Always Knowledge…

The last few months I had several conversations proposing that Knowledge Management does not mean that knowledge is now suddenly a force in business, society and life. It always was. There are certain new knowledge dynamics at work afforded by the IT revolution. And also, we have lost knowledge in the Industrial organisational form, and are now trying to find back the conversation and knowing. Hence, the centrality of new organisational forms and relations in the Knowledge Management inquiry. 

The following qoute from Alex Bennet in a work Characterizing the field of KM (2006), articulates this sentiment as well -

“Since the Greek philosophers, we have nurtured and sometimes abused the concept of knowledge, while always seeming to make longer-term progress. This upstart called knowledge management may be the beginning of a renaissance of thinking, creating, sharing and applying our greatest human asset—the ability to observe, understand, make sense out of our environment, and act upon our situation.”

 

“How fascinating”

Ben Zander igniting possibility

In an earlier post, I shared the anecdotal white-paper ceremony that Ben Zander introduced to elicit input and feedback from his orhestra.

Another useful ceremony he introduced is to respond with “How fascinating” to a mistake. To make a mistake is a fascinating opportunity to learn. When you are doing things right, you are often not conscious of why it is right, or what you do to get it right. When you make a mistake, there is a form of cognitive dissonance which presents an opportunity to learn. You then engage in a conscious act of appreciation of the problem and solution finding, as well as applying the solution. Often the solution is refined in a series of trial-and-error try-outs. Depending on the type of situation or the frequency of the action, the solution may then become part of the unconscious acting again, such as the way to play a passage in a music performance in a specific way. But chances are good that you will be mindful of that passage in a different way until you can trust that you will be able to do it the right way every time.

I recently experienced a “How fascinating” moment. I have not visited a cousin of mine for some time, and when driving to visit her last year I took the wrong road twice – each time I was confronted with the need to take cognisance of the surrounding clues so that she could direct me to the right way over the phone. Next time I knew what cues signalled that I was on the wrong way (again), but more importantly I was also consciously aware of the cues that would tell me where to turn and where to go. If I did by chance find the place a year ago the first time, I am not sure that I would have been able to do it again this year. Now I will be able to find it every time – except if the significant cues in the surroundings change…

Next time you get stuck, counter the potential frustration, potential embarassment, self-critique for stupidity or getting into defensive mode by saying -  “How fascinating”.

 

Non-disruptive, no cost Knowledge Management

What do you do when you are a orchestra director who beliefs that the orchestra members have some valuable input to offer, and is interested to hear what they are saying. But an orchestra member is only allowed to ask a questions, and not offering input or advise to the conductor.

You can hire a consultant to fix the situation – to come up with a plan to break down the barrier for knowledge flow that is inherent in the tradition of the relationship between the orchestra and the conductor – it is a new world. And then the consultant presents the plan for organisation redesign and change management to fix this problem, but what about the intent of this relationship – what else can be broken now if we change this?

Or we can just be aloof and accept it as something we cannot change, so I will not be able to hear the orchestra members input.

Or you can place a piece of white paper on every music stand and ask the orchestra members to write down anything they would like to share with the conductor that could contribute to a better performance.

That is what Mr Zander did. What can we do to nurture and facilitate knowledge sharing in such a natural, non-disruptive, volunteering and somewhat intriguing way? Without loading more effort onto the system, adding another meeting to people’s diaries or a planned intervention to change behaviour?

 

Teach them your mistakes

When they approached my husband some years ago to become a lecturer in Mechanical Engineering, he asked – What will I be able to teach them?

The response was – “Teach them your mistakes.”

 

The Scrum Master & La Linea

La Linea

One fo the Scrum Master’s responsibilities is to remove impediments…
While watching La Linea, the cartoonist reminded me of the Scrum Master – having to remove the impediments for the La Linea so that it can continue to walk the line. And team members can be very alike to the disgruntled La Linea – moaning, groaning, getting excited in their frustrations. Althought the cartoonist (as Scrum Master) is handling this with some aloofness, I do admire the resourcefullness by which he removes to impediment so that the La Linea can continue the action.

(Join the La Linea group on Facebook to join in the nostalgia and re-appreciate the art:))