Creating a Knowledge Sharing CultureBy: E. Rey Garcia, MPA Candidate

Wednesday, August 3, 2016

PAFF 6306 Public Personnel Management

Over the past seven weeks and throughout the rest of my MPA Online Graduate Studies, I was fortunate to have worked along-side a cadre of scholars, made up of my fellow colleagues and skilled professors who enriched my academic experience, and prepared me to become a better Public Servant Leader. I have mastered the importance of creating an organizational work-culture that promotes the sharing of information. Whether I am exploring scholarly academic research for my graduate studies or working along-side my fellow classmates, shared knowledge enriches our ability to work as a team. It is imperative to have an open mind and listen before you make judgement.

According to David Gurteen, Knowledge Management Facilitator, Gurteen, “change must start at the individual.” Gurteen goes on to emphasize that “every employee has a sphere of influence along with their own individual knowledge, and this is where he believes a knowledge sharing culture can begin.”

Culture, according to Vijay Sathe, Professor, Harvard Business School, is “the set of important understandings (often unstated) that members of a community share in common.” These shared understandings consist of our norms, values, attitudes, beliefs and ‘paradigms’.

Paradigm - A way of thinking, perceiving, communicating or viewing the world.

Organizational Culture - A relatively rigid tacit infrastructure of ideas that shape not only our thinking but also our behavior and perception of our business environment.

Knowledge & Information – Knowledge is often seen as a rich form of information. And Information is seen as the ingredient that enriches the knowledge with data.

Knowledge Management - A business philosophy. It is an emerging set of principles, processes, organizational structures, and technology applications that help people share and leverage their knowledge to meet their business objectives.”

Why Shared Knowledge? It is essential for any business to survive to recognize the importance of sharing information. For example, take a look at our government’s Homeland Security. In order to protect our country, a security enterprise must exist that is strengthen by the sharing of information across the traditional boundaries. Other forms of shared knowledge are evident in the private sector, where businesses like Apple, Google and Microsoft have adopted various forms of sharing information in order to remain competitive in the technology industry. All three technology giants have created tools that allow us to stay connected, collaborate and share information. This has promoted Open Government, a principal signed as an Executive Order by President Barack Obama, that makes information about government operations more readily

available and useful, promoting more efficient and transparent government. (Source: https://www.whitehouse.gov/open. Open Government has led to the adoption of Gov 2.0, which refers to government policies that aim to harness collaborative technologies to create an open-source computing platform in which government, citizens, and innovative companies can improve transparency and efficiency.

When looking at our government, it is important to share knowledge with employee and the community and to continuously promote it. It allows for a more credible government that promotes ethical principles from the administration and its elected officials. It establishes trust and respect from the community towards it’s leaders.

Create a Work Environment of Shared Knowledge - Make teamwork and the sharing of information part of the organizational norm. Include it in training modules and promote in policy.

Reward & Motivate the team that contributes the most valuable information to the organization. This creates an incentive for the employees to be recognized for their ideology, making the employer one who appreciates the employees.

Overcome Objections – Address differences by noting that the organization is not stealing ideas. Employers need to protect their interest and establish guidelines for the sharing of ideas that become part of the organizational norm and policy. Employees need to adhere to organizational policies and job descriptions, which promote shared knowledge and the contribution of ideas to the organization, and is part of the duties and expectations to bring ideas to the table. Ideas shared with the organization become the property of the organization and not the employee. Employees need to understand that contributions to the day-to-day business, are set forth as part of the employee job duties and requirements.

Make it Happen – Promote it in employee orientations, trainings and make it part of the organizational culture by making it policy.

Use Technology – A form of sharing instantaneous information, such as the World Wide Web and Internet, social media, apps and other tools which deliver data to smart devices.

Below are 4 Key Elements that need to be addressed when promoting a Culture of Shared Knowledge:

1. What kinds of problems have you observed at work between employees? Be observant of differences between employees and work to establish guidelines and trainings that promote a corrective-behavior and address employee differences.

2. What kinds of work situations are most likely to create employee problems? Stay neutral when it comes to situations at work that may arise due to, but

not limited to, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, and single parenting.

3. What happens if you let employee problems linger? Do not let difference linger. Take a proactive approach and allow all to have input before creating policies that address these differences.

4. What is the proper way to resolve employee problems? Listen, listen, and listen to employees wants and needs and fit their needs into the organization’s strategic plan. Set realistic, achievable goals that align themselves with the needs of the employees.

(Source: http://www.gurteen.com/gurteen/gurteen.nsf/id/ksculture)

In conclusion, the rewards of shared knowledge have prepared me to be a better leader and to stay connected with my network of professionals and to listen to employees and what their needs are. Do not “Rule by Intimidation,” which erodes trust, a critical element of productive leadership. But rather, “Lead by Example,” by walking your talk, and becoming a person others want to follow.