One mistake any person in a leadership role can make is to ignore or fail to realize the value each department brings to the organization. This can be especially true in siloed organizations where barriers exist that limit the effectiveness of communication between co-workers and departments. Barriers can be physical, cultural, or personal in nature. A physical barrier refers to being geographically separated, either across the country or even in the same building. Cultural barriers can include misunderstandings due to language or customs that may create communication breakdowns. However, this article speaks to company cultures that create barriers. As mentioned earlier, siloed organizations impede interdepartmental communication, whether intentionally or not. Finally, personal barriers involve individual attitudes and biases. A person may be reluctant to receive feedback or input from others for personal reasons. Whatever the case may be, a motor carrier’s leadership team cannot afford to make mission-critical decisions without input from every affected department. Whoever manages your safety and regulatory compliance efforts should have a seat at the table in every operational meeting involving department heads. Because transportation is a highly regulated, high-risk industry, who better to help department heads achieve their organizational objectives than safety? Preventing losses and managing risks should be top of mind in every business decision. If a motor carrier cannot operate safely, it is losing money. If it is losing money, the company cannot compete; and if the company cannot compete, it cannot survive. So, regardless of fleet size and organizational structure, senior management should view safety as one of the most important keys to the company’s long-term success. Here are two examples that show how safety can contribute to the discussion of trucking-related issues that motor carriers face on a daily basis.