Comments on: Get employees to share their knowledge http://blog.utipu.com/2008/06/30/get-employees-to-share-their-knowledge/ Thu, 20 Nov 2008 23:20:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Mona Glover http://blog.utipu.com/2008/06/30/get-employees-to-share-their-knowledge/#comment-102 Mona Glover Tue, 21 Oct 2008 18:54:07 +0000 http://blog.utipu.com/?p=32#comment-102 John, I now work in a smaller firm, and I find that the techs here share knowledge with each other. The problem is they don't share with the owners. We have weekly meetings and nothing is talked about without direct questions. But early mornings, the employees meet and talk about new products, additions to software that are required or should be, and on and on. It appears to be an ongoing problem with most companies. I found that with telephone companies (older), they used compensation to get the shared knowledge. Maybe that's still viable. M. John,

I now work in a smaller firm, and I find that the techs here share knowledge with each other. The problem is they don’t share with the owners. We have weekly meetings and nothing is talked about without direct questions. But early mornings, the employees meet and talk about new products, additions to software that are required or should be, and on and on.

It appears to be an ongoing problem with most companies. I found that with telephone companies (older), they used compensation to get the shared knowledge. Maybe that’s still viable.

M.

]]> By: John http://blog.utipu.com/2008/06/30/get-employees-to-share-their-knowledge/#comment-97 John Sun, 13 Jul 2008 16:27:13 +0000 http://blog.utipu.com/?p=32#comment-97 Reginald, Thanks for your question. Our software (TipCam) is free. uTIPu.com is also free. We make money by helping companies set up their public and private knowledge networking communities using our platform. These branded websites enable companies to 1) engage their customers in an active and constructive conversations about the companies' products and services, and 2) identify and promote best practices among employees. If you are interested in learning more about our business solutions, please drop me a note at jyin@utipu.com. John Reginald,

Thanks for your question. Our software (TipCam) is free. uTIPu.com is also free. We make money by helping companies set up their public and private knowledge networking communities using our platform. These branded websites enable companies to 1) engage their customers in an active and constructive conversations about the companies’ products and services, and 2) identify and promote best practices among employees.

If you are interested in learning more about our business solutions, please drop me a note at jyin@utipu.com.

John

]]> By: Reginald Thornton http://blog.utipu.com/2008/06/30/get-employees-to-share-their-knowledge/#comment-95 Reginald Thornton Fri, 04 Jul 2008 23:15:37 +0000 http://blog.utipu.com/?p=32#comment-95 I don't understand- is your software free? What is your revenue model- hosting? I don’t understand- is your software free? What is your revenue model- hosting?

]]> By: Susan http://blog.utipu.com/2008/06/30/get-employees-to-share-their-knowledge/#comment-94 Susan Thu, 03 Jul 2008 16:46:21 +0000 http://blog.utipu.com/?p=32#comment-94 Here's one that was not on your list: They think that they are superior, and that nobody else will be able to understand the information. I have heard things like "Even if I told you how to do it, you wouldn't do it correctly" or "Read the procedure. If you don't understand how to do it from reading the procedure, then you are stupid." The procedure is so vague (by design) that nobody can follow it. Here’s one that was not on your list:
They think that they are superior, and that nobody else will be able to understand the information. I have heard things like “Even if I told you how to do it, you wouldn’t do it correctly” or “Read the procedure. If you don’t understand how to do it from reading the procedure, then you are stupid.” The procedure is so vague (by design) that nobody can follow it.

]]> By: John http://blog.utipu.com/2008/06/30/get-employees-to-share-their-knowledge/#comment-93 John Wed, 02 Jul 2008 18:13:14 +0000 http://blog.utipu.com/?p=32#comment-93 Hi Filipe, thanks for your comment. Can you elaborate on "dramatic context change"? John Hi Filipe, thanks for your comment. Can you elaborate on “dramatic context change”?

John

]]> By: KG http://blog.utipu.com/2008/06/30/get-employees-to-share-their-knowledge/#comment-92 KG Wed, 02 Jul 2008 03:15:00 +0000 http://blog.utipu.com/?p=32#comment-92 John, When I am referring to the knowledge that should be shared, I am talking about the asset that company possesses as a foundation of its service offering and service support. When it comes to Yahoo Answers this is about sharing advices that may be right, or wrong. Yahoo Answers help to share common knowledge, that doesn’t represent a corporate asset. In my answer I was focused on corporate knowledge, and on the joint ownership of it. The way you jointly own and treat an asset, depends on your values. KG. John,

When I am referring to the knowledge that should be shared, I am talking about the asset that company possesses as a foundation of its service offering and service support. When it comes to Yahoo Answers this is about sharing advices that may be right, or wrong. Yahoo Answers help to share common knowledge, that doesn’t represent a corporate asset.
In my answer I was focused on corporate knowledge, and on the joint ownership of it. The way you jointly own and treat an asset, depends on your values.

