Values at Work and The Silo Effect

Milton Rokeach discovered that workers have two sets of values. On his Rokeach Value Survey (RVS), he noted that workers have Terminal Values and Instrumental Values. Terminal Values are what you want as your primary goal in life. Instrumental values are the values and behaviors you practice in order to reach your terminal values. For example, if your overall goal in life (terminal value) is to live a comfortable and prosperous life, then you behave in an ambitious and hardworking way (instrumental value).

Share 2-3 examples of where you stand in your own behavior at work or school within the spectrum of terminal vs. instrumental values. Point to specific details and actions. What insights can you share about yourself from this exercise?'

question 2

The silo effect refers to an organizational structure in which workers complete their tasks in their functional "silos" without regard to the consequences for the other functions in the process. This situation exists because each department within a functional organization works independently and focuses on its objectives. This tendency can be reduced by thinking sideways or viewing the business across functional boundaries and focusing on the end-to-end nature of the process and its intended outcomes.

Have you experienced the silo effect? Why do you think this effect exists? How can an organization reduce or eliminate the silo effect?