Knowledge Retention from Select 'At Risk' Employees #knowledge-retention #knowledge-transfer
Greeting all,
As a longer-term initiative, my KM Team, working with our business group stakeholders, is beginning to frame out appropriate approaches to expert knowledge retention and transfer. We have several “work-in-progress” efforts around communities of practice, structured knowledge capture, lessons learned, developing an SME network, etc. And on those fronts, I believe we are headed in a good direction, ultimately to a better knowledge sharing environment.
However, one area has recently become a hot topic with more immediate timing than any of the above. Namely, from leadership’s perspective “How do we quickly and effectively retain and transfer knowledge from a small number of employees whom we deem as ‘at risk’ of departure due to retirement?”
This is where I’d love input and insight from this group … if you were going to tackle getting “the good stuff” out of the heads of 8-10 highly experienced / tenured employees and you wanted to do that in short order (6 weeks), what approaches would you take? Or better yet, what effective approaches have you taken in similar circumstances? For example, some random things rattling around my head …
Interviewing:
- What questions would you ask (e.g., tell us what you know, ask for problems and solutions, set up scenarios, how have you been successful)?
- Who would conduct the interview (e.g., KM team member, expert’s successor)?
- Interview duration? Multiple interviews?
- Observe expert in their “natural habitat” (e.g., client or project engagement)?
Documentation & Communication:
- Ask expert to clean up or index their explicit knowledge content?
- Ask KM team member or expert’s successor to organize and share expert’s documentation/content?
- How would you capture and share the interview (e.g., edited video, transcripts, ask experts to document their knowledge)?
- Would you interview people the expert has mentored, or who have worked closely with the expert for their insight on what they learned from the expert?
- Would you ask others what they would like to ask the expert?
Looking forward to your thoughts!
Best,
David Graffagna
On Jun 22, 2020, at 4:34 PM, David Graffagna <davidgraffagna@...> wrote:
Greeting all,
As a longer-term initiative, my KM Team, working with our business group stakeholders, is beginning to frame out appropriate approaches to expert knowledge retention and transfer. We have several “work-in-progress” efforts around communities of practice, structured knowledge capture, lessons learned, developing an SME network, etc. And on those fronts, I believe we are headed in a good direction, ultimately to a better knowledge sharing environment.
However, one area has recently become a hot topic with more immediate timing than any of the above. Namely, from leadership’s perspective “How do we quickly and effectively retain and transfer knowledge from a small number of employees whom we deem as ‘at risk’ of departure due to retirement?”
This is where I’d love input and insight from this group … if you were going to tackle getting “the good stuff” out of the heads of 8-10 highly experienced / tenured employees and you wanted to do that in short order (6 weeks), what approaches would you take? Or better yet, what effective approaches have you taken in similar circumstances? For example, some random things rattling around my head …
Interviewing:
- What questions would you ask (e.g., tell us what you know, ask for problems and solutions, set up scenarios, how have you been successful)?
- Who would conduct the interview (e.g., KM team member, expert’s successor)?
- Interview duration? Multiple interviews?
- Observe expert in their “natural habitat” (e.g., client or project engagement)?
Documentation & Communication:
- Ask expert to clean up or index their explicit knowledge content?
- Ask KM team member or expert’s successor to organize and share expert’s documentation/content?
- How would you capture and share the interview (e.g., edited video, transcripts, ask experts to document their knowledge)?
- Would you interview people the expert has mentored, or who have worked closely with the expert for their insight on what they learned from the expert?
- Would you ask others what they would like to ask the expert?
Looking forward to your thoughts!
Best,
David Graffagna
Hello David - I developed a full suite of tools and methods to facilitate Rapid Knowledge Transfer while leading KM at a major utility that was very concerned about aging workforce. This was parr of an overall Aging Workforce Risk Mitigation strategy I created.
A detailed description of the situation I had to address is in this post in this forum over 10 years ago. https://groups.io/g/SIKM/topic/35635948#316
I subsequently developed and delivered a full solution.
