Winning the Knowledge Game. Smarter Learning for Business Excellence

When a business is evaluating well, it is more likely to discover the value of its wisdom and capability. Each part of a business must be vigilant in discovering new avenues for improving excellence and expertise. Special efforts must be made to seek smarter ways of learning and achieving results. Whether team learning or studying the merits of a system, the cycle of continuous improvement never stops.

As you would expect, there are many frameworks, methods and formulas that have been produced to help evaluation, measurement and review. However, all this assistance is useless, unless people are either motivated or have the time to undertake such an enquiry. So, before being hooked on the techniques and methods , it may be very worthwhile to ask: ˜Are we serious and motivated about undertaking evaluation? If not, let us talk about why and what can be done to improve it? From there you are much better prepared to move forward and take the action required.

For me, one of the great revelations that comes from winning the knowledge game is that worthwhile or interesting discoveries can often be made without too much effort. Within a few hours of asking a few questions or holding a team discussion you can quickly gather some ideas, intelligence or feedback. It is not as complex as some people would think. If you find people are paralysed by the fear that evaluation is some huge task, break it into small chunks and enjoy the early success. This will help people to make a start and, hopefully, see the benefit of evaluation more quickly. It may also unravel any motivation or avoidance problems that may exist.

For example, in preparing for this book, I undertook a brief half-day study to explore what it takes to be a star performer in modern business. Within a few hours of searching the Internet and asking colleagues I found two insights that helped broaden my perspective. Such short bursts of inspiration are key to winning the knowledge game and helping us grow and enhance our understanding. The first insight was by Jac Fitz-enz and the other by Rosabeth Moss Kanter.

Jac Fitz-enz in his book, The ROI of Human Capital , shared the findings of the Hay Groups study of 100 of the most admired companies. There he listed what separated the very best from the rest. They found the better performing businesses excelled in a work environment that fostered:

• teamwork

• customer focus

• fair treatment of employees

• initiative and innovation.

The average performers were more commonly interested in minimizing risk, respecting the chain of command, supporting the boss and making the budget.

While Rosabeth Moss Kanter in her book, Evolve , listed seven qualities that she believed helped shape star performers in world-class organizations. They were the proven ability to:

• Display curiosity and imagination that helps people envision and grasp new possibilities

• Make oneself understood by understanding that others have not shared your life experience and as a result they will have a different worldview

• Create bridges of thought and not be confined to a single perspective

• Grasp complexity and make sense out of complicated multi-partner relationships

• Care for and feed their teams bodies and spirit by being sensitive to their needs

• Work with people as resources by respecting what others bring to the table and then listen to their ideas.

• Lead through the power of their ideas and strength of their voices rather than any formal position or authority they may hold.

So, do not burden people with a process of evaluation and study which digs up resistance and avoidance. Identify key areas for action and make a start, and raise the level of expertise, otherwise serious evaluation will remain in the ˜too hard basket for a long time to come.