What being “siloed” means is that each functional group – marketing, engineering, sales, finance, R&D, customer service – are essentially alone and separate. They don’t communicate between each other very effectively (or really at all) and, the more important concept, they don’t even consider the impact their own actions have on the other groups.

This can be a problem. A silo approach doesn’t allow for synergies of creativity or cost savings. It often causes delays and budget overruns (read less profit) when work needs to be redone to accommodate a real problem created in communication or process. It can also slow project completions, new product launches, and can even prevent a final close on a big sale because something unforeseen crops up at the last second. Not so good, right?

To avoid working in silos and risking functional group isolation (some call it “working in a vacuum”) here are some tips to help:

• Keep the lines of communication open – have a designated lead person whose job it is to facilitate the sharing of information cross functionally in your organization. It will likely need to be someone with a thick skin and a kind heart. When you can coax the truth out of someone, even when they are hesitant to share, that provides communication that has value. Sensitive issues call for an aware communicator. Find that person and task them with cross-functional representation.
• Have an “open door, honesty is the best policy, tell me the hard stuff sooner rather than later” communication and leadership approach. If you make it hard for your contractors, staff, and clients to tell you the truth, especially when it’s something you don’t particularly want to hear, they won’t.
• Develop a feedback system that incorporates all functions – a regular reporting mechanism that lets everyone see what everyone else is doing. When everyone knows that the feedback they are sharing is actionable and will be used to make improvements (and those improvements actually happen), people will be more willing to share and speak up.
• Remember the power of humor and relationships – a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down! It’s harder to be withdrawn, secretive, and unyielding with someone you’ve sung karaoke with. Encourage social glue, ways that your groups can come together that trigger their human side, and it can smooth this process. Social glue quickly becomes social lubricant as people see each others’ challenges as real, with a breathing, feeling person on the other end of it.

When you take the time to fully integrate all functions, you’ll find they can support each other in fun and interesting ways. Leverage your talent by making them talk, both amongst themselves and with you. I believe you’ll find it works wonders!

Any tips you’d like  to share? You’re invited to comment below!

Together, we are stronger!
Vicki Flaugher, CEO
SmartWoman Guides

The request was usually triggered by us running around, yelling at the top of our lungs, wrecking havoc in our pathway. Often, we were just having fun, but we might have been fighting for stuff, or maybe angry, or maybe trying to get attention. Safe to say, we weren’t being subtle.

The request for using our inside voice was typically made by a long suffering and frazzled parent or care provider. It was a plea, really, to take a deep breath and lower our outward volume. They wanted us to act in a more measured and controlled tone, to (dare I say it?) act more civilized.

In marketing your business, I would suggest that using your inside voice can be very powerful. Instead of taking the approach that we are being asked to damp down our “real selves” and behave in a way we do not wish, we could look at it as a chance to get in touch with our deeper selves.

It’s often in the silence, when that inner knowing and confidence begins to bubble up and show itself, that we find our true voice. You don’t need all caps and exclamation points to garner attention. As any mother knows, sometimes it’s what you don’t say, actually, that gets the message across. Being plugged in with your heart and creativity is a way to know that more quiet way. Being willing to build rather than tear down is a good first step.

By being open to exploring the deep emotions and connections that prompt your prospect to purchase, or your client to refer you, or your employees to go the extra mile, you find your inside voice. You move in strong and effective ways. Your level of sophistication and relevance improves. You step into that wonderful world of civilized adults having a valuable conversation about important things. Yes, you can still have fun and scream with glee when it’s the right time and place. But, your business marketing isn’t that time and place. Find your inside voice and use it today.

Maybe not what you’d expect, the eybrow thing, but Kevin makes a lot of sense. He draws a distinct connection between how we use our body and how we feel and how we come off to others. He was kind and generous with his time with me at the bookstore, helping me with tips on how to do well on my next interview with Bazaarvoice. (Thanks, Kevin -  you are an angel!)

So, here’s your tip of the day – Eyebrows up!

