Targets create silos, insecurity creates silos, poor managers create silos, and ignorance creates silos. People naturally want cooperate with others, but truly only do so readily with those they can trust. And it is hard to trust people you don’t meet and don’t understand. The first lesson in how to break down silos is therefore to help minds meet.

Sub-cultures have their place. No organisation will succeed for long if those dealing with vital internal control systems routinely practice exactly the same behaviours as those who are customer-facing. Silos are sub-cultures that do not recognise the legitimacy of those differences. Docsa techniques help by showing them what they have in common, and explaining why they are different, not dangerous. Docsa has shown how breaking down barriers can be done across national boundaries as well as departmental turf, and silos can become a thing of the past.