Management Voice Index
Subscribe to Management Voice

Organisations have spent millions of pounds on sharing databases to try to capitalise on the collective knowledge of their employees who may be spread across the world in multiple time zones and locations. On a daily basis, the challenge is for each of us to…


…share what we know with our colleagues.


Most of us suffer from information overload at work, and yet we still don’t have the knowledge and information that we seek. When you are seeking to share what you know with colleagues here are some guidelines to make that process as effective as possible.


1 Be Specific

Generalised comments just add to the background noise. Are you sharing a fact, some data, an experience, or a process? (Opinion is not usually knowledge!) Be clear in your own mind, and ensure your colleagues are clear about the status of what you are conveying too.


2 Make it Manageable

Sending a 20 page spreadsheet with the comment ‘here’s what you need’ may not be helpful. Try to establish how what you are sharing can help colleagues, and present what you know in a way that is easiest and quickest for them to understand.


3 Make It Actionable

Several software companies advertise variations of ‘actionable intelligence’. Focus on how what you have to share can help your colleagues, and present your knowledge in a format that is most actionable to them. Even simple things such as a link to the appropriate page of a website rather than a home page address and ‘follow the links’ type instructions can make a big difference.


4 Be Relevant

Are you sure what you are sharing is relevant? Don’t consume your own time and others just adding to background noise.


5 Be Timely

This can be harder than it appears. At different stages of enquiry, colleagues may find your knowledge useful at different levels and in different formats. For example, at the beginning of a project, it might be appropriate to share informally the ‘things I wish I’d known when I started.' Later on specific contacts and references might be helpful. Sometimes people may need raw data. At other times, they may seek a document analysing the data and drawing conclusions from it.


Some of you will have spotted this as another variant of SMART!


For those of you who are investigating or developing methods to measure and value training, our One-Day OPEN WORKSHOP – How to Measure Return on Investment in Training – essential tools and techniques,’ may well be the SMART thing to attend next! Henley Management College - June 27th 06. Visit our website or contact helen@3ctraining.co.uk for further information.


Management Voice Index
Subscribe to Management Voice