Not Just a Keynote—A Culture Reset

Stronger Together: Breaking Down Silos and Building Real Collaboration

I was recently invited to speak at a team summit in the beautiful Salt Lake City, Utah, with a dynamic group of leaders who were open and honest about their biggest challenge:

“We’re working in silos.”

They weren’t looking for another motivational talk.They wanted something that would spark honest conversation, challenge assumptions, and inspire meaningful change across their teams.

As I listened to their goals, I was immediately taken back to my days as a school principal—because I had lived this struggle before.

A Moment I’ll Never Forget

When I was a principal, I led a passionate team of educators, counselors, support staff, and administrators. Every person worked hard in their own role... but despite our shared mission, something was missing: true connection.

One moment sticks with me. I had an amazing team of professionals—teachers, counselors, admin, cafeteria staff, custodians. Every person worked hard in their own area… but I noticed something: even though we were under the same roof, we weren’t always on the same page.

We were in the middle of a busy testing season. Stress was high. But the rising tension between the front office staff and the teachers was undeniable.

Teachers felt unsupported:

“We’re in the classroom all day, and the office doesn’t understand how chaotic things get when a student is sent out or a parent just shows up.”

The front office was overwhelmed:

“It’s like we’re invisible unless something goes wrong.”

No one was wrong.

Everyone was working hard.

But I remember standing there thinking:

“We’re all good people. We’re all here for kids. So why does it feel like we’re on different teams?”

That friction wasn’t just emotional—it had real consequences .Communication breakdowns. Delayed responses. Missed opportunities. The mission was suffering, not because we lacked commitment—but because we weren’t connected.

And that’s when I learned one of the most important leadership lessons of my career:

It’s not enough to work hard in your role. You have to work together in the same direction.

From Assumptions to Awareness

What I saw happening in that school building years ago…It’s the same thing happening in many organizations today.

That’s why, at the summit, I didn’t just deliver a keynote—I guided the group through a Culture Reset: a mini-workshop experience that helped teams move from surface-level cooperation to deeper collaboration. That experience shaped the work I now do with teams across the country.

At Culture Cre8ion, we believe a team’s greatest strength isn’t just in what they do—it’s in how they see each other. That’s why, instead of a traditional keynote, we designed a mini-workshop experience that helped participants reflect, connect, and build a culture of Stronger Together.

We invited cross-functional teams to discuss and explore these big questions:

• What do you wish others knew about your work?

• What assumptions are made about your team—and what’s the truth?

• What challenges do you face that others might not see?

The room came alive.

One participant said, “I had no idea how much pressure this team was under to meet quarterly targets. It completely changed my perspective.”

The Collaboration Continuum

To give language to what many were feeling, we introduced the Collaboration Continuum—a visual tool that maps five levels of interdepartmental collaboration:

1. Isolation – “We just do our part.”

2. Competition – “They don’t understand our pressure.”

3. Exchange – “We’ll help if they help us.”

4. Cooperation – “How can we achieve more together?”

5. Synergy – “We are one team with one purpose.”

As teams located themselves on the map, real conversations began.

The Commitment

The workshop wasn’t just about reflecting. It was about committing.

Each table created a visible commitment to show how they would work toward stronger collaboration.

They wrote them out.Posted them up.Shared them with the group in a gallery walk.

These weren’t vague aspirations. They were real, actionable statements like:

“We commit to involving X team in planning from day one.”“We will challenge assumptions with curiosity, not criticism.”“We commit to monthly check-ins with the departments we rely on.”

That’s synergy in motion.

The Takeaway

Culture doesn’t shift just because someone says so.It shifts when people feel seen, heard, and connected.

That’s what we help teams create at Culture Cre8ion.

If your team is stuck in silos or struggling to collaborate, know this: You’re not broken.You’re just ready for the next level. Let’s build something together.

Interested in bringing this experience to your organization?Visit www.culturecre8ion.com or reach out at niki@culturecre8ion.com to learn how we can help you transform your team culture.