What is knowledge networking and why is it important?

Forms of NetworkingForms 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

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

On KnowledgeOn Knowledge

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!

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!

The PurposeThe 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

Operational v. StrategicOperational 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

Other BenefitsOther 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!

EthicsEthics

• 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

Knowledge Sharing

Knowledge SharingKnowledge 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

Personal Reasons for SharingPersonal 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

Personal Barriers to SharingPersonal 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 ...

Is Sharing Natural?Is Sharing Natural?

• Some say – sharing is human & comes naturally

• Other say– knowledge is power and sharing is not natural

Knowledge SharingKnowledge Sharing

Share your Knowledge

• credit to somebody else• passed over for promotion

• depression• alcoholism

• marital breakdown• destitution• die a bum

Is this really true?

Reasons for Sharing• ego

• money reward• guilt

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

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

Trading KnowledgeTrading Knowledge

• 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

• 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 help people when they approach us for a varietyof reasons (often implicit):

The Desire to LearnThe Desire to Learn

• By sharing our knowledgewith 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 thanwe teach!

If we want to learn we should

teach!

Stephen Covey

The trick to sharing moreThe 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

Benefit & TimeBenefit & Time

TimeAvailability

Benefit

high

low

high low

no brainer

Opportunity for learning/relationship

building

explore/escalate

suggest an alternative

SummarySummary

• 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!