For those of you of a certain age, the title of this week’s blog will bring to mind images of Ronald Reagan standing in front of the Berlin Wall in 1987 in a speech that was a turning point in the end of the Cold War. To watch a short clip of the speech, click here. I am always reminded of this speech when I am speaking with clients who struggle with internal silos within their organizations, which is a topic that I want to revisit in this week’s post. In these cases, I wish an impassioned plea could work on those organizations’ leaders as Reagan’s did nearly 40 years ago.
In many ways, I am surprised that many of our client organizations are still dealing with issues associated with silos when it comes to their facility Asset Management (AM) programs. We have been talking about how they get in the way and slow progress towards a more integrated approach to AM for years (decades, really). However, I think there is something inherently human in creating silos to protect “us” against “them” even when we are within the same organization.
At Roth IAMS, we’ve seen that tearing down silos is one of the most powerful ways to strengthen an asset management program. If you and your organization struggle with silos getting in the way of achieving your goals, here are two (of five) strategies to get you started on overcoming them:
1. Create Cross-Functional Asset Management Teams
Important AM decisions should never be made in isolation. Facilities staff bring insight into building conditions, finance brings perspective on funding constraints, and operations understands how assets impact daily service delivery. By creating cross-functional teams, you ensure that planning and decision-making reflect the entire asset lifecycle.
When departments come together around the same table, the conversation shifts from competing priorities to shared solutions. This not only builds buy-in but also helps organizations avoid duplicating work or overlooking critical risks.
2. Standardize Data and Terminology
One of the most common barriers we encounter is that every department is “speaking a different language.” For example, what finance considers a “critical asset” may not align with what facilities or IT believes. Without common standards, data becomes fragmented, reporting is inconsistent, and it’s nearly impossible to build a reliable long-range plan.
By standardizing how data is collected, defining consistent terminology, and centralizing records, organizations create a single basis for decision-making. Everyone speaks the same language, and AM shifts from being department-centric to organization-wide.
These two steps—building cross-functional teams and standardizing data—lay the groundwork for breaking down silos, which will make it easier to tell your AM story to your stakeholders. In the next post, we’ll explore how technology, incentives, and culture can help organizations take this even further.
