--- title: Inclusion and Empathy Busts Silos and Drives the Next Era of Energy description: "If you’ve ever worked in any business, literally anywhere, you’ve probably experienced silos. Here’s how pervasive they are: Machiavelli actually was referencing the idea of silos in 1513." image: https://www.allyenergy.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/empathy-p2s1363z6qe0qflwkyu6t1wxs1vp1r6lpyxv6zqrgo.png --- - [BUILD WITH US](https://www.allyenergy.com/work-with-us) - [GALLERY](http://ally.photos) [![Company logo](https://www.allyenergy.com/hubfs/MJTW%20Assets/logos/ally-energy-logo-2.svg)](https://www.allyenergy.com/) - [ABOUT](https://www.allyenergy.com/about) - [INSIGHTS](https://www.allyenergy.com/resources) - OUR BUILDS - [Houston Energy & Climate Week](http://www.climateweekhouston.com) - [Energy Workforce of the Future](https://www.energyworkforceofthefuture.com/) - [The GRIT Awards & Best Energy Workplaces](https://www.allyenergy.com/2025-grit-awards-best-energy-workplaces-finalists) - [Energy Capital Markets Day on Wall Street](https://www.allyenergy.com/ally-tcs-worley-new-york-marathon-team) - [THE BEE SUITE™](http://www.thebeesuite.com) - [THE ASK](https://www.allyenergy.com/the-ask) - 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[Running](https://www.allyenergy.com/blog/tag/running) - [Social Influence](https://www.allyenergy.com/blog/tag/social-influence) - [Storytelling & Personal Branding](https://www.allyenergy.com/blog/tag/storytelling-personal-branding) - [The Voices Of Energy](https://www.allyenergy.com/blog/tag/the-voices-of-energy) - [Uncategorized](https://www.allyenergy.com/blog/tag/uncategorized) - [Wellbeing & Self Care](https://www.allyenergy.com/blog/tag/wellbeing-self-care) - [Workforce Development](https://www.allyenergy.com/blog/tag/workforce-development) Subscribe Select blog topic Career Search Change & Resilience Climate & Sustainability Creativity & Originality Initiative Critical Thinking & Analysis Digital Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Emotional Intelligence Energy Insights Entrepreneurship Intrapreneurship Explore ESG Female Execs of Climate Tech Financial Skills GRIT Giving Back Grit Awards Growth change challenge leadership Inspiration Leadership Marathon Member Insights Negotiation Parenting & Family Problem Solving & Ideation Race in the Workplace Recognition Relationships, Conflict, Power and Office Politics Running Social Influence Storytelling & Personal Branding The Voices Of Energy Uncategorized Wellbeing & Self Care Workforce Development # Inclusion and Empathy Busts Silos and Drives the Next Era of Energy Written by: [Katie Mehnert](https://www.allyenergy.com/blog/author/katie-mehnert) - [Share](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.allyenergy.com%2Fblog%2Finclusion-and-empathy-busts-silos-and-drives-the-next-era-of-energy) - [Share](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.allyenergy.com%2Fblog%2Finclusion-and-empathy-busts-silos-and-drives-the-next-era-of-energy&title=Inclusion%20and%20Empathy%20Busts%20Silos%20and%20Drives%20the%20Next%20Era%20of%20Energy&summary=If+you%E2%80%99ve+ever+worked+in+any+business%2C+literally+anywhere%2C+you%E2%80%99ve+probably+experienced+silos.+Here%E2%80%99s+how+pervasive+they+are%3A+Machiavelli+actually+was+referencing+the+idea+of+silos+in+1513.&source=) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/home?status=Inclusion+and+Empathy+Busts+Silos+and+Drives+the+Next+Era+of+Energy%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.allyenergy.com%2Fblog%2Finclusion-and-empathy-busts-silos-and-drives-the-next-era-of-energy) - [Watch](https://vimeo.com/allyenergy) ![](https://www.allyenergy.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/empathy-p2s1363z6qe0qflwkyu6t1wxs1vp1r6lpyxv6zqrgo.png) If you’ve ever worked in any business, literally anywhere, you’ve probably experienced silos. Here’s how pervasive they are: [Machiavelli actually was referencing the idea of silos in 1513.](http://hbr.org/2011/08/the-first-two-steps-toward-breaking-down-silos)  If you are keeping score at home, that would be 504 years ago. ***A few things have changed.