Cameron HeroldFounder of the COO Alliance & Invest In Your Leaders Training

Your Team Isn't Your Department | Griff Long

6 Feb 2026 · 0 min

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Griff Long uses Tom Brady as an example: a quarterback's real team is the whole franchise, not just the offense. Leaders like VPs and CFOs make the same mistake, treating their department as the primary team instead of the company. Breaking down silos means seeing all parts of the organization, not just your own unit.

So if you think about Tom Brady for a second, you think about the Patriots. You've got the offensive team, and you've got the defensive team, and you've got the special teams. What is his most important team?
Well, that's a great question. I think he would point to it. It's the sum of all the parts.
Thank you. And that's why you're good at what you do. I wish everyone could see what I just kind of threw my hands up. But so many companies that struggle with silos, what happens is they think that the quarterback's most important team is the offensive team, or they think the VP of marketing's most important team is marketing, and it's not. The VP's most important team is the company. The COO's most important team is the company. The head of finance most important team is the company. Their second most important team is finance or marketing. Tom Brady's most important team are the Patriots. The second most important team is the offensive team. But when he's off the field, he's watching what's happening on there with the defense so he can show them what's going on because they're all in it for the good of the team.