K is for… Knowledge Management & Sharing

What is Knowledge Management?

There are numerous opinions on what is defined as Knowledge Management. In simple terms, it is intellectual assets –  knowledge, information and data.

Knowledge Management strategies are implemented in the workplace to identify, capture, structure and share an organisation’s intellectual assets to enhance the performance of both its employees and the organisation. By enhancing performance, it can also make the organisation more efficient, more profitable, and more competitive.

There are 3 key reasons why actively managing knowledge is important:

1. It can help to make decisions. Key decisions.
2. It builds a learning and sharing routine. Sharing knowledge can ensure that employees learn from experience and use and combine knowledge to improve and enhance performance.
3. It stimulates change and innovation.

Simply put: Knowledge can get you ahead!

Why is Knowledge Management and Knowledge Sharing important?

Networking and conversations can be a great way to collect knowledge, information and data.

Companies use their employees to gather this knowledeg and retain individuals for their knowledge and their ability to utilise and share that knowledge.

If your company has a knowledge management or CRM system. use it. Knowledge within a company should be managed and shared. If you don’t have a system. Create one. This might be at an individual level, team level or business level.

Knowledge management is not strictly an individual skill.  However, as an individual, you should be expected to manage your own knowledge, share your knowledge and contribute.

Skill Development Plan: Knowledge Management

1. Work on your own individual Learning and Knowledge Plan for learning more about your clients and contacts to help your networking conversations (this should always be building and growing).
2. Share your knowledge and participate in your organisation’s CRM system. Help it build, help it grow and use it when you are networking.
3. If there is not a current system in place suggest they set up a CRM system or if you are an SME or have not got a budget for it – Do it yourself and design your own.

Action Point: Write a Knowledge and CRM Strategy and use (or create) a KM or CRM system.

WFH Action Plan: Get in touch with people and continue your networking virtually. Use you networking to collect knowledge and information and record it using your new system/strategy. Test it and try out different options.

Further Reading:

• Create an Internal Resource List or Calendar for Networking Events
• Following Up: Post-Networking Event Follow up
• GDPR (and personal data)