*** In most offices, though, *nothing*has changed. You still hear “That’s a HR thing” or “That’s a marketing thing” all the time. If you’ve worked for one of the big oil companies with operations at scale, I’m sure it’s frustrated you a few times that something can’t get done because it’s an “accounting thing” and not a “sales thing.” ### Silos are pervasive. Broader point is: we see this at the macro level of our industry too. There’s fossil fuel people and there’s green people. A lot of times, those two silos get right at it butting heads. At some level, it’s about the economic security of the people involved -- last week in Jersey, for example, **[fossil fuel job growth apparently sliced green job growth.](http://www.nj.com/opinion/index.ssf/2017/02/gov_christies_love_of_fossil_fuels_costs_nj_green.html) **Some of the earliest headlines about Trump talked about how he, as a fossil fuel “fan,” **[still couldn’t “stop” the growth of green.](http://www.inc.com/david-whitford/fossil-fuel-fan-trump-cant-stop-green-energs-progress.html)** This might sound a little simplistic, and I apologize if it does, but these arguments are less than stellar. There’s no “A” vs. “B,” especially in pretty volatile economic times. There is a place for both fossil people and green people; over time, because of environmental concerns, we’ll probably see a shift to different sources. That’s also not a “us” vs. “them” deal; we just need to retrain the fossil-centric people on the green-centric concepts if that happens. (And honestly, most of the core work is similar.) It’s the same thing that needs to happen as we automate factory workers out of jobs: we need to, ideally, retrain them into other jobs. **This keeps the economy humming.** ## You know what else keeps the economy humming? Energy.  So we need everyone. All hands on deck. No more “us vs. them” silo stuff. There’s a place for all. **This broadly represents a bigger issue in business.**[We’re supposed to live in a “platform economy” now](http://bit.ly/2hf8f8F) (think social media, or sites to help you solve a problem immediately, i.e. even Amazon). Instead of thinking *that*way, though (platforms), [we still think about everything in terms of competition.](http://ideas.darden.virginia.edu/2016/12/beyond-competitive-dynamics-from-winner-take-all-to-lifting-all-boats/) Platforms would *add*value to multiple people/companies; competition *takes away*value from one company at the expense of another. Look, I love healthy competition. It keeps us on our toes. I’m sure most of you are too. But the economic models that drive us forward are changing and have been for years. We can’t view everything as “us vs. them” or “If they make more money or get new drills/pipelines, I lose money.” ### We need to think of things in a more inclusive and connected way than we have been. **Rita McGrath talks about[“management’s three eras.”](http://hbr.org/2014/07/managements-three-eras-a-brief-history)** It all began with execution, as most of us produced widgets in factories. We had to be effective and hit numbers. As organizations evolved, we added expertise on top of that. Those were the two “Es” that dominated much of the last century in how we thought about work. Now we need a third “E:” empathy.  ### Empathy is tied to inclusion.  It’s about understanding different perspectives and not immediately viewing them as a threat to where you sit. We work in the most dynamic industry there is. **But we need to tweak the model **and see inclusiveness and empathy as priorities for the next generation. This is a large chunk of what we’ll be discussing at HERWorld, and **[I’d](http://www.herworldenergyforum.com) *[love](http://www.herworldenergyforum.com)* [to see you there](http://www.herworldenergyforum.com).** ### PS - Just SAY NO to silos. Like drugs, they're a little 1980s. **PSS** - You can read last week's inclusion piece here:  [How Inclusive Communities People and Companies are Gearing for the Next Era of Energy](https://allyenergy.com/how-inclusive-communities-people-and-companies-are-gearing-for-the-next-era-of-energy/)  and watch Regina Mayor with KPMG here speak about it in her keynote last year: [2016 Pink Petro HERWorld Energy Forum Keynote: The Inclusive Workforce](https://allyenergy.com/the-inclusive-workforce/) ## Related Posts [![An end to an era](https://www.allyenergy.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/926925_NEWSLETTER_02_122120-p2sqm6v99cgk58og57wno53aoc54w5msqpad0d3nuw.jpeg) Storytelling & Personal Branding An end to an era Katie Mehnert](https://www.allyenergy.com/blog/an-end-to-an-era) [![Connecting and Creating Community with Cheniere Energy](https://www.allyenergy.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Cheniere-1-e1598889547920-p2sgf30g2px1rtx7sja3us2eitkens8rlovhhxexzc.jpeg) Energy Insights, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Connecting and Creating Community with Cheniere Energy Katie Mehnert](https://www.allyenergy.com/blog/connecting-and-creating-community-with-cheniere-energy) [![The Energy Gender Gap: Still a Long Road Ahead](https://www.allyenergy.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/forbes_logo-p2s1yy1k83vz7vga17b5lj8wpz9e9ebxr8vs8qmn48.jpeg) Energy Insights, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion The Energy Gender Gap: Still a Long Road Ahead Katie Mehnert](https://www.allyenergy.com/blog/the-energy-gender-gap-still-a-long-road-ahead) ### Subscribe Here! 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