Monday Morning Coffee : A little reality to add to the caffeine…
A sampling of news, topics and trivia from across the internet. The crew here at the Maritime Safety Innovation Lab have compiled a few of the stories, trends, theories and anecdotes that crossed our inboxes, feeds and minds over the weekend.
Seafarers must be adequately trained to safely use all new
WMU – Transport 2040 : Impact of Technology on Seafarers
tools they are expected to harness.
Do you work in a vertically-integrated organization? If you work for a shipping company that now brands itself as a logistics company and prides itself on its “end-to-end” services, you likely do. This likely means that you have fellow employees that work in “adjacent” companies under the umbrella of the same overall organization. Unfortunately, these adjacent companies can become “silos” having their own corporate culture, goals and priorities.
The following article comes from Eva Gysling, an Executive Culture Coach at Blue Agile GmbH:
From Silos to Synergy: How Permeable Silos Drive Organizational Success!
“Silos are the silent killers of organizational culture. Let’s dismantle them and cultivate unity.” – Sheryl Sandberg
A silo refers to isolated units like departments or teams within an organization that operate independently, with very limited communication, collaboration, or sharing of resources and information.
Imagine a scenario where your tech team seamlessly aligns with the business team’s strategies and where your business and innovation teams collaborate on new projects.
While it may seem like a lofty aspiration, bridging these departments’ collaboration gaps is entirely feasible with the right strategies and dedication.
I’ve seen firsthand the transformations that happen when barriers are made permeable—step by step. It takes time and effort.
Demolishing silos overnight is often a recipe for chaos and resistance. A more sustainable solution is permeable silos.
Here’s a roadmap based on my experience:
1️⃣ Ensure buy-in from (top)management
Their endorsement of permeable silos sends a powerful message throughout the company and encourages alignment with the new approach.
2️⃣ Start with ‘Why’
Before you change anything, ensure every team understands why permeable silos benefit everyone. Shared goals/advantages are the foundation.
3️⃣ Foster Cross-Team Liaisons
Build communities of practice (CoP), a group of people from different silos who share common roles (e.g., mentors or coaches), tasks, interests, passion, or professions, e.g., in a product development environment, and learn from one another.
4️⃣ Implement Open Platforms for Communication
We can’t communicate enough during change and ongoing transformation. Use tools that encourage transparency and open lines of dialogue. Think of chat channels (e.g., Slack, Mattermost) that allow cross-departmental conversations. Yet, don’t forget face-to-face communication.
5️⃣ Work with cross-functional teams
Nothing breaks the ice like working towards a common goal. Start small, then scale. Create Joint Projects.
6️⃣ Celebrate Wins (and learn from losses) Together
Shared success stories (and learning experiences) remind everyone why breaking down barriers matters.
7️⃣ Regularly Review and Adjust
What’s working? What’s not? Adapt and evolve your approach to permeability.
Why not just tear down all silos at once? Because such a change would be hard. It’s about evolution, not revolution. Gradual smooth changes ensure buy-in and reduce resistance, setting the stage for a more profound transformation.
By embracing permeable silos, we’re not just changing the structure of our organizations. We’re building a culture of openness, innovation, and collaboration.
In today’s rapidly changing and complex world, silos with solid walls are no longer promising. It’s time to embrace unity and growth.
From the Charted Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors (CIEHF) in their latest Think newsletter comes the article “A better fit for the future.” In it, poorly fitting personal protective equipment (PPE) for women is discussed. As PPE is the last barrier between your body and some risk, the employer and user must ensure it is fit for purpose and does not create additional hazards.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen this topic discussed. Amy Roosa addressed this topic in Safety Labs by Slice : Episode 48.
What is being done on YOUR organization to ensure have all have equally effective PPE? Did you run one campaign or order and then cease to address it? Or, have you recognized that to outfit a wider range of people (gender, height, girth, etc) may require an increased budget?
Be safe.
Be happy.
Have fun.