How to Coach Yourself and Others Techniques For Coaching | Page 97

want to create a networked organization, the first and most crucial step
is to build a culture of trust.
U. Combating silo mentality requires UNIFYING goals. Business unit
leaders must understand the overarching goals of the total organization
and the importance of working in concert with other areas to achieve
those crucial strategic objectives.
V. The incentive to collaborate is the VALUE of the exchange to both
the organization and the individual. When the assets and benefits of
productive collaboration are made visible, silos melt away.
W. Your WORKPLACE layout encourages or impedes the way the
organization communicates. To facilitate knowledge sharing, you need
to create environments that stimulate both arranged and chance
encounters. Attractive break-out areas, coffee bars, comfortable
cafeteria chairs, even wide landings on staircases – all of these increase
the likelihood that employees will meet and linger to talk.
X. Take a tip from XEROX. It discovered that real learning doesn’t take
place in the classroom – or in any formal setting. In fact, people were
found to learn more from comparing experiences in the hallways than
from reading the company’s official manuals, going online to a
knowledge repository or attending training sessions.
Y. Collaboration is crucial for YOUR success. We’ve witnessing the death
of “The Lone Ranger” leadership model, where one person comes in
with all the answers to save the day. We now know that no leader,
regardless of how brilliant and talented, is smarter than the collective
genius of the workforce.
Z. Forget about reaching the ZENITH. Collaborative cultures are
learning cultures – and knowledge sharing is an ongoing process, not
an end point.

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