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Don't let your company's departments get cut off from each other and stop communicating about and progressing toward shared goals. In the early days of a startup, most team members likely wear multiple hats and have to pitch in together on a variety of projects. But as companies grow and develop, different departments may adopt their own project management and communications systems. While it may seem like it's a good idea for every team to find and leverage the tools and processes that work best for them, a drive for "departmental efficiency" can have the unintended effect of creating team silos. If every team or department in an organization is working with a different set of processes, systems, and tools, they may end up engaged in redundant work, overlook important tasks, and struggle to effectively communicate updates and needs with other stakeholders. All of these misfires can eventually lead to frustration for both the staff and the customers and clients the business serves. Fortunately, with the right strategies from leadership, it's possible to prevent the prevalence and minimize the impact of working in silos. Below, 16 Fast Company Executive Board members share their best tips and tricks for establishing a culture that values both maximum efficiency and productive collaboration.

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Knowing what others who have been in your shoes wish they’d done can save you time, money, and effort. As an entrepreneur first starting out, you may find yourself seeking out business podcasts, books, articles, and more in an effort to feel prepared. While there are plenty of great resources out there, experience is what’s likely to teach you the most. Still, you’re not the first person to walk this path, and knowing what your predecessors would change if they had it all to do again can be invaluable. Your entrepreneurial journey is unique, and ultimately, you’ll write the story of your business’s birth and growth. But there can be a big benefit to weaving in the wisdom of others. Below, 15 Fast Company Executive Board members look back and reflect on what they wish they had done when they first began their entrepreneurial journeys.

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Corporate explorers are helping corporations step out of the shadow of startups.

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Companies that make it to 100 years old have these core ingredients.

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Stress is a natural part of life, but it doesn't have to derail your focus and productivity. Leaders generally deal with some level of stress on a daily basis—but they can't let it sidetrack them or shut them down. With multiple responsibilities on their plate, leaders need to have go-to strategies and coping mechanisms to ease both everyday and situational stress and get back to the work at hand.  With plenty of experience coping with the myriad responsibilities of leadership, the members of Fast Company Executive Board have their own methods for handling high-pressure moments, big responsibilities, and heavy workloads. Below, 15 of them share their favorite ways to find calm and move forward. Follow their recommendations the next time you find yourself carrying the burden of stress.

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You’ve caught the attention of a new prospect—now you need to convince them you can really deliver what you’re promising. Across industries, marketing teams of both B2B and B2C companies employ a variety of strategies to catch the attention of new prospects. It can be a difficult hill to climb—particularly in today’s global, digital marketplace—but even when you succeed, your work may be only half done. The new prospect knows what you claim to offer, but they may not be sure—yet—that you can back it up. To complete the sale, companies need to close the “credibility gap” that may be keeping prospects from making a final decision in their favor. To help, 15 members of Fast Company Executive Board have shared ways companies can convince potential clients and customers that they are capable of and committed to following through on their marketing promises. Follow their advice to establish your expertise and land the deal.

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A basic understanding of consumer psychology can help you drive trust, connections, and ultimately, sales. Every business leader has heard the mantra: “If you want to boost sales, you’ve got to get to know your target audience.” Many companies limit this strategy to learning basic demographic information like age, gender, geographic region, and household income. But a smart leader knows that building an understanding of their customer or client base should also involve understanding human psychology. If you and your team understand basic psychological principles, you can form genuine connections with consumers, thereby building loyalty and trust (and sales). To help you achieve this, below the members of Fast Company Executive Board share 14 things every smart business leader needs to understand about consumer psychology.

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There are smart ways to balance business growth with social responsibility (and even tie them together). Every entrepreneur wants to grow their business. However, as experienced leaders know, achieving and then coping with rapid growth comes with challenges. While the first topic that comes to mind may be managing complex finances or building a team to handle the heavier load, another factor to consider is how to address your company’s commitment to social responsibility. For example, the path to growth could potentially involve an expanded carbon footprint. Or hiring quickly to fill needs may make it more difficult to ensure your efforts are guided by diversity, equity, and inclusion.  Fortunately, entrepreneurs don’t have to choose between significant success and social responsibility. As the leaders of Fast Company Executive Board know, there are smart ways to ensure that your fast growth also comes with a positive social impact. To balance your desires to build your business and contribute to positive change, check out the eight strategies they share below.

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Many firms start by trying to create a "culture of innovation" — they want to empower employees to put their best ideas into action.

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It's never been more important for leaders to show their team members their appreciation than in the past several months—and there are many ways to do it. The past year has been a challenging one for everyone, both professionally and personally. From instituting remote work arrangements to temporary layoffs, businesses had to make adjustments—often without warning—to stay afloat. Those businesses that have weathered recent storms could not have done so without the loyalty and hard work of their team members. That’s why it’s more important than ever for leaders to show those team members their thanks and appreciation. Indeed, a little extra love can make a huge difference in employee morale and well-being at any time, but particularly when teams are working remotely and lack the usual in-person interactions. Below, 15 members of Fast Company Executive Board share how they’ve shown their staff their appreciation over the past year and why this approach has been effective in lifting their team's spirits.

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If you want to build a brand that lasts, start by creating a community of like-minded consumers and advocates of your product or service. With multiple social media outlets and a vast online marketplace, consumers have unprecedented access to information about companies, allowing them to make informed decisions about who to do business with. Consumers tend to put particular trust in—and therefore seek out—other consumers’ opinions. This transparency can also work in the favor of a business, which can use the same media to share information and build a community around their brand. While it starts with a good product or service, there’s more to building a community than that. If a company works to reach out to its target audience through content, shared values, and stories, happy clients and customers may turn into faithful fans who spread the word and help the brand grow. However, businesses may not always be sure of how to begin building this sense of loyalty and shared community with their current and potential audience. To help, 16 members of Fast Company Executive Board share strategies any company can use to start building a community around its brand. Follow their recommendations to plant the seeds of avid brand advocacy among your customer base.

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Debate in the workplace is essential to collecting and considering diverse opinions, but it must be done respectfully. Organizations thrive when a diverse team comes together to serve the audience and each other. Similarly, leaders benefit when they receive input from everyone throughout the company. Hearing from team members with a variety of backgrounds and experiences better informs important decisions.  When a variety of perspectives is brought to the table, however, it’s certain that there will be occasional disagreement and debate—sometimes vigorous. Challenging one another and sharing dissenting opinions is an important part of the brainstorming process, but for a strong and trusting culture, the debate must be healthy and respectful.  Setting clear “ground rules” and leveraging smart strategies can ensure all your team members feel comfortable bringing their ideas forward and working together to reach the best conclusion. Below, 15 members of Fast Company Executive Board share ways they’ve accomplished this in their organizations.