Cross-silo Collaboration and the Risky Role of Boundary Spanners

Cross-silo collaboration is essential for any organization aiming to innovate, remain competitive, and leverage the full potential of its diverse talent pool. However, the individuals tasked with bridging these silos, known often as boundary spanners, occupy a role fraught with challenges and risks. Their work, while crucial, often leads to significant stress and burnout, posing greater issues for the company if not adequately addressed.

Boundary spanners are employees who facilitate communication and cooperation between different organizational departments or divisions. They reconcile the differences between various silos, creating opportunities for collaboration. However, this role often involves filtering and translating information between silos, a task that can be emotionally taxing and stressful. They manage conflicting interests and navigate complex organizational dynamics without addressing the root causes that create these silos in the first place. This ongoing strain can lead to burnout, negatively impacting their well-being and overall productivity.

Boundary spanners often encounter a wide range of scenarios, each with unique challenges. To manage these diverse situations, a common approach they use is to establish a buffer zone where they can act as intermediaries, filtering and reconciling conflicting information and interests between silos. This approach can provide temporary relief to the organization by smoothing over immediate conflicts and facilitating communication in the short term. However, it fails to address the deeper, underlying problems. Creating a buffer zone does not tackle the structural and cultural issues that give rise to silos in the first place. It merely acts as a band-aid solution, offering a superficial fix without resolving the root causes of organizational fragmentation. This approach often leaves the fundamental issues unaddressed, allowing them to persist and potentially worsen over time.

A Shift in Approach: From Buffer to Facilitator

A more effective solution lies in redefining the role of boundary spanners from mere buffers to facilitators of cross-collaboration.

This transformation requires addressing the underlying causes that led to the emergence of silos in the first place. Boundary spanners must be equipped with diverse skills beyond technical expertise. They need strong people skills to build trust and rapport, negotiation abilities to mediate conflicts, conflict resolution capabilities to manage and resolve disputes, and an acute understanding of emotional dynamics to empathize with and support their colleagues.

These skills are crucial for helping team members look beyond immediate problems and focus on the deeper issues that hinder collaboration. Silos often result from individuals and groups fixating on their specific positions rather than considering the broader, underlying interests of the organization. Resolving these issues requires boundary spanners who can lead by example, fostering a culture of openness, trust, and collaboration. Boundary spanners must help team members navigate their emotions and resistance to change, encouraging a focus on common goals and shared interests. They should create environments where open communication is encouraged and team members feel safe to express their concerns and ideas. By guiding teams to understand and address the root causes of silos, boundary spanners can facilitate more effective and enduring collaboration across the organization.

This leadership-oriented approach addresses the symptoms of siloed thinking and tackles the root causes, leading to more sustainable and effective cross-silo collaboration. By redefining the role of boundary spanners as facilitators and leaders, organizations can create a more cohesive and resilient culture that enhances overall performance and innovation. This shift ensures that boundary spanners are not merely acting as intermediaries but are actively shaping the collaborative processes that drive the organization forward.

The role of boundary spanners is critical yet challenging. Organizations must recognize the emotional and psychological demands placed on these individuals and provide them with the necessary support and training. By shifting the focus from buffering to facilitating and equipping boundary spanners with leadership skills, companies can foster a more collaborative and resilient organizational culture, moving beyond temporary fixes and working towards sustainable solutions. This not only alleviates the burden on boundary spanners but also enhances overall organizational effectiveness and innovation.

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This post was inspired by a recent article published in Harvard Business Review by Eric Quintane, Sunny Lee, Jung Won Lee, Camila Umaña Ruiz, and Martin Kilduff, titled "Why Employees Who Work Across Silos Get Burned Out."