withhold information out of fear, often to maintain control or job security. The real challenge, then, is misdiagnosis. Many companies and leaders throw generic solutions at silos without addressing their root cause. Here is what actually works: Align Goals – If misaligned incentives create silos, shared KPIs and mutual accountability are key. Improve Communication – If knowledge hoarding is the issue, cross-functional learning and embedded collaboration help bridge the gap. Foster Psychological Safety – If fear is driving resistance, leaders must build a culture where transparency is rewarded, not punished. I’ve seen this firsthand in my work. Silos don’t collapse on their own. They require clarity, curiosity, and deliberate action. When team members truly understand each other, momentum happens. #curiosity #collaboration #momentum #understanding #learning #leadership https://lnkd.in/e-nRD8Jv

It's the year 2023 and we STILL have a #Sales & #Marketing Silo problem. Want to eliminate the silos? Here are seven proven methods my team has used again and again with much success: 👉 1. Create a "Revenue Team" where heads of each department come together on a consistent basis to share current needs, priorities, needed help, etc. 👉 2. Have your marketing team members "shadow" a sales team member at least twice a year. (crazy effective, almost no company does this) 👉 3. Do not create a content editorial calendar without the help/assistance of one or more sales team members. Constantly ask the question: Will this content help your team today? 👉 4. Have the sales team attend a marketing conference with the marketing team (Total game-changer when this occurs, as I've seen this one act alone work miracles within organizations) 👉 5. Take the time to truly "teach" your sales team the power of content, social, video, etc. Help them to see the what/how/why. (This will almost always lead to a massive perspective shift) 👉 6. Train your sales team how to perform on camera, and then have them act as an on-camera subject matter expert for the marketing team. (This not only raises the brand of the salesperson, but it also gives them a sense of "ownership" of the marketing team's activity/content.) 👉 7. Teach your marketing team how to not sound like a marketer and instead sound like a human. (Seriously, this "curse of knowledge" is a big problem out there, and alienates clear understanding by sales as to what exactly marketing does.) So there you have it. Seven proven methods to eliminate sales/marketing silos. I'd love to hear in the comments section below any you'd add to the list, as well as any experience you've had with the ones I mentioned above. 👇