Cover and move (teamwork over silos)

Every team and department exists to support the others toward the same mission, not to win locally.

Why it works

When sub-teams optimize their own metrics, they create local wins and global failure — the classic silo problem. Framing every unit as mutually supporting realigns incentives around the shared outcome, so groups share information and resources instead of competing for credit. The mechanism is goal superordination: a common higher goal dissolves intergroup rivalry.

How to do it

1. Name the single shared mission that every sub-team is serving, above any departmental goal.
2. When two teams clash, ask which course best serves that shared mission, not which team is right.
3. Reward cross-team support explicitly so helping another group is never career-costly.

Evidence

Aligns with classic intergroup research showing that superordinate goals reduce conflict between groups. The military "cover and move" framing is the practitioner translation. (observational)

Superordinate goals reduce but do not erase rivalry, especially when reward structures still pit teams against each other. Fix the incentives, not just the slogan.

Sources

• Sherif et al. (1961), Robbers Cave — superordinate goals reduce intergroup conflict

Common mistake

Preaching teamwork while leaving in place metrics and bonuses that reward each silo for winning at the others’ expense.