--
-Tom
--
Tom Short Consulting
TSC
+1 415 300 7457
All of my previous SIKM Posts
On Jun 22, 2020, at 4:46 PM, Tom Short <tshortconsulting@...> wrote:
Hello David - I developed a full suite of tools and methods to facilitate Rapid Knowledge Transfer while leading KM at a major utility that was very concerned about aging workforce. This was parr of an overall Aging Workforce Risk Mitigation strategy I created.
A detailed description of the situation I had to address is in this post in this forum over 10 years ago. https://groups.io/g/SIKM/topic/35635948#316
I subsequently developed and delivered a full solution.
--
-Tom
--Tom Short Consulting
TSC
+1 415 300 7457All of my previous SIKM Posts
On Jun 22, 2020, at 4:46 PM, Tom Short <Tshortconsulting@...> wrote:
Hello David - I developed a full suite of tools and methods to facilitate Rapid Knowledge Transfer while leading KM at a major utility that was very concerned about aging workforce. This was parr of an overall Aging Workforce Risk Mitigation strategy I created.
A detailed description of the situation I had to address is in this post in this forum over 10 years ago. https://groups.io/g/SIKM/topic/35635948#316
I subsequently developed and delivered a full solution.
--
-Tom
--Tom Short Consulting
TSC
+1 415 300 7457All of my previous SIKM Posts
Greeting all,
As a longer-term initiative, my KM Team, working with our business group stakeholders, is beginning to frame out appropriate approaches to expert knowledge retention and transfer. We have several “work-in-progress” efforts around communities of practice, structured knowledge capture, lessons learned, developing an SME network, etc. And on those fronts, I believe we are headed in a good direction, ultimately to a better knowledge sharing environment.
However, one area has recently become a hot topic with more immediate timing than any of the above. Namely, from leadership’s perspective “How do we quickly and effectively retain and transfer knowledge from a small number of employees whom we deem as ‘at risk’ of departure due to retirement?”
This is where I’d love input and insight from this group … if you were going to tackle getting “the good stuff” out of the heads of 8-10 highly experienced / tenured employees and you wanted to do that in short order (6 weeks), what approaches would you take? Or better yet, what effective approaches have you taken in similar circumstances? For example, some random things rattling around my head …
Interviewing:
- What questions would you ask (e.g., tell us what you know, ask for problems and solutions, set up scenarios, how have you been successful)?
- Who would conduct the interview (e.g., KM team member, expert’s successor)?
- Interview duration? Multiple interviews?
- Observe expert in their “natural habitat” (e.g., client or project engagement)?
Documentation & Communication:
- Ask expert to clean up or index their explicit knowledge content?
- Ask KM team member or expert’s successor to organize and share expert’s documentation/content?
- How would you capture and share the interview (e.g., edited video, transcripts, ask experts to document their knowledge)?
- Would you interview people the expert has mentored, or who have worked closely with the expert for their insight on what they learned from the expert?
- Would you ask others what they would like to ask the expert?
Looking forward to your thoughts!
Best,
David Graffagna
On 23 Jun 2020, at 06:46, Tom Short <tshortconsulting@...> wrote:
Hello David - I developed a full suite of tools and methods to facilitate Rapid Knowledge Transfer while leading KM at a major utility that was very concerned about aging workforce. This was parr of an overall Aging Workforce Risk Mitigation strategy I created.
A detailed description of the situation I had to address is in this post in this forum over 10 years ago. https://groups.io/g/SIKM/topic/35635948#316
I subsequently developed and delivered a full solution.
--
-Tom
--Tom Short Consulting
TSC
+1 415 300 7457All of my previous SIKM Posts
From: Arthur Shelley <arthur@...>
To: SIKM@groups.io
Sent: Mon, Jun 22, 2020 5:53 pm
Subject: Re: [SIKM] Knowledge Retention from Select 'At Risk' Employees
On 23 Jun 2020, at 06:46, Tom Short <tshortconsulting@...> wrote:
Hello David - I developed a full suite of tools and methods to facilitate Rapid Knowledge Transfer while leading KM at a major utility that was very concerned about aging workforce. This was parr of an overall Aging Workforce Risk Mitigation strategy I created.A detailed description of the situation I had to address is in this post in this forum over 10 years ago. https://groups.io/g/SIKM/topic/35635948#316I subsequently developed and delivered a full solution.
