Knowledge-Sharing Woes? Just Read the Wiki
April 14, 2009
Ivonne Chirino-Klevans, Ph.D., Program Director, International Programs, Walden University, for HireDiversity.com
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Wikis--Web-based content systems that are user editable--are among several means of knowledge-sharing within an organization. But why is it so important to share knowledge?
Take a hypothetical employee, Brian. He was recently laid off from a large company where he was in charge of the payroll system, and was an expert in the database system that processed payment for the company. Since then, he has found another job at Newtech Technologies. His first assignment is to design a compensation system for the employees going on foreign assignments in two months. His boss tells him that Sue, who works in payroll, may be able to answer many questions about the effectiveness of previous compensation systems. Sue, however, is reluctant to discuss the issue with Brian; she worries that if others know how to do her job, it might make her a less valuable employee.
If only that information did not depend on someone's willingness to share.
Every organization sees employees come and go, for various reasons. The constant is that an employee's departure usually leaves a costly leadership gap. In a perfect world this gap would be quickly filled by an individual who has been groomed to take on leadership responsibilities the moment the need arises. But in the real world few organizations prepare such a talent pool. This may stem from a simple lack of organization, or it may spring from what psychologists call "magical thinking"--the belief that unexpected things do not happen to us (or to our organizations); in this case, that leaders will be "eternal." Sounds unrealistic, doesn't it?
Organizations have tools available for developing leadership capabilities, however. An important early step is knowledge sharing. The phrase itself implies the willingness to make our knowledge (and perhaps the secrets of success) available to others.
But before jumping on the bandwagon of knowledge sharing and knowledge management, it is crucial to understand why and how people naturally share--or don't share--knowledge. To do so, it's essential to go back to the basics: understanding the dynamics of human behavior in organizations.
According to Scarbrough (2003) people share knowledge in four ways:
-- Web networks: We share knowledge because we want to connect with others, creating communities of practice. The Internet has expanded the possibilities for such communities exponentially. Those interested in best practices in cross-cultural management, for example, can find a wide array of blogs and discussion boards on the topic. These networks are usually based on trust and professional respect; such networks create communities of practice that are active and evolving communication processes whose content (knowledge) grows as participation grows. According to social exchange theory, which posits that participants determine what they "give" in a social relationship in part by what they expect to "receive," this participation is motivated by the notion that others will share their knowledge as well.
-- Knowledge ladder: We share knowledge as a way to arrive at a certain status. In this scenario those sharing knowledge benefit because they are seen as expert contributors. Online discussion group owners or facilitators, who are in charge of welcoming new members, synthesizing information or providing clarification, often enjoy this higher status.
-- Knowledge torch: Leaders serve as role models for sharing knowledge. In this process, knowledge sharing is encouraged and is reinforced by intrinsic or extrinsic rewards. For example, the director of business development can create a monthly update on new projects; the update includes best practices and challenges, which models knowledge sharing for employees she supervises. She reinforces the process with an "innovation" award that recognizes employees who suggest new products to develop (and which are subsequently taken to market), who share their own best practices, challenges and solutions to those challenges.
-- Knowledge fortress: Knowledge is used to maintain the status quo, and as a resource to compete against others. In this model, business units act as self-contained groups within the organization, are unwilling to share knowledge and are reinforced/rewarded for doing so. Consider a financial institution whose brokerage division has very loyal corporate clients. Employees in this division do not want to share the knowledge (processes, familiarity with client's businesses, client relationships, etc.) that has led to client loyalty; they fear losing the clients to other divisions or don't trust other divisions to competently maintain the business relationship.
I would add two more dimensions to this concept: Knowledge funnel and knowledge "hot potato."
-- Knowledge funnel: Staff meetings have often been the traditional means of disseminating information to a team of employees. However, they are often perceived as inefficient, forcing people away from other tasks. Some managers have opted for asking their employees to record their weekly updates, formally or informally; all team members can access the information and digest and implement it as best fits their schedules.
-- Knowledge "hot potato": Experts within organizations often may spend too much time answering the same questions posed by different people, reducing the experts' productivity. Someone who knows how to process visas for employees going to work overseas, for example, could be consulted about this several times in the same week, or even day. Building a wiki that contains this type of often-requested information (which can be enriched by other users) not only helps the knowledge "hot potato" use more of his or her time for his core functions, but creates a community of practice.
Persuading the "owners of organizational memories and knowledge" to share valuable information can be key to a functional organization. But be sure to understand the bigger picture in order to effectively motivate knowledge sharing.
Scarbrough, H. (2003). Why your employees don't share what they know. Knowledge Management Review. 6 (2), 16–19.
Dr. Ivonne Chirino-Klevans joined Walden University in 2005 as a professor of organizational psychology and currently serves as Program Director for the Center for International Programs. The International Management Certificate is a post-bachelor business certificate designed to give business professionals in Latin America international business acumen and English language skills.
Her extensive experience includes years of working with Fortune 500 companies in designing training and development programs and serving as Program Director for Duke Corporate Education.
Dr. Chirino-Klevans received her Ph.D. in Psychology from Universidad Iberoamericana, and also holds an MBA from Universidad de las Americas, and a Masters in Psychology from Georgia College and State University. Earlier in her career, she also served as the psychologist for the Mexican national rowing team, and contributed to the team winning a silver medal at the 1991 Pan Am Games. She herself is a Pan American games medallist in gymnastics.
Source: HispanicBusiness.com (c) 2009. All rights reserved.
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