Today I had an interesting and educational experience. One of the great bloggers I follow on Twitter introduced a friend of his to the community. This friend is apparently well-known by many but, unfortunately, not me. But, since I trust the blogger who recommended him, I went to go check out the newbie’s profile. But I was foiled – the newbie didn’t have a profile! Gasp!

In an effort at brevity, I joked that the newbie’s Twitter profile was a little slim – no website link, no bio, nada. Just his name and a picture (which was a nice picture, admittedly). Frankly, I didn’t want to have to google the newbie to find out about him. Maybe I’m too focused on instant gratification, but well, fair enough, maybe I am. The web is all about instant info and ease and convenience and I’ve bought in.

One of my other Twitter buds messaged that this newbie was already so well known that he didn’t need to create a profile to get followers and he was busy. Wow. Not only did I still not know about this newbie (who now I wanted to know about even more, since he’s so busy and great) but now I felt like an outside, the only one left in the world to not know who he was just on his name and picture. The big capital “L” for loser felt squarely tattooed to my forehead.

After a moment of being stunned, the conversation got me thinking - are you ever so big that you don’t have to introduce yourself? You can guess my answer – a resounding NO.

Being focused on beginners, I try to be aware of the idea that there are people who aren’t living in my personal world, who don’t live in my bubble of experience. Like meeting people who’ve never heard of Twitter, or who have never purchased anything online, or don’t know what RSS is, it’s easy to think that maybe they’ve just been living under a rock. That’s not very kind or compassionate and it’s a bit foolish from a marketing point of view. It gives the impression that you don’t care.

I know that the Twitter newbie does care and I do imagine that he’s quite busy. I also do not hold him responsible for the response others give me about him. I’m guessing the lack of profile is either an oversight or perhaps an indication that it’s time to outsource some admin tasks. We’ve all been there. We’re all human. No one, even the highest of high, always gets it right 100% of the time. No biggie. The issue comes when you don’t fix it when you find it.

What I’m hoping you pick up is this: You grow your business by getting new clients and getting the established clients to buy again. Don’t forget your new clients. They don’t know you and they want to. Make it easy for them to do that without embarrassment or extra hassle.

Must go now – time to go double check all of my profiles!

Together, we are stronger.
Vicki Flaugher, the original SmartWoman

When we create and ask a well-constructed question, it feels like a guitar string being plucked inside our bodies. A vibration that sings “Yes, that’s it. That’s what I want to know” wells up within you. Don’t be worried you won’t know it or feel it when you hear it. You will. Just listen. And, prepare yourself for a freely given and honest answer.

Answers have to be freely accepted. “No” is an answer. “I don’t know” is an answer. And, “Yes, I could help you but I am not going to” is also answer. These aren’t necessarily the answers we want to get, but we must keep an open mind and heart about hearing real answers. Don’t ever worry that you shouldn’t have asked. It’s ok to ask. Just remember that it takes true devotion to see the silver lining in your disappointments, but you will probably find one if you look for it.

As much as hearing the answer we were looking for may sound good, if it isn’t accompanied by action and the appropriate level of attention from the person who said they would help, it doesn’t mean much at all. Badgering or shaming people into saying yes tends to generate resentment and they are likely to say anything just to get you to go away. Not exactly what you were hoping for, right?

On the flip side of the coin, it is ok to ask spontaneous questions. Don’t hold back on some seemingly wild idea to call someone famous and ask them for advice or an interview if you feel impulsed to do it. Try it! It’s pretty unlikely that anything bad will come from asking and your chances of actually getting what you asked for do increase by the mere act of asking. Begin collecting together great questions so you have them ready in the event of a chance meeting. You might be surprised at what comes of it.

Just remember that the end result is what you’re looking to accomplish. How you get there can be flexible. Ultimately, you can ask big and get big. You can ask small and get small. Is small what you had in mind? I bet not.

Together, we are stronger.
Vicki Flaugher, the original SmartWoman