What Christmas can learn from Knowledge management

www.whiteravensconsulting.com - Twitter: @GeertSWillems - Book us for a passionate KM talk
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I learned that the appreciation of Santa Claus and Christmas can be largely depending on childhood: for my wife Santa Claus was almost the best period, while Christmas was for me indeed a period of peace, light, love, warmth and communication in the family I grew up.

And Christmas still has this meaning for me. I believe to the benefit of my own family - trying to bring extra peace, light, love and warmth in this family.  Values, independent of religion. Memories I hope my children will cherrish too.

And then there comes the week after: new year.
And then the year starts again... unitl the end of that year everything starts over again.

When you put this graphically on a calendar, it looks pritty stupid.
And I admit. Even loving the values of Christmas, I don't think about them lying at the beach in summer. I don't think about them giving the best of myself to my customers.
Although the values are still there.
It's only when something special occurs that the conscious attention is there. And of course, uncousciously the values are there, and I hope the acting is accordingly.

Wouldn't I be a better man giving these values conscious thoughts?
Wouldn't even my customers be better off if I was a better man giving these values more conscious thoughts?

And now for the knowledge mangement stretch.

I strongly believe in knowledge management. Otherwise it wouldn't be my passion. Otherwise it wouldn't be my life's work developping and consolidating techniques. I wouldn't have become the consultant I am now.

I believe when developping and implementing a knowledge strategy, it's Christmas for my customer. Attention is given to values that matter. Attention that changes company behaviour for the better. Resilient, innovative, productive.

And than the project enter's maintenance phase. But; this time, the attention to handling knowledge remains available. As your company pays attention to quality management and project management.


So... Christmas can really learn something from knowledge management.


A statement I wouldn't have dare to make twenty years ago.

KM: kissing the frog in storytelling

www.whiteravensconsulting.com - Twitter: GeertSWillems

Oh yes, I love storytelling.

Oh no, I hate storytelling.

Today I had a workshop with a great change manager. She invested time in reviewing a book of mine.

And one of the topics we discussed was storytelling.

When I write, I'm not on this world. My PC and I are connected. Most of the time helped in trance by fantastic music, and the words appear automatically on screen on the waves of my thoughts.

And after doing that for a day of five, being 150 pages later I feel drained.
I'm satisfied and empty at the same time.

Satisfied, because all the knowledge in my head was transferred. Out of my mind.

Empty, because it feels like a whole load of thoughts made my head less full.

And that feeling, is great.

But that, is only the content.

It's only the frog I created.

Then I need to rework things. Towards the audience.

To make a complete nice, coherent story with this audience in mind.

And focussing that despite complex and numerous matter, the story that I tell is a great story.

And those last things are the most energy consuming.

Unfortunately, I need to kiss a frog right now.

I challenge you: Are you the KM manager this is written for?

www.whiteravensconsulting.com  - Twitter: GeertSWillems

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It's a pitty.
It really is.
It's a misted opportunity!
It's a shame!

And still, it happens.
In SME's.
In multinationals.

All over the world.

They lie!
And they don't know it!

They have it!
But they don't use it!

Yes, they have the box.
Yes, they have the function!

Yes, there is one with on his business card: knowledge manager.

Yes, they are convinced they are doing it right!

But,

It's only on paper.
They got the title because they were already information manager.
They got the title because they are convinced it's a simple add on.
They got the title because they have to leave the company in a few years, and a demotional promotion had to be created

Yes they perform knowledge management.

But it's:

(picture credit: freedigitalphotos)

Can't help it.

It makes me angry.

It makes me go to the fitness and thinking about how to handle this organisation.

Because I need to think.
Because helping a company with such knowlege management installed is much more diffictult to help than a company without an official knowledge management role yet. 

Except,

when it's realised:

Ok, I have this role of KM in this company,

but I want to unleash the knowledge and imagination.

And a question comes from that person:

Realising they are far from unleashing the knowledge mwithin the company.

After the insight and conscience knowledge management is indeed a specialisation where you need a lot of knowledge and insights.

Then the question comes:

I want to fill this box with the treasure of a knowledge strategy. 

How to I cope?

And then,

after taken action

I can fly home

with a biiiiiig smile on my face.

Is this article written for you?

I told myself it's ok to tease from time to time in a blog

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Geert Willems

www.gswconsulting.org - Twitter: @GSWconsulting - Facebook - Book us for a passionate KM talk
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