KG.

]]> By: Peter M http://blog.utipu.com/2008/06/30/get-employees-to-share-their-knowledge/#comment-91 Peter M Tue, 01 Jul 2008 23:58:58 +0000 http://blog.utipu.com/?p=32#comment-91 Hi John, My top reason is, often people are afraid to give out knowledge because they fear that they might not be needed anymore. Interesting topic. Peter Hi John,

My top reason is, often people are afraid to give out knowledge because they fear that they might not be needed anymore.
Interesting topic.

Peter

]]> By: John http://blog.utipu.com/2008/06/30/get-employees-to-share-their-knowledge/#comment-90 John Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:57:32 +0000 http://blog.utipu.com/?p=32#comment-90 Thanks for leaving the comments. I did hear a lot about the company culture as a culprit for employees not sharing. I did not include it in the list of answers because I felt that it would make the problem "unsolvable". In DG's example, it sounded like the employees were not sharing because they knew that was what the management wanted. They used the possession of knowledge as a weapon to get even with the management. One phenomenon that intrigues me is the enthusiastic participation at Yahoo Answers. Yes, there is a point/level system there. But there is no company culture and all the human natures (good or bad) are at play there. Yahoo simply removes all the frictions and makes it very easy for one to participate. - John Thanks for leaving the comments. I did hear a lot about the company culture as a culprit for employees not sharing. I did not include it in the list of answers because I felt that it would make the problem “unsolvable”. In DG’s example, it sounded like the employees were not sharing because they knew that was what the management wanted. They used the possession of knowledge as a weapon to get even with the management.

One phenomenon that intrigues me is the enthusiastic participation at Yahoo Answers. Yes, there is a point/level system there. But there is no company culture and all the human natures (good or bad) are at play there. Yahoo simply removes all the frictions and makes it very easy for one to participate.

- John

]]> By: Filipe Pinto http://blog.utipu.com/2008/06/30/get-employees-to-share-their-knowledge/#comment-89 Filipe Pinto Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:41:42 +0000 http://blog.utipu.com/?p=32#comment-89 Knowledge organizations are a world apart from regular organizations. The same parallel can be drawn between a BPM organization and a non-BPM one.... or even between organizations that use more or less Carbon. After so many years of teaching BPM, I have come to the conclusion the fast adoption of "new" ideas needs: 1 - a "sweet" Trojan, so people consume it without knowing it, or they need 2 - powerful siege by an alliance of small companies, or one done by a large corporation (like IBM). 3 - a dramatic context change Without it, we will be limited to organic growth. In this situation, the question really becomes: 1 - how can it be fun to record video knowledge at work? 2 - how can a video platform be placed inside a larger platform? 3 - when will employees stop being paid to learn, and hence will have to demand the fastest way to get trained? If left to the employees, these questions will be left answered. Knowledge organizations are a world apart from regular organizations. The same parallel can be drawn between a BPM organization and a non-BPM one…. or even between organizations that use more or less Carbon.

After so many years of teaching BPM, I have come to the conclusion the fast adoption of “new” ideas needs:

1 - a “sweet” Trojan, so people consume it without knowing it, or they need

2 - powerful siege by an alliance of small companies, or one done by a large corporation (like IBM).

3 - a dramatic context change

Without it, we will be limited to organic growth.

In this situation, the question really becomes:

1 - how can it be fun to record video knowledge at work?

2 - how can a video platform be placed inside a larger platform?

3 - when will employees stop being paid to learn, and hence will have to demand the fastest way to get trained?

If left to the employees, these questions will be left answered.

]]> By: KG http://blog.utipu.com/2008/06/30/get-employees-to-share-their-knowledge/#comment-88 KG Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:00:54 +0000 http://blog.utipu.com/?p=32#comment-88 Corporate culture defines how employee behaves, including their willingness to share knowledge. It is very common for many companies to ignore necessity to define company’s values, and consequently company’s culture and ideology. As a result there is no ideology, and no values. In this case why should managers be surprised that the ideology of knowledge sharing is not present? And when I am talking about values, I mean not just to declare them, but to live them. Corporate culture defines how employee behaves, including their willingness to share knowledge. It is very common for many companies to ignore necessity to define company’s values, and consequently company’s culture and ideology. As a result there is no ideology, and no values. In this case why should managers be surprised that the ideology of knowledge sharing is not present?
And when I am talking about values, I mean not just to declare them, but to live them.

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