Silos, Politics and Turf Wars
Silos, Politics, and Turf Wars
Patrick Lencioni wrote this as a leadership fable, but don’t let that fool you. It’s a diagnostic tool. If you’ve ever sat in a meeting where departments nod politely and then go back to protecting their own interests… this book will feel uncomfortably familiar.
I’ve seen this pattern for years. Good people. Smart teams. Still misaligned. Why? Because no one owns the whole.
The Core Idea: When Leaders Don’t Lead the Team, Silos Win
At the center of the story is a struggling company brought back by a leader who does one thing well: he forces his executive team to act like a team.
Not a collection of leaders. A team.
Silos don’t happen because people are selfish. They happen because leaders allow ambiguity about what matters most.
And people fill that vacuum. Every time.
Key Ideas That Matter
1. The Executive Team Is the First Team
This is where most organizations get it wrong.
Leaders say their priority is the company. Then they act like their department comes first.
People notice.
If your leadership team isn’t aligned, the rest of the organization doesn’t stand a chance.
I’ve watched companies spend years fixing frontline issues that were actually executive problems.
The fix is simple. Not easy.
Your leadership team must prioritize collective results over departmental wins.
No exceptions.
2. Shared Goals Change Behavior
Lencioni introduces the idea of one clear, measurable thematic goal.
Not ten priorities. One.
When everyone rallies around a single outcome, politics start to fade. People stop asking, “What’s best for me?” and start asking, “What helps us win?”
Clarity drives behavior.
Without it, people protect their turf.
3. Scoreboards Remove Politics
You can’t argue with numbers everyone agrees on.
When success is clearly defined and tracked, it becomes harder to hide behind excuses or spin.
Ambiguity feeds politics.
Clarity kills it.
What are you measuring right now? And do your leaders all agree it matters?
4. Cascading Communication Is Non-Negotiable
Most leaders assume alignment because they had one good meeting.
That’s not alignment. That’s a moment.
Real alignment requires repetition. Consistency. Relentless communication throughout the organization.
If your message isn’t echoing at every level, it isn’t landing.
People don’t hear what you say once.
They hear what you repeat.
5. Leaders Must Call Out Silos—Directly
Avoiding conflict is expensive.
In the book, the turning point comes when leaders start calling out siloed behavior in real time. Not privately. Not later. Right there in the room.
It’s uncomfortable.
It works.
What behavior are you tolerating right now that’s costing the organization?
What This Means in Practice
This book isn’t asking for a better strategy. It’s asking for better leadership discipline.
- Decide what matters most
- Align your leaders around it
- Measure it clearly
- Communicate it constantly
- Confront what gets in the way
Simple. Hard.
And necessary.
A Few Lines That Stick
“When leaders are not aligned, the organization becomes confused.”
“If everything is important, nothing is.”
Short. True. Hard to ignore.
Reflection Questions
- Is your leadership team truly a team—or a group of strong individuals?
- What is your single most important priority right now?
- Where are silos quietly hurting performance?
- Are your metrics driving the right behavior—or protecting departments?
- How often do you reinforce alignment with your team?
- What conflict are you avoiding that needs to happen?
- If your team mirrored your leadership behavior, what would that look like?
Media & Related Content
- Patrick Lencioni Talks / Interviews (YouTube, podcasts)
Worth your time. He expands on organizational health, which is really what this book is about. Clear. Practical. No fluff. - The Advantage (by Lencioni)
This is the companion idea. Less story, more framework. If this book resonates, read that next.
About the Author
Patrick Lencioni built his reputation working directly with executive teams. Not theorizing—observing. Fixing. Repeating.
He’s written extensively on team dynamics, trust, and organizational health, including The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. His strength is clarity. He takes messy human behavior and makes it understandable—and fixable.
He’s been in the room. That shows.
