Organizational silos occur when groups of people in the same organization do not rely on each others’ insights because of various cultural reasons. While the division of labor that silos create is essential for any business, silos can inhibit an organization’s creativity and innovation. They have been weak points in or even downfalls of many great business empires. Through case studies across many organizations and industries, anthropologist Gillian Tett describes negative results silos can create and ways to combat them.
Tett’s impressive sweep of industries make this book applicable to almost any organizational leader. She looks at the financial world, the tech industry, healthcare, and government. Each chapter is a case study of a particular group of people over time. Together, they provide a comprehensive exploration of how silos operate in today’s business world and what can be done in response.
I’ll be honest: I didn’t follow every industry discussed, particularly in the financial world. I didn’t grasp all the terms used, but followed the general stories. Other groups’ stories gripped me more. I found the broad swath of organizations examined both impressive and inspiring. She ignited the imagination to see how insiders and outsiders operate within groups and how such designations are ultimately detrimental to organizational health.
The anthropological lens on business makes this book much more interesting than just your average business book. She educates by making readers question their own assumptions and comfortabilities. That perspective moves this book from the merely good category into a great book. I take a lot more courage returning into my own workplace by trying to figure out how to help us communicate better with each other so that we can tackle difficult problems together, in a multi-disciplinary way. I’m grateful for how Tett’s organizational anthropology showed the way down the road.
The Silo Effect: The Peril of Expertise and the Promise of Breaking Down Barriers
By Gillian Tett
Narrated by Fiona Hardingham
Text copyright (c) 2015
Simon & Schuster
Audio copyright (c) 2015
Simon & Schuster Audio
ASIN B014HVT73I
Length: 10:06
Genre: Anthropology, Business
www.amazon.com