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Brain Circuits
Are you reaping the rewards of radical collaboration?
Workplace silos are a huge productivity inhibitor. Casper Herzberg, CEO of industrial software company AVEVA, tells Michael Wade how radical collaboration can create value.
The average factory has hundreds of systems and hundreds of software applications ā just within one company. Multiplied across supply chains, thousands of systems and datasets have enormous value locked in them, but donāt speak to each other and arenāt brought together. If shared and analyzed, insights from this proliferation of āwalledā IT systems and software in industrial processes in sectors as diverse as energy, pharmaceuticals, and transportation can help companies become more sustainable, increase machine lifecycles, and improve efficiency and productivity.
How do you build radical collaboration within your own organization?
1. Understand why silos develop
The first step to eradicating silos is to understand that itās a basic human tendency to build walls around us to keep the wolves out when we donāt feel safe. The more transparent you are with difficult decisions, the more willing people are to let go of their silos and share their data.
2. Bring leaders together (but donāt silo them!)
Bring leaders representing all sides of the business together, but donāt then allow them to create a silo ā they still have to have end-to-end responsibility for their actions.
3. Build trust and ensure collaboration is a continuous process
Central to collaboration is the need to change mindsets and nurture trust, which is based on relationships established over a very long period, so you have to be patient.
4. Treat AI like any other technology
AI is a tool like any other technology, so if you donāt know what youāre doing, donāt use it. Randomly equipping everyone with AI tools is not the most effective way to harness their transformative potential.
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Key learning
Breaking down data silos internally and across companies and sectors has the potential to benefit all stakeholders. Do so through building trust and instilling a culture of radical collaboration.
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Further reading
Caspar Herzberg on how āradical collaborationā can unlock trapped value
Why human-machine teams need deliberate design to be creative
From blind spots to business value: How executives can build AI initiatives that succeed
We need āradical collaborationā ā but collaboration isnāt radical
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