How misaligned goals can kill collaboration

Systemic Silos – When Everyone’s Winning, But the Company is Losing : 2/4

Is your team hitting targets… but the business is still bleeding? Let’s talk about the first—and most invisible—type of silo: when misaligned goals quietly kill collaboration.

At a large beverage company , the sales team is crushing targets. But manufacturing? Drowning in overtime and cost overruns. This is a Systemic Silo.

It happens when departments chase isolated goals that no longer align with the company’s broader strategy.

Science Insight:

Goal Gradient Theory tells us people push harder the closer they get to their own goals—often without noticing the negative ripple effects.

Signs to Watch For: Teams “winning” independently while company metrics slide Misaligned KPIs (e.g., revenue vs. cost control) Frustration in cross-functional meetings

Solutions:

Implement Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) to harmonize forecasts Create shared KPIs that reflect cross-functional success Celebrate collaborative wins—not just individual ones #StrategicAlignment #SystemsThinking #TeamGoals #SiloEffect

Are your KPIs quietly undermining your company goals? Let’s talk alignment—comment below. 👇