The Surprising Secret to Breaking Down Workplace Silos

The Surprising Secret to Breaking Down Workplace Silos

Have you ever been in the grocery store and a song from your era comes on, and suddenly, without meaning to, you’re singing and doing a little bop with your cart? No? Just me?

Let’s just acknowledge it right now: my music is muzak now. Yikes.

But still, I can’t help myself and often enough, there’s someone else near the frozen peas doing the exact same thing. Before you know it, we’re singing together, sharing a smile, and creating a moment. Just two strangers, connecting over a song.

Recently, I heard Rev. Leddy Hammock tell a story about being alone in a rest stop bathroom in South Carolina. She burst into the song “In my mind, I’m going to Carolina…” only to hear a voice call back from the end of the row, “Can’t you just feel the sunshine? Can’t you just see the moonshine?”

I love that. One line of a song, and suddenly, you’re not alone anymore.

Music is powerful that way. So is laughter. So is storytelling. So is breaking bread.
They all have the power to connect people who might otherwise just pass each other by.

And isn’t that something we need more of today? Especially on our teams.

Silos or Connection? 

I can’t tell you how many times leaders tell me, “Our people are amazing with customers but they don’t really connect with each other.” Or “We work in silos.” Or “We’re on the same team… but you wouldn’t know it.”

We’ve trained people to be efficient. To stay in their lane. To clock in and do their jobs. But sometimes, we haven’t shown them what makes work joyful and teams strong. What makes cultures thrive.

We’ve forgotten to teach connection.

The Soft Stuff That Gets Real Results

Now, I know what you’re thinking: this all sounds soft and fluffy.

Perhaps, but the results are anything but. 

Teams that trust each other? They collaborate more. They’re more innovative. They solve problems faster. And yes, they serve customers better.

So how do we start bringing people together again?

Try a few of these:

Facilitated icebreakers with heart.
Sometimes we bring people together, but we let them fend for themselves. You know what happens then. People tend to stick with people they already know and are comfortable with. Facilitate an event where they are mixing in with others and provide questions or a game that help them connect and get to know each other. 

Breaking bread together.
There’s something sacred about sharing food. Whether it’s a birthday breakfast, a potluck, or lunch out together, food builds community. Add a facilitated icebreaker, and that’s silo-busting gold.

 Interactive workshops where learning = bonding.
Design sessions where people don’t just sit and listen, but they partner, play, and practice together. Learning and connection? That’s the Red-Carpet Way.

Incorporate music!
Create a playlist that represents your team. Ask each person to contribute a favorite song, and use it as background for team gatherings.  Start meetings with a feel-good song. Use music to shift energy and mood. (Bonus points if it gets people singing along.)

Morale-boosting activities—with connection at the center.
Games, gratitude walls, “get-to-know-you” bingo, whatever it is, don’t just plan it. Facilitate it. Make sure someone is guiding the energy so no one’s left out.

Here’s the Bottom Line

Don’t wait for people to naturally bond. In today’s fast-paced, stressed-out world, you’ve got to create the conditions for connection. Facilitate it. Nurture it. Sing in the aisles if you have to, because those little moments like the shared song, the belly laugh, the high-five after a team win? Those are the things that turn a group of employees into a real team.