Why the fragmentation of context is one of our biggest problems…

... and our entire culture is a silo culture.

In the beginning there was the Big Bang, in which somehow everything that was connected was striving apart. Even if that sounds strangely theatrical, it may make it clear how much the world is in a large context. That things and our actions influence each other. There are always effects on others from everything. And indeed very complex and not always immediately obvious.

We tend to forget that our decisions are not silo decisions. We tend not to perceive complex relationships at all or even actively ignore them.

When it comes to Corona, the climate and its protection, the companies, their customers and employees, we act as if one has nothing to do with the other.

The companies themselves – silo cultures. Descriptions and analyses by CX experts such as Cyrill Luchsinger repeatedly show how difficult it is to connect the departments with each other. They don't want to interact, they even avoid it where possible. As if every company division did not have an influence on the perception of the customer – and the customer experience could be locked away in a “department”. If there is even a department or a person responsible in the area of CX management. In general, that the customer is seen as a annoying tag-along of companies. “How do I conjure up the customer perspective in my company” – was recently a task for me for an impulse lecture. Companies here – customer there. What other perspective than the customer perspective could the company sensibly take? It lives from the customer.

Well, the employee perspective is certainly also relevant. However, it is similar: company here – family there.

What about family? Families and children were ignored in the importance for companies until the lockdown. Now they come into the picture – in the video calls. Corporate culture is not a separate area from everyday life and family life. The areas massively influence each other. The rheingold salon studies on employer branding make it clear: people cope with a job loss more easily with a “healthy” family in the background. Conversely, satisfying work also supports a happy private life. Of course, a shattered home can also harm the company. The lockdown clearly shows that the separation of work and family creates artificial silos. Thinking about children too finally pushes the boundaries for almost everyone – not just companies. And as we are now learning, HomeOffice is not the much-vaunted solution for compatibility either. Paired with homeschooling, lack of space and retreat options, this leads to a burden that has driven some women to burnout or worse. Only if you see connections can you improve structures.

But our entire human culture is currently a silo culture.

We not only don't see the connection, we also fragment almost every connection into silos.

Of course, this also applies to Corona and climate change. This is also related. Not only because we are achieving climate goals in Germany that would be unthinkable without Corona. But also because it is likely that Corona would not have existed without the massive destruction of habitat and rainforests. Dr. Frauke Fischer, expert for biodiversity and #futurewomen says: “There are up to 850,000 more viruses out there that can be dangerous to us humans and trigger further pandemics. And the fact that they can do that is due to us and our culpable handling of our ecosystems.” Rainforest deforestation in Brazil affects us – because it will affect us, as #futurewomen founder Janine Steeger made clear in her post on LinkedIn a few days ago. But we close our eyes to the next looming pandemic, which is simply more likely than unlikely.

We don't think holistically. Holistic at all, what a term. It is probably taken for granted by most. Too taken for granted – because it is not self-evident. We separate body from mind, people from family, companies from customers, Corona from climate. Symptoms of the triggering sense. Even with our own body.

Why are we doing that? Because it's easier than looking at the whole thing. Because you can easily go crazy if you consider everything and everything in or with every action. Because that doesn't work either. Our minds are not infinite. Our foresight is probably still short-sighted. Because you don't want to be the warner, the one with the raised finger, the killjoy. We all want to be loved. Because is it more convenient to only look at the small, comfortable section? Only the numbers of the company, not the customers? Only the lockdown in Germany, not the need for vaccination worldwide? (Because what nonsense is it again to believe that the vaccine-resistant mutant could not come from the non-vaccinated countries like India or Africa, which in turn will not be vaccinated even if we would be because the patents are not released to quickly produce generics there, which in turn are not released in order not to “demotivate” the large pharmaceutical industry, as it would otherwise no longer produce vaccines in the next pandemic and therefore insists on its TRIP waiver contract (oh, that's really an even bigger connection), but otherwise, after Facebook, Google, Apple, Amazon and Co. for years, the best-earning industry ever, which you don't want to expect... I have to take a breath...with so much related nonsense!)

Or maybe because you believe that you will no longer have or be allowed to have joy in life? Not to be allowed to enjoy and yes, also to consume without having a bad conscience.

As a psychologist, I can say: the context, the holistic also brings enormous fun. To seek, see and find meaning – to understand something. Aha experiences. Can be shocking, but also a pleasure. And I love consciously enjoying the connection! Renunciation is not a solution either. It fails to recognize the connection between well-being and sustainable action. In companies, in the family, in the environment and in your own health. Because:

Pleasure makes sustainability more sustainable. Context, in turn, makes sense. And mankind has been searching for meaning since it could think.

But if we don't stop hiding and fragmenting the context, it will have greater effects than “just” dissatisfied customers due to a poor CX strategy. There will be another bang. In the area of health, environment and climate. That makes sense again because it reminds us of the connection – but it might not be so much fun...