Broadening Knowledge Base LO4609

Rol Fessenden (76234.3636@compuserve.com)
04 Jan 96 23:42:08 EST

Sb: Broadening knowledge base LO4583

Malcolm asks, "what sorts of steps do we take to make it possible for
traditionally disempowered, knowledge-poor (in the sense of things like
basic understanding of the financial structures and external customer
requirements that drive the business) staff to choose to broaden their own
individual and common knowledge base, without reinforcing the
paternalistic structures that allowed them to languish there in the first
place?"

Malcolm,

A well-put plea, and a tough nut to crack. I have had a fair amount of
experience as it happens, with educational organizations and with mental
health agencies. Two of the great ironies I have observed are a)
educational organizations that don't believe in ongoing education for
their teachers, and b) mental health organizations that don't care how
their employees feel. You may well be suffering from years of the latter,
and now the employees will not believe you, will feel manipulated, and
will resist efforts to involve them because they have years of experience
proving that the organization does not really want their involvement.

>From my perspective, you have a classic learning opportunity here. You
want to know what they think. So ask them. Of course, you can't just ask
them, you have to approach it effectively -- perhaps informally over a
spur of the moment lunch -- with appropriate informal questions (or
laments about the organization from your own viewpoint).

Let me guess that things like fresh paint for offices or the break room
might be the big topics. If this is the case, you will need to get
confirmation from the management that they are really serious about this
change, and that they will go along with it. The staff will not invest a
lot of energy in this unless management shows by actions that they are
serious.

If it is paint, one approach might be for management to provide the paint
and lunch for everyone, and have everyone come and spend the day painting
their office. Whatever the need, try to make it an informal team-buiding
exercise, and a chance to get to know each other. Demonstrate that you
really do care how they feel.

Remember, it is not what you want to do that will change their views, it
what you actually do that counts. Therefore, whatever you decide to do,
make a detailed plan to carry it out. If you choose to recognize people,
make it a point to thank someone once a day for unusual work, and to more
formally recognize someone once a month. It's not an employee of the
month program, it is your own private program, carried out day by day,
week by week.

How long might this stage take? Perhaps a year, maybe longer. It has
taken 20 years to get to this stage, it may take awhile to overcome the
foundations that have been laid. For some employees they will never
change.

Let me also guess that record-keeping is a pain, and people don't like it.
What can you do to simplify it, reduce the negative impact of the 'records
maintenance police' and so forth. What can be automated. Can you provide
standard boiler-plate? Consider the options. Take their issues
seriously. Observe the behavior of people in management, and make sure
they work to the spirit of the program. Some will give it lip service,
but secretly undermine it.

At some point, ask the staff's help with a management problem. Remember
that you have to walk before you run, so pick a challenge, but pick
something you are confident can be improved. Choose the participants
carefully. You want a win here so you can demonstrate that this works.
An example of a good choice here might be to select, purchase, and
implement a new billing system. Have the staff and the accountants work
together to determine what kind of info is needed, how easy is it for
staff to provide, how can accounting access it easily, and so forth. Lay
out the box of 'autonomous responsibility' carefully, and create a process
with periodic check-ins so management can observe and keep the project
within bounds.

I could go on, but you get the idea. For now, start small, ask them what
they want, pick something and give it to them, but make it a joint
learning opportunity. Allow time to nurture and grow this new attitude.

By the way, I thought your initial assumption -- informed, committed,
learning management -- might still need some effort to achieve. You may
not be at that starting line yet. Good luck. This is a worthy problem.

Another thought is to pick a domain over which you have autonomy to begin
this effort. You don't need the whole organization. Cultivate your own
garden. Demonstrate how it works. Again, good luck, and HAVE FUN.

--
 Rol Fessenden
 LL Bean
 76234.3636@compuserve.com