Knowledge Networking

1. What is knowledge networking and why is it important?

2. Forms of Networking Forms of Networking • Social networking – to make friends • Business networking – to sell things • Job networking – to get a job • Knowledge Networking – to build relationships in order to learn from each other & to get things done together

3. On Knowledge On Knowledge Knowledge is embodied in people gathered in communities and networks. The road to knowledge is via people, conversations, connections and relationships. Knowledge surfaces through dialog, all knowledge is socially mediated and access to knowledge is by connecting to people that know or know who to contact. Denham Grey

4. What is Knowledge Networking? What is Knowledge Networking? • Its about building relationships with people who you can help and support • And in turn who can help and support you!

5. What is Knowledge Networking? What is Knowledge Networking? • Knowledge Networking is – sharing with each other – learning from each other – working together more effectively • It is – reciprocal – about emotional support as well as practical – a form of two-way coaching – a means of ensuring both yourself and other people get the information they need – about connecting yourself and other people to new ideas!

6. The Purpose The Purpose • Knowledge Networking is not an end in itself • You must remember the purpose • To help you & others get things done that are of value to the business – more efficiently, more effectively • To help you discover new opportunities that are of value to the business – and to act on them

7. Operational v. Strategic Operational v. Strategic • Short term – creating practical/pragmatic relationships – effectiveness at what you and others are already doing • Long term – building strategic relationships/capability – discovering new business opportunities – doing new things in new more effective ways

8. Other Benefits Other Benefits • Learn what is going on around you – other people are your eyes and ears • Gain new perspectives – other people think differently to you • Your blinkers are removed … you get to see the ‘bleeding obvious’ – other people see things that you don’t even when they are in your face!

9. Ethics Ethics • Some people have a problem with networking – they think it is unethical! • An implicit mutual contract – I’ll help you and you’ll help me • If contract broken - it is OK to walk away

10. Knowledge Sharing

11. Knowledge Sharing Knowledge Sharing • We do not ‘share knowledge’ in the literal meaning of sharing • Not like sharing a cake – Synergistic 2 + 2 = 5 • Its more about: – Personal Networking – Helping each other – Working together – Collaborating

12. Personal Reasons for Sharing Personal Reasons for Sharing • To help other people & to help ourselves • Other people – to get things done – to build relationships so they in turn help us • Ourselves – Learning to be gained – Knowledge is perishable – Someone else will make our knowledge productive first

13. Personal Barriers to Sharing Personal Barriers to Sharing • An attitude that knowledge is power • Fear of job loss • Fear of embarrassment • Inertia • Lack of time • People don’t see the benefits • and much more ...

14. Is Sharing Natural? Is Sharing Natural? • Some say – sharing is human & comes naturally • Other say – knowledge is power and sharing is not natural

15. Knowledge Sharing Knowledge Sharing Share your Knowledge Reasons for Sharing • ego • money reward • guilt • credit to somebody else • passed over for promotion • depression • alcoholism • marital breakdown • destitution • die a bum Is this really true?

16. Do we share? Do we share? • We ALL help each other to a greater or lesser degree • Within our department • Within our project work • With friends and trusted colleagues

17. Why do we share? Why do we share? • We share because – it is in our interest - we have something to gain • We do not give our knowledge away • We TRADE things • Two major barriers to sharing – lack of TIME! – lack of obvious benefit i.e. there is no trade

18. Trading Knowledge Trading Knowledge We help people when they approach us for a variety of reasons (often implicit): • • • • we are looking for a new job we want them to be indebted to us we want to build a potentially useful relationship they pay us or give us some other tangible reward we need to do our job we are afraid of the consequences if we don’t we like them we want to look good we want them to like us we enjoy it we are looking for promotion • • • • • • •

19. The Desire to Learn The Desire to Learn • By sharing our knowledge with others • WE learn – we learn from them – we make our tacit knowledge more explicit – our assumptions are revealed – we are forced to simplify things • We can often learn more than we teach! If we want to learn we should teach! Stephen Covey

20. The trick to sharing more The trick to sharing more • If we approach someone – help make clear the benefits • If we are being approached – look for the benefits • Especially the learning benefits

21. Benefit & Time Benefit & Time Benefit high low Opportunity for learning/ relationship building high no brainer Time Availability explore/ escalate suggest an alternative low

22. Summary Summary • Knowledge networking is about learning from each other and working effectively together • Knowledge sharing is more about knowledge trading! • Learning is one of the the major benefits • FOCUS ON THE BUSINESS VALUE!