No matter how siloed roles or departments are, no one works in a bubble. What happens in marketing affects finance. And finance’s forecasts have ramifications for customer service. In such an interdependent world, managers must learn to open up with all stakeholders or risk losing others’ faith—and losing profits.

Managers have to constantly interact with other parts of the organization to do their jobs well. As a departmental head, you must be able to explain to the other managers what your team’s goals are, how you plan to achieve them, and why that is good for the company.

The upshot is that open communication between departments makes employees see and embrace their roles in the organization as a whole, which helps them become actively involved in companywide success.

The art of interdepartmental communication

Moving toward more transparent communication takes time, energy, and behavioral changes. Try adjusting your style and protocols in the following ways to increase the flow of genuine information in your workplace:

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