--
-Tom
--Tom Short Consulting
TSC
+1 415 300 7457All of my previous SIKM Posts
Greeting all,
As a longer-term initiative, my KM Team, working with our business group stakeholders, is beginning to frame out appropriate approaches to expert knowledge retention and transfer. We have several “work-in-progress” efforts around communities of practice, structured knowledge capture, lessons learned, developing an SME network, etc. And on those fronts, I believe we are headed in a good direction, ultimately to a better knowledge sharing environment.
However, one area has recently become a hot topic with more immediate timing than any of the above. Namely, from leadership’s perspective “How do we quickly and effectively retain and transfer knowledge from a small number of employees whom we deem as ‘at risk’ of departure due to retirement?”
This is where I’d love input and insight from this group … if you were going to tackle getting “the good stuff” out of the heads of 8-10 highly experienced / tenured employees and you wanted to do that in short order (6 weeks), what approaches would you take? Or better yet, what effective approaches have you taken in similar circumstances? For example, some random things rattling around my head …
Interviewing:
- What questions would you ask (e.g., tell us what you know, ask for problems and solutions, set up scenarios, how have you been successful)?
- Who would conduct the interview (e.g., KM team member, expert’s successor)?
- Interview duration? Multiple interviews?
- Observe expert in their “natural habitat” (e.g., client or project engagement)?
Documentation & Communication:
- Ask expert to clean up or index their explicit knowledge content?
- Ask KM team member or expert’s successor to organize and share expert’s documentation/content?
- How would you capture and share the interview (e.g., edited video, transcripts, ask experts to document their knowledge)?
- Would you interview people the expert has mentored, or who have worked closely with the expert for their insight on what they learned from the expert?
- Would you ask others what they would like to ask the expert?
Looking forward to your thoughts!
Best,
David Graffagna
This is a very valuable conversation that would be useful to have with the appropriate leaders and decision makers in every organisation. Upon reflection, I think that some people may have an incorrect perspective of wat my previous note was about. It sounded dismissive and terse about the need for rapid transfer and this is a reality. The insights provided by Murray and Tom are extremely valuable and will help the issues being faced.
My point of frustration is that IF organisations were more forward looking and invested in better knowledge ecosystems they would not suffer from this need for late reactions. What I mean is a proactive preventative approach that builds strategic insights and creates an Applied Social Learning Ecosystem through social investments like CoP’s, Mentoring, targeted professional development, succession planning, soft skills development, engaging people to build trusted relationships. I think one of the key skills many KMers lack is how to create and share a compelling proposal around knowledge initiatives. When we can speak the language of the decision makers and show them how knowledge flows stimulate value creation (from their perspective) we have a better chance to influence them to act more effectively.
COVID is an excellent example of this. In countries where the leadership acted early and strategically the impact has been mitigated (sill impacts, but lower). For example, Australia and New Zealand (and some other nations) have COVID largely under control and they are managing the complexities well. In countries where the leadership was slow to act (or worse in denial) the impacts have been severe. This is not about one country being better than others- it is merely an example of leveraging knowledge strategically and implementing context appropriate actions in a time that enables better outcomes, rather than waiting until it is too late to maintain some level of control.
In spring, I weed my garden just before the weeds flower. This way I can see the weeks easily and pull them out before they amplify through thousands of seeds germinating for a “second wave infection”… Its not rocket science…
Knowledge retention cannot be fully effective if it is only started just prior to the imminent departure of experts who have critical knowledge of the organisation. You will “recover” some, but not al and not the context in which it is critical. Many knowledge challenges happen intermittently and are often forgotten until they pop up. Such instances are rarely “captured”. As the old adage states: “A stick in time saves nine” (and if that fails we have “emergency workers” – like Tom and Murray - who create almost miracles under challenging conditions that should never happened).
Hope this sounds more positive and is more useful than my quick post earlier.
