It occurred to me while working on a paper for an upcoming change management conference that silos will always exist in some way. There are times when that is a good thing.
Tight intact project teams
Virtual organizations tasked with specific deliverables
Boards of Directors (OK that one is good and bad)
Transactional functions
I am potentially using the picture on the left to illustrate a change entity in an organization. The straight spokes represent functions and the circular connections illustrate project, program, initiative, transformational effort (from the inside to the outside).
The holes in this web can represent modern silos.
You can carry this analogy along to say those are the groups protecting themselves. Or those are teams disengaging to complete tasks. Maybe those are the breakdown spots in the weaving of a web of collaboration?
The separate web an outsourcer? Or a partner?
The strands to the sides external influences?
Try using this picture to view the potential of your organization rather than the pyramid of constraint that is the org chart.