Journey

Why Are Silos So Entrenched in Local Government?

This was the persistent question that drove our journey. Why do silos exist? Why do they persist? Why, why, why?

  • The Beginning
  • The Approach
  • The Journey
Identifying the Problem
As part of the LGPro Emerging Leaders program, the cohort sought to address significant challenges faced by local governments. Five critical issues were identified, leading to the formation of three project groups focusing on Culture, Leadership, and Silos. The goal was to explore these problems and propose solutions for long-term improvements in local government operations.
  • Major Challenges Identified

    The cohort pinpointed five major issues: Culture, Leadership, Silos/lack of collaboration, Lack of planning, and Systems.

  • Focused Project Groups

    Participants selected one of three key areas—Culture, Leadership, or Silos—for in-depth investigation and solution development. More information can be found on the about page.

  • Silo Group Formation

    Members of the Silo group were motivated by frustrations related to silo mentalities, including workforce inefficiencies, communication barriers, and reduced innovation.

  • Impact of Silos

    Silos created duplication of work, divided teams, and hindered the ability to deliver excellent outcomes for local communities.

  • Purpose and Vision

    The group aimed to address the silo problem and develop a sustainable solution to support collaborative and efficient local government organisations.

Collaboration and Discovery
The team employed a structured problem-solving model provided by Minds at Work to define, analyse, and address the identified challenges. A collaborative workshop in Castlemaine marked a pivotal step in developing a clear plan, leveraging team strengths, and fostering mutual respect. The discovery of an existing program led to a reframing of their efforts, emphasising innovative contributions and practical solutions.
  • Structured Problem-Solving Model

    Utilised a framework from Minds at Work involving three phases: Defining the Problem, Researching Solutions, and Targeting Efforts to maximize impact

  • Collaborative Workshop

    The offsite workshop facilitated face-to-face collaboration, clear leadership, brainstorming, and the creation of a project plan with actionable steps and deliverable dates.

  • Team Dynamics and Cohesion

    Open discussions about strengths, weaknesses, fears, and expectations fostered authenticity and mutual respect, solidifying the project team.

  • Reassessment and Adaptation

    Upon discovering the similar ThinkOneTeam program, the team pivoted to exploring case studies and real-life examples, ensuring their work added unique value to solving the problem.

  • Focus on Impact and Value

    The project was designed to be cost-effective while delivering meaningful, actionable solutions to address the silo mentality in local governments.

Overcoming Challenges
The team faced several challenges, from unclear project requirements to the daunting scope of research and data collection. Through collaboration, networking, and perseverance, they successfully narrowed their focus and delivered an innovative solution. Reflecting on their work led to the creation of a dynamic platform that balanced technology with authenticity.
  • Unclear Project Requirements

    Ambiguity about deliverables in the LGPro Emerging Leaders program created initial anxiety, but the team relied on guidance from Minds at Work to focus on solving the problem of silos in local government.

  • Extensive Research Efforts

    The team reached out to all 79 Victorian local government areas, using personal networks to achieve higher response rates and conducting surveys and interviews to gather meaningful data.

  • Focused Case Studies

    Out of a large pool of data, the team identified 16 compelling case studies to highlight solutions to the silo mentality in local governments.

  • Creation of the LG Silo Breaker Website

    Instead of a static report, the team built a dynamic platform to present their findings, requiring careful content coordination and a consistent voice to maintain authenticity.

  • Balancing Technology and Humanity

    While exploring AI for content generation, the team realized the importance of preserving the unique, human perspectives captured in their interviews, highlighting the value of authenticity in storytelling.

Key Learnings and Outcomes

Our project achieved tangible results and valuable insights. Early face-to-face meetings and regular check-ins kept us aligned and accountable. Even when all members couldn’t attend, detailed notes ensured continuity.

We used OneNote for documentation and Teams for quick communications - simple yet efficient tools that supported collaboration.

Reflecting on our project journey the team has provided the following statements.

Authenticity matters, true collaboration for projects requires vulnerability and respect. We demonstrated the importance of collaboration across industry and how crucial networking is to drive better outcomes. Also, our ability to be flexible in our approach to pivot and make decisions quickly made our project more impactful.
For me, one thing that keeps coming back is what Sally Capp said at the start of the program about leaders making decisions, assessing the decision and then making another decision. Over-analysis leads to paralysis. I think as a group, we've been very agile in decision making and this approach allowed us to exceed our initial goals.
The topic of Silo’s is familiar across the sector, so being part of that project group and the path, we chose to take, was insightful in how other Councils are trying to work towards tackling this issue. The ability to draw on learnings throughout the year, in relation to our individual strength areas, has enabled the team to utilise those strengths to help play a significant part in the coming together of the project.