Regards
Arthur Shelley
Producer: Creative Melbourne
Author: KNOWledge SUCCESSion Sustained performance and capability growth through knowledge projects
Earlier Books: The Organizational Zoo (2007) & Being a Successful Knowledge Leader (2009)
Principal: www.IntelligentAnswers.com.au
Founder: Organizational Zoo Ambassadors Network
Mb. +61 413 047 408 Skype: Arthur.Shelley Twitter: @Metaphorage
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthurshelley/
Free behavioural profiles: www.organizationalzoo.com
Blog: www.organizationalzoo.com/blog
Sent: Tuesday, 23 June 2020 11:49 AM
To: arthur@...; SIKM@groups.io
Subject: Re: [SIKM] Knowledge Retention from Select 'At Risk' Employees
I agree with the strong communities of practice approach mentioned by Arthur below. This is something the Air Force and other military branches have used for many years to assist in handling knowledge in an environment where people change duties frequently. From what I've seen they have worked well. Additionally I've attached an article I wrote a few years ago that outlines a risk based approach to identifying employees at risk of leaving and to create a prioritized knowledge capture plan. This process was developed with a defense contractor as well as with my experience with utility knowledge retention issues....murray jennex
-----Original Message-----
From: Arthur Shelley <arthur@...>
To: SIKM@groups.io
Sent: Mon, Jun 22, 2020 5:53 pm
Subject: Re: [SIKM] Knowledge Retention from Select 'At Risk' Employees
David,
This is not a recent issue it had been around for a Long Time. It’s just escalated recently because of the higher knowledge loss risk in crisis.
The ultimate way to avoid this issue is to have strong communities of practice and highly interactive project teams where knowledge flow is embedded into the normal way that people collaborate. The unfortunate mindset is the efficiency is more critical and (wrongly assume) that people chatting is a waste of time. Keeping everything lean and flat means that knowledge tends to be isolated and not flowing (unless you gave an agile culture and good communications).
However, because most organisations go with efficiency over effectiveness/resilience, they end up looking for “rapid knowledge transfer” solutions, which are of limited value. “Capture” of knowledge (as if it is a prisoner) only locks it up further rather than releases to amplify the value. Or worse, buries it in some information Management system with no context (and therefore no meaning).
Al always, when organisations resort to tactical reactions to emergency management, they have not invested well in strategic knowledge leadership.
There are some tactics that can be deployed, which are highly contextual. Give me a call if you want to discuss these.
Arthur Shelley
Founder, Intelligent Answers
Producer Creative Melbourne
@Metaphorage
+61 413 047 408
On 23 Jun 2020, at 06:46, Tom Short <tshortconsulting@...> wrote:
Hello David - I developed a full suite of tools and methods to facilitate Rapid Knowledge Transfer while leading KM at a major utility that was very concerned about aging workforce. This was parr of an overall Aging Workforce Risk Mitigation strategy I created.
A detailed description of the situation I had to address is in this post in this forum over 10 years ago. https://groups.io/g/SIKM/topic/35635948#316
I subsequently developed and delivered a full solution.
--
-Tom
--Tom Short Consulting
TSC
+1 415 300 7457All of my previous SIKM Posts
This is a very valuable conversation that would be useful to have with the appropriate leaders and decision makers in every organisation. Upon reflection, I think that some people may have an incorrect perspective of wat my previous note was about. It sounded dismissive and terse about the need for rapid transfer and this is a reality. The insights provided by Murray and Tom are extremely valuable and will help the issues being faced.
My point of frustration is that IF organisations were more forward looking and invested in better knowledge ecosystems they would not suffer from this need for late reactions. What I mean is a proactive preventative approach that builds strategic insights and creates an Applied Social Learning Ecosystem through social investments like CoP’s, Mentoring, targeted professional development, succession planning, soft skills development, engaging people to build trusted relationships. I think one of the key skills many KMers lack is how to create and share a compelling proposal around knowledge initiatives. When we can speak the language of the decision makers and show them how knowledge flows stimulate value creation (from their perspective) we have a better chance to influence them to act more effectively.
