Silos, politics, and turf wars : a leadership fable about destroying the barriers that turn colleagues into competitors

In yet another page-turner, New York Times best-selling author and acclaimed management expert Patrick Lencioni addresses the costly and maddening issue of silos, the barriers that create organizational politics. Silos devastate organizations, kill productivity, push good people out the door, and jeopardize the achievement of corporate goals. As with his other books, Lencioni writes Silos, Politics, and Turf Wars as a fictional—but eerily realistic—story. The story is about Jude Cousins, an eager young management consultant struggling to launch his practice by solving one of the more universal and frustrating problems faced by his clients. Through trial and error, he develops a simple yet ground-breaking approach for helping them transform confusion and infighting into clarity and alignment. Publishers Weekly Marketing won't speak to engineering. Sales thinks production hogs the budget. Front desk believes back room's lazy. These sorts of turf wars, which turn outwardly unified companies into groupings of uncommunicative "silos," are the stuff of management lore. According to bestselling author Lencioni (The Five Dysfunctions of a Team), "they waste resources, kill productivity and jeopardize the achievement of goals"-they also drive workers into tizzies of frustration. Like his previous books, Lencioni's latest addresses the management problem through a fictional story; this one revolves around a self-employed consultant named Jude, who has to dismantle silos at an upscale hotel, a technology company and a hospital. Split into two sections, Lencioni's book first shows Jude discovering a solution to silos, then summarizes Jude's lessons into a strategy that readers can apply to any business. Lencioni's proposal is so full of common sense-namely, end turf wars by getting departments to rally around a common goal-that managers will be eager to apply it themselves. Just as refreshing is Lencioni's use of character and plot, which is far above average for the business genre. As sympathetic as Jude is, he makes Lencioni's management lessons memorable. (Mar.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information. Silos, Politics, and Turf Wars......Page 5 Contents......Page 7 Introduction......Page 9 HONEYMOON......Page 19 HATCH......Page 20 SMOOTH SAILING......Page 22 BATCH......Page 23 POLITICS......Page 25 SEEDS......Page 29 THE LEAP......Page 31 LOW-HANGING FRUIT......Page 35 CLIENTS......Page 37 CANDY......Page 42 BREATHE......Page 45 INVADING THE NEST......Page 47 SNOWBALL......Page 49 ANALYSIS......Page 52 SECOND WIND......Page 54 EXPLORATION......Page 55 DISCOVERY......Page 57 SALES......Page 59 PUSHING FORWARD......Page 62 TRIAL RUN......Page 64 EXERCISE......Page 66 DIVISION......Page 69 ROLE PLAY......Page 72 HIGHER-UPS......Page 76 BLOW UP......Page 80 FALL OUT......Page 88 THE DRAWING BOARD......Page 93 ALARM......Page 94 REGROUP......Page 100 HURRY UP AND WAIT......Page 101 WHERE YOU’D LEAST EXPECT IT......Page 103 FLESHING IT OUT......Page 105 PROCESSING......Page 108 SECOND LOOK......Page 110 SCHOOL......Page 112 SNOOPING......Page 114 CLUE......Page 117 HISTORY LESSON......Page 119 PUZZLE PIECES......Page 121 CRAMMING......Page 124 OPPORTUNITY CALLS......Page 125 ONWARD......Page 126 CARTER......Page 128 REAL TIME......Page 133 BLIND PASSION......Page 136 REALITY CHECK......Page 146 TEAM NUMBER ONE......Page 149 BACK TO EARTH......Page 151 TEST NUMBER ONE......Page 155 DEEPER......Page 165 REVENUE......Page 171 SHIFTING GEARS......Page 173 PRIDE SWALLOWING......Page 175 THE LIONS’ DEN......Page 177 LOOSE ENDS......Page 181 FAST FORWARD......Page 184 The Theory......Page 187 INTRODUCTION TO SILOS......Page 189 COMPONENTS OF THE MODEL......Page 192 IDENTIFYING A THEMATIC GOAL......Page 201 CASE STUDIES......Page 203 MANAGING AND ORGANIZING AROUND THE THEMATIC GOAL......Page 211 THEMATIC GOALS AND LONG-TERM CONTEXT......Page 216 MAKING MATRIX ORGANIZATIONS WORK......Page 219 GETTING STARTED......Page 221 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS......Page 223 ABOUT THE AUTHOR......Page 225 Practical and hands-on strategies for breaking down silos and minimizing workplace politics In yet another page-turner, New York Times best-selling author and acclaimed management expert Patrick Lencioni addresses the costly and maddening issue of silos: the barriers that create organizational politics. Silos devastate organizations, kill productivity, push good people out the door, and jeopardize the achievement of corporate goals. As with his other books, Lencioni writes Silos, Politics, and Turf Wars as a fictional—but eerily familiar—story. The story is about Jude Cousins, an eager young management consultant struggling to launch his practice by solving one of the more universal and frustrating problems faced by his clients. Through trial and error, he develops a simple yet ground-breaking approach for helping them transform confusion and infighting into clarity and alignment. In the book, you'll find: Ways to recognize the devastating–and destructive–power of silos How to create an overarching thematic goal or rallying cry for your organization Strategies for employees to avoid the confusion that often accompanies working in matrix organizations Perfect for executives, managers, and other business leaders, Silos, Politics, and Turf Wars will also earn a place in the libraries of consultants and other professionals who serve organizations of all sizes. In this book, the author addresses the costly and maddening issue of silos, the barriers that create organizational politics. Silos devastate organizations, kill productivity, push good people out the door, and jeopardize the achievement of corporate goals. As with his other books, this is a fictional story. It is about Jude Cousins, an eager young management consultant struggling to launch his practice by solving one of the more universal and frustrating problems faced by his clients. Through trial and error, he develops a simple yet ground-breaking approach for helping them transform confusion and infighting into clarity and alignment. A best-selling management expert offers solutions to the impact of turf wars and political infighting on organizational effectiveness in the form of a fictional but realistic format, featuring the concept of "Silos," vertical structures within organizations that devastate companies, kill productivity, push good people out, and jeopardize the achievement of corporate goals.