The Silo Republic
When every team optimizes for themselves and nobody optimizes for the whole.
“I had no idea the platform team was building that. We built our own.”
“That's not my team's problem.”
“Getting anything done that touches more than one team takes an act of God.”
What it looks like
Teams don't talk to each other. Information doesn't flow across boundaries. Each director runs their organization independently. Cross-cutting initiatives stall. Duplicate systems get built because teams don't know what others have built.
Why it happens
Primary team misalignment. When every leader sees direct reports as their primary team, you get silos by default.
Organizational design that rewards local optimization. When leaders are measured on their team's output rather than organizational outcomes, they optimize for what's measured.
What it causes
Duplicate work. Inconsistent technology decisions. Integration problems. Slow response to cross-cutting priorities. Knowledge trapped in pockets.
How TRUST addresses it
The "Primary Team Question" in Phase 3 is the most direct diagnostic. The Five Dysfunctions assessment reveals whether the leadership team can function as a team. Phase 4 identifies where Conway's Law works against the organization. The roadmap includes leadership team effectiveness work and structural changes.