COVID is an excellent example of this. In countries where the leadership acted early and strategically the impact has been mitigated (sill impacts, but lower). For example, Australia and New Zealand (and some other nations) have COVID largely under control and they are managing the complexities well. In countries where the leadership was slow to act (or worse in denial) the impacts have been severe. This is not about one country being better than others- it is merely an example of leveraging knowledge strategically and implementing context appropriate actions in a time that enables better outcomes, rather than waiting until it is too late to maintain some level of control.
In spring, I weed my garden just before the weeds flower. This way I can see the weeks easily and pull them out before they amplify through thousands of seeds germinating for a “second wave infection”… Its not rocket science…
Knowledge retention cannot be fully effective if it is only started just prior to the imminent departure of experts who have critical knowledge of the organisation. You will “recover” some, but not al and not the context in which it is critical. Many knowledge challenges happen intermittently and are often forgotten until they pop up. Such instances are rarely “captured”. As the old adage states: “A stick in time saves nine” (and if that fails we have “emergency workers” – like Tom and Murray - who create almost miracles under challenging conditions that should never happened).
Hope this sounds more positive and is more useful than my quick post earlier.
Regards
Arthur Shelley
Producer: Creative Melbourne
Author: KNOWledge SUCCESSion Sustained performance and capability growth through knowledge projects
Earlier Books: The Organizational Zoo (2007) & Being a Successful Knowledge Leader (2009)
Principal: www.IntelligentAnswers.com.au
Founder: Organizational Zoo Ambassadors Network
Mb. +61 413 047 408 Skype: Arthur.Shelley Twitter: @Metaphorage
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthurshelley/
Free behavioural profiles: www.organizationalzoo.com
Blog: www.organizationalzoo.com/blog
From: SIKM@groups.io <SIKM@groups.io> On Behalf Of Murray Jennex via groups.io
Sent: Tuesday, 23 June 2020 11:49 AM
To: arthur@...; SIKM@groups.io
Subject: Re: [SIKM] Knowledge Retention from Select 'At Risk' Employees
I agree with the strong communities of practice approach mentioned by Arthur below. This is something the Air Force and other military branches have used for many years to assist in handling knowledge in an environment where people change duties frequently. From what I've seen they have worked well. Additionally I've attached an article I wrote a few years ago that outlines a risk based approach to identifying employees at risk of leaving and to create a prioritized knowledge capture plan. This process was developed with a defense contractor as well as with my experience with utility knowledge retention issues....murray jennex
-----Original Message-----
From: Arthur Shelley <arthur@...>
To: SIKM@groups.io
Sent: Mon, Jun 22, 2020 5:53 pm
Subject: Re: [SIKM] Knowledge Retention from Select 'At Risk' EmployeesDavid,
This is not a recent issue it had been around for a Long Time. It’s just escalated recently because of the higher knowledge loss risk in crisis.
The ultimate way to avoid this issue is to have strong communities of practice and highly interactive project teams where knowledge flow is embedded into the normal way that people collaborate. The unfortunate mindset is the efficiency is more critical and (wrongly assume) that people chatting is a waste of time. Keeping everything lean and flat means that knowledge tends to be isolated and not flowing (unless you gave an agile culture and good communications).
However, because most organisations go with efficiency over effectiveness/resilience, they end up looking for “rapid knowledge transfer” solutions, which are of limited value. “Capture” of knowledge (as if it is a prisoner) only locks it up further rather than releases to amplify the value. Or worse, buries it in some information Management system with no context (and therefore no meaning).
Al always, when organisations resort to tactical reactions to emergency management, they have not invested well in strategic knowledge leadership.
There are some tactics that can be deployed, which are highly contextual. Give me a call if you want to discuss these.
Arthur Shelley
Founder, Intelligent Answers
Producer Creative Melbourne
@Metaphorage
+61 413 047 408
On 23 Jun 2020, at 06:46, Tom Short <tshortconsulting@...> wrote:
Hello David - I developed a full suite of tools and methods to facilitate Rapid Knowledge Transfer while leading KM at a major utility that was very concerned about aging workforce. This was parr of an overall Aging Workforce Risk Mitigation strategy I created.
