Management Information

Knowledge Management - Leadership Behaviours Which Encourage Knowledge-Sharing


The concept of knowledge management or knowledge sharing makes intellectual sense to the leadership teams in most organisations. Why wouldn't we want to learn from our successes and failures, and translate that learning into value?

However, there is often a gap between the conceptual understanding, and their own behaviours as leaders - and that can be a problem? How do you engage leaders both intellectually and emotionally, in a way which will make a difference to their day-to-day behaviours? It requires more than a set of competency frameworks!

The examples below are taken from the bestselling fieldbook "Learning to Fly ? Practical knowledge management from leading and learning organisations", written by Chris Collison and Geoff Parcell.

Example 1) In BP, well known for its knowledge-sharing culture, the senior leadership developed a habit of reinforcing "learning from others" when they visited operational sites. Imagine the scene: the Director or Senior VP arrives, and is given the usual tour of the site. They sit down with the management team and review the performance of the business against a set of stated KPIs. One of these KPIs is currently not being met. What happens when they identify this issue?

"Have you thought about approach X? Addressed performance issue Y? Changed widget Z?"

..will generate one set of behaviours.

"Who else have you spoken with at other sites who might have a similar issue?" ..will drive a very different set of behaviours.

This is the route that BP has chosen to take; senior management visits are opportunities to reinforce the value of learning from others, rather than opportunities to underline their seniority by providing "the answer".

Example 2) When the senior directors from energy and essential services company, Centrica, met to discuss how to improve knowledge sharing in the company, they agreed a set of practical "leadership challenges" for senior managers across the organisation:

  • How can I personally demonstrate that "asking for help" is a sign of strength rather than weakness?
  • When encountering a business problem, how can I reinforce the importance of learning from others - rather than simply providing an answer?
  • When reviewing a project or investment proposal, have I challenged to ensure that it brings to bear knowledge from other projects?
  • How do I react when someone fails - is it purely a loss to the business, or is it an investment in their education?
  • Do my team see failure as something to learn from, or something to cover up?

These kind of questions and challenges bring to life the notion of knowledge management in a tangible, practical manner.

What would work in your organisation? If you could issue five challenges to your senior team, what would you choose?

-------------------------------------

Chris Collison is a renowned expert in knowledge management and an experienced practitioner in the leadership and implementation of organisational change from a people perspective.

As a best-selling author, he has presented to audiences at business schools and at conferences around the world, and is a regular contributor to specialist knowledge management publications. Chris has worked with leaders at the highest levels of many public and private-sector organizations, sharing the practical experiences he gained whilst working in BP's knowledge management team, and his deep understanding of the human dynamics of major change programmes.

Visit the "learning to fly" website at http://www.learning-to-fly.org


MORE RESOURCES:

MiamiHerald.com

Risk Management Needed for Energy Loan Guarantees, Report Says
Bloomberg
Potential losses from US energy loan programs are likely to be less than projected by the White House and Congress, according to an independent analysis that Democrats said validated support for clean-energy innovation. The Obama administration ordered ...
DOE needs better risk managementiWatch News
Post-Solyndra review urges better energy loan managementThe Hill (blog)

all 267 news articles »


Globe and Mail

Apollo Global Management assets lift off in 2011, up 11%
Pensions & Investments
By Arleen Jacobius Apollo Global Management on Friday reported $75.3 billion in assets under management as of Dec 31, up 11% from a year earlier, according to the alternative investment firm's earnings report. Apollo Global had $35.4 billion in private ...
Apollo Global Management, LLC Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter ...MarketWatch (press release)
Financial Briefing BookWall Street Journal
Apollo Fourth-Quarter Profit Falls 66% on Market SwingsBusinessWeek
Reuters
all 48 news articles »


Business Insider

List Of Pepsi Managers Who Have Left The Company
Business Insider
It's not news that PepsiCo has suffered a lot of management churn in the last few years, and that sales of some brands have been hurt as the company has lost its focus. But it's not until you see the list of senior brand management names who have ...
PepsiCo to Cut 8700 Jobs, Reduce Management Layers in Global Productivity DriveIndustryWeek
PepsiCo Announces Strategic Investments to Drive GrowthMarketWatch (press release)
PepsiCo Cuts Jobs, Plans Culture ChangeFINS

all 590 news articles »


Kansas City Star

Vietnam Premier Urges Land Management Review, Citing Transaction Mistakes
Bloomberg
Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has asked for a nationwide review of land management procedures and said local authorities made mistakes in a land acquisition case in the northern port city of Haiphong, according to a statement on the ...
Forced Eviction 'Illegal'Radio Free Asia

all 126 news articles »


Carrington Capital Management, American Home Mortgage Servicing Announce ...
MarketWatch (press release)
Resolution of Carrington Asset Holding, LLC, ET Al. Plaintiffs, v. American Home Mortgage Servicing, Inc., Defendant SANTA ANA, CA, Feb 10, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Carrington Capital Management, LLC ("Carrington"), a subsidiary of Carrington ...

and more »


Advanced task managers on iOS
CNET (blog)
by Jason Parker February 10, 2012 12:00 PM PST Follow @jparkerCNET There must be hundreds, if not thousands, of to-do-list management apps in the iTunes App Store, but which one should you choose? I found a couple of new task management apps recently ...

and more »


Spend Management Experts Wins Supply & Demand Chain Executive Award
MarketWatch (press release)
ATLANTA, GA, Feb 10, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Spend Management Experts today announced that founder and CEO John Haber has received the Supply & Demand Chain Executive's 2012 "Pros to Know" award in the provider category.

and more »


Ariz. tribe votes to take over Skywalk management
CBS News
A tribal spokesman says the Tribal Council voted Feb.7, 2012 to sever a contract with Las Vegas developer David Jin and take over management of the Skywalk. (AP Photo/The Arizona Republic, Rob Schumacher, File) MARICOPA COUNTY OUT; MAGS OUT; ...

and more »


Schultze Asset Management Founder George Schultze Delivers Key Comments in ...
MarketWatch (press release)
10, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- George Schultze, Founder and Managing Member of Schultze Asset Management, LLC ("SAM"), was a key speaker today in Harvard Business School's Creating Value Through Corporate Restructuring course taught by Professor ...

and more »


Waste Management Employee Who Works Tirelessly to Save Dogs Receives Top ...
MarketWatch (press release)
10, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- As part of its annual recognition of community service, Waste Management of Michigan/Ohio has selected Deanna West of Lake Orion, Michigan to receive its most prestigious community award as "Volunteer of the Year" ...

and more »

Google News

home | site map
© 2006