In part 13 of Globalization Motivation, where we oversimplify to elevate localization, globalization, and above all collaboration to a strategic partnership, let’s explore practical ways to break ourselves and our teams out of bad silos. 

In “Good Silos and Bad Silos” we talked about the different types of silos and how they weren’t all bad. To recap: a good silo is a supportive community of like minds with shared goals. Adversely, a bad silo is an isolating and unproductive place that breeds negativity. Your team can be an example of a good silo, promoting localization and collaborating across functions. Conversely, your teammates and partners may think that the services they provide are special and cannot be understood or appreciated. 

Identifying the silo 

It’s important to decipher the good silos from the bad, specifically how to get yourself out of a silo that does not serve you and is holding you back. I find that when you are making specific statements, you need to stop what you’re doing and check in with yourself. When you find yourself in a bad silo you may say: “Nobody knows what I do!” “My manager doesn’t know what I do.” “What we do is completely unique from everyone else at this company.”  “Management does not appreciate our team.” Most often, these are false assumptions that put you in a dark place, eat at your passion and halt your career. You feel alone and unsupported as if you are at the bottom of a silo and can’t climb out. It is not healthy! 

Tips and tricks 

Fear not. The first step is identifying that you are actually in a bad place. You feel stuck, but with some refocusing, you can get out of the negative place that’s holding you and your industry back. The upside is that we can look to localization for assistance. Localization strategy is all about discovering what we have in common, understanding what doesn’t have to change, and highlighting where a market is completely unique. These details can kick start high-level discussions on what content, such as language and imagery, must be adapted for smart localization. Please keep that in mind when we review these tips and tricks to pull you and your team out of a bad place. 

Expand your horizons 

Now that you have identified where you are, the first step is to get out and network. With networking, the possibilities and opportunities are endless. There are so many fantastic groups to follow and learn from. The pandemic has prevented in-person events, and hopefully, we will see those start up again soon. Luckily, there are plenty of live streaming events and recorded webinars. You need to go no further than YouTube to find informative events that you can view at your convenience. With every person you meet and learn from, listen for what you have in common and what is completely unique to your function and organization. Don’t stop at your industry. Find webinars on topics that you are interested in. Most events are free or have a small fee. With so much free content is available, you have nothing to lose. When we are able to meet in person again, start with free events and you will always walk away having learned something. You may even find your next opportunity. 

Look under the hood 

Next, look at your own company. Meet with co-workers and get a sense of what other teams are responsible for. It is a complete myth that your functions are 100% unique. Yes, you may be a French linguist or a transcreation professional with a specialty in the pharmaceutical industry. You will often discover that you utilize the same tools and processes as others or have similar problems to solve. There may be places where you overlap or best practices to apply. When you are in the silo you assume a great deal. Most of the time, I find that about 80% of a role may be devoted to the highly specialized functions that make you the subject matter expert you are. That leaves 20% for some sort of overlap. Most positions are cross-functional, with a broad view of a project, or functional, where you focus on a narrow specialty. Having a role with a broad view that touches many functions allows you to see where teams are overlapping or facing similar challenges. Once you peek your head out of your cubicle (or past the zoom), you will learn that you are not facing insurmountable challenges alone. You will also understand where you depend on one another. 

Introduce yourself  

This is something that most of us are nervous about. Presenting can be stressful. But it can become an invaluable tool and will get easier every time you do it. Start by creating a few slides about what you do. Perhaps start with a “day in the life” presentation. Creating a visual tool with screenshots that details your tasks will be a very helpful exercise. These documents can always be updated and crafted for different audiences. Whenever someone tells me that their boss doesn’t understand what they do, I always advise that they should book some time on their manager’s schedule and show them. You can start small. Review the presentation with a teammate or mentor for feedback. These presentations can eventually be evolved into roadshows and used to onboard new team members. If you have these questions, localization has these answers. If you have these meetings, be sure to invite us. 

Visualization of localization 

Visualization is a universal language. We can interpret other functions, educate one another, and above all, translate our subject matter expertise to find a common understanding. Utilize the practical global mindset to break yourself and localization out of a bad silo. Allow yourself and others to visualize localization as a strategic partner to elevate your career and promote the benefits of localization and globalization. Garner the empathy that will get you invited to key discussions where decisions are being made and truly seeing where you have a role in the success of your company and industry. If localization is so highly specialized and unique that only a few people can truly comprehend, our teammates and partners will not be able to see how to partner or even champion with it. 

Are you or is someone you know in a bad silo? Globalization Motivation is here to help. Please share your success stories.