While organizational silos are often accused of hindering innovation and creating tunnel vision, they can also do a lot of good on a functional basis, says management consultant Joe Hirsch in a recent article on TLNT. Silos provide service specialization, create defined work structures, and foster socialization and interaction among colleagues, he believes, advising managers to stop trying to break down silos and rather learn to bend them instead.

He says the goal is not to eliminate silos but to address the problems they cause, including lack of collaboration, drags in communication and diminished trust.

His advice:

• Find opportunities for creative collision between teams: arrange a company read or monthly lunch-and-learn series; align business goals with team-building exercises that match different units and departments within the organization.
• Create a culture of information sharing. He notes that when information is slow to reach various departments, the drag creates distrust and discord in the workplace.

See the full article: “Don’t Break Down Silos, Bend Them.”