Want to Break Down Silos? Bring the Force (Field Analysis)
You know that feeling when teams are technically on the same side but act like competitors? Like you’re all rowing the same boat—but in opposite directions? That’s silo thinking at work. If you’re ready to shift from frustration to collaboration, force field analysis is one of the simplest, most effective tools you can use to break down silos and start making real progress—fast.
It sounds a little Star Wars-y, it it’s actually one of the most effective, grounding tools we use to help teams—especially teams in tension—work through what’s holding them back.
Originally created by Kurt Lewin in the 1950s (a social psychologist decades ahead of his time), Force Field Analysis is change management gold. You define the current state, envision a better one, and then identify the forces pushing you forward—and the ones pulling you back. Then? You make a plan to shift the balance.
Why Force Field Analysis is a Game Changer Across Teams
Force Field Analysis works to discuss tensions and break down silos and within teams, sure. But where it really shines? Across them. Think sales and customer service. Ops and IT. Product and marketing. Or that matrixed environment where everyone’s dotted-line to someone and no one’s quite sure who owns what.
You bring a few humans from each siloed group into a room (or Zoom), and suddenly things start to shift. You get:
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Shared understanding of the tension.
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Insight into what matters to them.
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And—this is big—mutual accountability for making things better.
If you’ve ever said, “I just wish they understood where we’re coming from,” this technique is for you.
How to Use Force Field Analyis to Break Down Silos (Step-by-Step)
1. Define the Problem
Pick a clear, shared challenge. Something like:
“We don’t collaborate well between sales and customer service.”
Then describe your ideal state:
“We’d share insights regularly and work as one customer-facing team.”
2. Identify the Driving Forces
What’s already helping move things forward?
Examples:
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“We all want what’s best for the customer.”
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“Some people already collaborate well.”
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“There’s energy to make this better.”
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3. Identify the Restraining Forces
What’s getting in the way?
This is where the good stuff comes up. Put the fish on the table and talk about it.
Examples:
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“We’re working toward different metrics.”
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“We assume the worst about each other’s motives.”
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“We don’t meet unless there’s a fire.”
4. Prioritize
Once you’ve got both lists, ask:
Which forces have the most weight?
What’s really blocking us?
What are we under-leveraging?
Maybe it’s the misaligned goals. Or lack of face time. Maybe it’s an old story one team’s been telling itself about the other.
5. Choose Where to Start
You don’t have to solve everything. Pick one core force—positive or negative—to work on.
6. Build an Action Plan
Ask:
“How can we strengthen this driving force?”
“What’s one habit we can do to reduce this barrier?”
Keep it practical. Assign ownership. And set a time to check back in.
Example:
Barrier: “We don’t understand each other’s goals.”
Action: “Each team presents their success metrics and priorities in our next joint meeting.”
7. Follow Up
Schedule the finish. Put a time on the calendar to talk about how it’s going. Celebrate wins. Hold one another accountabile. Tweak the plan.
A Quick Video on How to Conduct a Force Field Analysis
A Few Bonus Tips
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Mix your groups. Bring 2–3 people from each silo. Keep it under 12 total. Small enough to be real, large enough to see patterns.
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Set the tone. This isn’t about blame. It’s about surfacing what’s real so you can do something about it.
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Bring empathy and curiosity. Two ingredients that melt silo walls faster than anything.
Final Thought
Whether you’re leading a team, navigating a matrixed org, or trying to fix the friction between departments, you can’t break down silos unless you name what’s holding them up.
Force Field Analysis gives you a simple, powerful way to do just that. It’s not a magic wand—but it is a lightsaber of a tool.
So next time you’re stuck in a cross-functional standoff or dealing with another case of “us vs. them,” pause. Bring the team together. Map the forces. And shift them—intentionally, together.
Let the force (field) be with you.
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