HUMAN LEARNING - NATURAL DRIFT TO LOOSE COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE

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Let me look at just two issues from this fascinating study.... 

1. Migration to Science ?  

Davenport and company are emphatic about one thing. For any process to improve you must know how to measure it. Science is all about testing and measuring to come up with sturdier theories and practices. But few company initiatives are ever evaluated properly this study has confirmed.

'Companies need to shift the balance from art to science.'

If you are trying to convince me that flossing my teeth ten times a week instead of three times a week... then you better have the evidence !

I will not acquire a new, sustained habit until I am adequately convinced. No dentist of mine has yet to convince me of the frequency of flossing. It costs time and possible long-term damage to gums to floss ! My habits as well as most people's habits, will not be changed without convincing evidence. OK ?

KM is severely in need of convincing scientific evidence. It is suffering from fad,fashion and faith syndrome rather than celebrating with cold, hard evidence. Would you agree ? Davenport and co., do !

But,yes, we understand that human sciences ARE different from physical sciences. Unlike the neutron sub-atomic particle, human variables are extremely variable ! But that does not mean that we just "ditch science" and leave it up to art and witchcraft or Harry Potter spells. Regretably, the researchers are seeing this syndrome dominating decision-making. Maybe we should be dusting off our magic wands after all. Mmmmmm.......

The worldwide educations system is in a heated battle as you read this on proven teaching methods toward reading but it is making the same mistake as KM profession of an over-reliance of subjectivity versus objectivity. Kevin Wheldall of Macquarie University, Australia recently stated (Good Weekend supplement, The Age (Australia) newspaper, 4 October 2003 p.27),

"Education is not a profession based on the results of scientific research. Teachers seem to prefer to fly by the seat of their pants. Confronted with empirical evidence of the superiority of a particular teaching technique, they are still saying, "But I don't like doing that. It sounds boring. I'd rather do it my way." "

It seems, on people management methodologies, global management hasn't faired any better ! Mercer Human Resource Consulting have just released global findings on the progress of Human Capital initiatives in organisations (Book Review, C. Fox, Financial Review (Australia) 14 October 2003 p.59 - Nalbantian, H. et al., (2003) 'Play By Your Strengths' McGraw Hill). They state...

'There is a lack of internal measures to Human Capital...Decisions are based on instincts, anecdotes and management myths - legends that have, in the absences of better science, taken on the mantle of truth.'

Here is the issue....astute management is not interested in Harry Potter faith. I'm sorry to break the news to you.

Management is interested in convincing business cases. And this comes mainly through a scientific approach... as well as some intuitive faith. They will only resort to Harry Potter spells if they have to !

But who will introduce the current management generation to basic change management evaluation methods ? Are you skilled enough to do this ? Are you skilled at developing internal surveys to your initiatives and using basic statistics to reach firm conclusions.... to then enlighten senior managers ?

When Karen in a recent hypothetical study couldn't rationalise to her immediate manager why the Executive Development program should be kept in the new merger... her program was CUT ! She was riding on wishful thinking... not solid results... and she paid the price. Can you as a KM practitioner rationalise to your manager the difference your services are truly making to your organisation? When the next round of "restructuring" happens...have you got some science to support your case ? Mmmmmm.

2. Who's Responsible ?
The study has shown that no one in organisations is actually taking responsibility to cultivate knowledge worker performance ! How do we expect progress to be EVER made in KM if this is the case ? !!!!

Line managers don't see it as their job... support functions can't get a look in...cross-functional team are often ineffective. OUCH ! No one is taking responsibility... no one is prepared to drive and manage the 'human capital' initiatives. And the Mercer Human Resouces Consulting study stated earlier has confirmed this very same mega-problem in organisations ('...phenomenon that no one really owns the human capital issue.')

Answer - Train and Reward Line Managers to be People Developers... not just Policemen. Your performance is primarily based on your immediate manager's expectations of you.... and you change your behaviour to meet their expectations. Period ! Yes... we are talking about psychology and HRD/Training skills. Both in Britain and Australia there have been huge government investments in 'Frontline Management' development initiatives to fulfill this very Law of Human Performance.

The real answer is that it takes a respected senior manager who can orchestrate a mini-social revolution in an organisation... for line managers to be convinced that this 'latest' initiative is not just another fad but a FOUNDATION.

Do you have senior leaders in your organisation with Social Architect capabilities ?

Who is going to be our version of Frederick Taylor and Henry Ford ? We need a pin-up boy/girl.

According to Noel Tichy and Stratford Sherman's amazing 1994 treatise on General Electric (Control Your Destiny or Someone Else Will, HarperBusiness) Jack Welch will probably be the symbolic leader when we look back in 50 years time when the industrial age transitioned into the knowledge age. The GE Workout program in Crotonville, USA is arguably unsurpassed with the level of improvement initiatives it continues to generate... Jack Welch's very own initiative - the production of a high turnover of operational and strategic ideas and practices through social learning groups....exposing and disseminating powerful actionable ideas swiftly. Legendary status.

Conclusion

Discovering and exploiting underlying ABSOLUTE LAWS of human interaction and knowledge sharing is what KM needs to show... through good empirical studies. This study denounces 'dark ages mysticism' for attempting to make sound management decisions. KM practitioners need to be skilled in project evaluation to gain real credibility. A senior manager must be a champion to the cause otherwise the necessary alignment of determinants stated in this study won't ever happen.

The DNA of KM is slowly being elucidated.

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