A detailed description of the situation I had to address is in this post in this forum over 10 years ago. https://groups.io/g/SIKM/topic/35635948#316
I subsequently developed and delivered a full solution.
--
-Tom
--Tom Short Consulting
TSC
+1 415 300 7457All of my previous SIKM Posts
David, my article on this subject includes links to additional resources. See Knowledge Retention: How to deal with a departing workforce.
>I rather imagine your employers are more interested in capturing the knowledge necessary to perform as well as the people you might lose than they are in capturing everything the people in question know. Let me know if that interests you and I can provide more info. I don’t want to put Stan on the spot but I suspect he knows what I’m talking about.
Fred, I do know what you are talking about. I think it will be helpful to others if you provide more information in an additional reply. Thanks.
No problem, Stan. Glad to elaborate.
“Performance Analysis” is a practice long known to many trainers and most human performance improvement professionals (e.g., many of whom belong to ISPI (International Society for Performance Improvement) and ATD (Association for Talent Development). Instead of looking at an employee as subject matter expert (SME) and then trying to capture everything the employee knows, you start out by determining what it is the employee does (i.e., his or her job/task performance). A good starting point is with the results or outcomes the person regularly produces or achieves and that make him or her such a valuable employee. Then you look at how those results or outcomes are produced (perhaps via job/task analysis, observations, interviews, process analysis, etc.). With the what and how of performance defined, you then look at the knowledge necessary to do that. That’s the knowledge you want to capture and it is inevitably much different from what the employee would tell you and much less than all they know.
Does that about cover it, Stan? Feel free to add.
Sent: Tuesday, June 23, 2020 6:31 AM
To: SIKM@groups.io
Subject: Re: [SIKM] Knowledge Retention from Select 'At Risk' Employees #knowledge-retention
Thanks to everyone who has posted in this thread. It's a great example of how this community works well.
David, my article on this subject includes links to additional resources. See Knowledge Retention: How to deal with a departing workforce.
>I rather imagine your employers are more interested in capturing the knowledge necessary to perform as well as the people you might lose than they are in capturing everything the people in question know. Let me know if that interests you and I can provide more info. I don’t want to put Stan on the spot but I suspect he knows what I’m talking about.
Fred, I do know what you are talking about. I think it will be helpful to others if you provide more information in an additional reply. Thanks.
Thanks for all the extremely valuable comments, insights, resources, etc.!
This is exactly why I enjoy being part of this group ... if there's ever a question or issue or challenge facing a member this group never hesitates to go all in providing support, relevant examples and experience.
Best regards,
David
I have captured the discussion and items shared in a new Knowledge Retention topic in the KM Collection.
The link above is accessible to everyone. Click here to register to access the rest of the KM Collection
Tom
Happy to share my thoughts in a brainstorming session sometime - I had to deal with this a bit during my time at GE (and elsewhere), often using tips from Stan and others :)
On the Stan article note and the use of videos (or audio recordings) to capture knowledge (say, from someone who helped engineer reactors for 30 years and is tech adverse...), there are a lot of tools now that automate speech to text, such as https://otter.ai/login
which are helpful if recording videos with Zoom (Microsoft has added a lot of speech to text features in its tools)
Beyond tools and frameworks, incentivizing the knowledge sharer somehow is also helpful (not sure if that was covered in an earlier thread) before they might depart, or afterwards (whether its a formal alumni network like McKinsey), or informal business arrangement as an "advisory board member" (or new special title, if retiring, like "VP Special Projects," or opportunities to teach or do research papers, etc. (as a nice credential to add to their LinkedIn, depending on the personality type).
Just my quick 50 cents here - happy to chat sometime and share (too busy usually to share here, but give me time... :))
Chris Johannessen
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisjohannessen/
On Jul 30, 2020, at 4:41 PM, Dan Keldsen <dan.keldsen@...> wrote:
Kate - ah, came to this thread late, and was reading backwards. I was wondering if your book was going to be mentioned!
Great resource to use to methodically, but not... dryly I suppose is the best word for it, exhume the valuable hard-won knowledge of practitioners!
/Dan