A common challenge I am asked to address in my keynotes and coaching is helping an organization’s leadership unlock the full sales potential of their teams by breaking down barriers and embracing the power of cross selling.
Over the past six months alone, I have had the opportunity to work with industries ranging from law and insurance to pharmaceuticals and cloud computing. Regardless of the field, the pattern remains the same. As a motivational keynote speaker it is my job to unlock the full potential of my audience's sales teams and inspire at technology conferences!
Silos are a natural result of specialization. Most organizations go through a phase where success depends on doubling down on a niche. Zeroing in on what they do best and becoming laser focused. As those teams succeed, new solutions develop in other parts of the organization. That success, while good, often leads to separate sales channels, fragmented communication, and a decline in client experience. I have seen it again and again. It is not a failure of talent or effort. It is a failure of connection.
Let’s bring this to life.
Imagine a global law firm supporting Fortune 500 clients around the world. One team may specialize in intellectual property, another in tax, another in international trade. Each is exceptional. But if they do not communicate and collaborate, the client ends up navigating unnecessary complexity. Instead of building trust and simplifying service, the firm inadvertently adds friction. I challenge teams to flip the mindset. Ask not what you can sell, but how you can serve. Clients do not want isolated service. They want integrated, strategic support that solves their needs completely. Serving first leads to selling more.
The same applies in fast moving sectors like cloud computing. You might start as a leader in private cloud solutions. But before long your clients are asking for public cloud services too. If those two units operate in silos, what starts as internal efficiency turns into external confusion. Eventually, the competition catches up and then surpasses because they figured out how to team up across product lines. The game changes fast. Specialization without collaboration becomes a liability.
I have seen this evolution across industries. Initial success leads to more specialization, which builds walls between sales teams. Eventually, those walls block growth. And at that point, leaders have two choices. Let the silos continue and lose ground, or change mindsets and unify their teams.
That is where I come in.
Changing mindsets starts with recognizing that everyone is a leader. Whether they manage others or not. I speak to leadership teams and frontline sellers together because mindset changes must start at the top and be modeled across every level. And yes, that means aligning incentives. But it also means helping people understand that leadership is not about perfection. It is about intention. It is about service. As I often remind audiences, to lead is to serve, and to serve is to care.
And when people care, really care, they change. They show up differently. They stop hoarding wins and start sharing success. They realize they are not just selling a product. They are building trust. They are not just closing deals. They are opening doors for their clients and colleagues.
When I give a keynote or deliver a coaching session on breaking down silos, we focus on three things:
Helping people see that they are their own best leader.
Teaching them how their actions ripple across the entire team and customer experience.
Empowering them with tools to take control of their mindset and unlock more powerful team dynamics.
Sometimes, that means exploring how to control the controllable. Your thoughts. Your focus. Your beliefs. Other times, it means showing how to create sales squads that multiply their impact by teaming up across units. Either way, the message is clear. The power to adapt, collaborate, and win as a team lies within each individual.
When organizations shift from silo-based selling to cross-functional service, revenue growth is not just incremental. It can be exponential. But the transformation always begins the same way. With a mindset shift. Because in the end, clients do not want to adapt to your structure. They want you to understand theirs.
No matter how strong your comp plan or how clear your messaging, real change happens when people believe in it. When they trust their leaders. When they feel equipped to take the next step.
If you think your sales organization is ready to move beyond silos and toward something greater, I would love to talk. My job is to give teams tools that work and mindsets that last.
Unstoppable is not a slogan. It is a shared commitment. Let’s unlock it together.
Unstoppable is OUR choice!
Alden Mills
P.S. Read my story of how I invented the Perfect PushUp to hear the importance of determination and resilience.