Andrew Wojecki

How much are your knowledge stocks worth?

I came across an interesting article on The Big Shift discussing the the distinctions between knowledge stocks and knowledge flows, with the increasing wealth in a knowledge economy being placed within flows and stocks. Knowledge stocks - or the idea of centralized, guarded knowledge that individual's protect for their personal gain, influence, and economic security is demonstrating limited returns in value and wealth creation. While this has been the traditional practice for individuals and organizations, this is being replaced with an ever-increasing value in knowledge flows.

Knowledge flows being developed through integral webs of high-value relationships and networks which continuously improve, update, and maintain knowledge 'reserves' amongst its stakeholders. There is a law of diminshed returns when we regard knowledge as stocks to be privately held and reserved, as new, emergent knowledge is increasingly being generated rapidly shortening product lifespans and current capacities for problem solving.

As the authors write, "As the world speeds up, stocks of knowledge depreciate at a faster rate...To succeed now, we have to continually refresh our stocks of knowledge by participating in relevant flows of new knowledge."

This raises interesting challenges for individuals' when thinking about their networks, relationships, personal, and professional development. An era where job security and economic vitality will be driven through knowledge flows requires a fundamental rethink in the need for investing in one's skillsets, toolkits, networks, and communities. Investing in knowledge stocks may have gotten us to where we are, but certainly may not get us to where we want our future portfolios to be.

The need for Simplicity

I was on a phone call with Amy Kates the other day. I was getting some advice as I begin to work on helping drive an initiative establishing a Center of Excellence for Training and Development. She was sharing some key ideas and conversations that emerged from a gathering of leading L&D and OD Leaders she was recently with. They were speaking of emerging trends, and one of which revolves around this notion of HR being the provider of simplicity. How HR structures, processes, and systems within organizations must strive toward simplicity, something which many HR functions miss the mark and currently could not claim to be. That, in fact, many HR functions gravitate toward complexity rather than simplicity. And this notion of simplicity will be a key driver for HR professionals in both the near and long term, as organizations strive for agility, responsiveness, and innovation. Reflecting on some of my recent experiences, as a Workplace Learning Professional, reporting within a HR context, I am experiencing layers of processes that I have not experienced previously when working embedded within the Business Line. This raises tensions between the global learning orgainzation and local embedded training organizations, who require speed and immediacy when delivering learning solutions. These are some interesting challenges I'm now experiencing.

An interesting takeaway was she was sharing some organizations exploring COE's centered on Collaboration. I look forward to hearing more in this area.

On leading others - the need for storytellers

I was struck with this notion on leading others this week during a series of week long meetings I was participating in. It had to do with the role of leaders in stewarding the 'story' of the organization's contributions. In the day to day work of a team, often the shifts, impact, and improvements can seem to be overlooked, or even ignored. Being so caught up in the work on the interface of projects and tasks, teams can begin to become victims, or view their work through a deficit lens - that is in comparing themselves to other teams or previous projects and experiences. Often, undervaluing the subtle shifts, ripples of improvement, and larger impact to the organization perhaps beyond the immediate focal point team members are paying attention to.

Leaders (at any level) can and should be stewards of the larger conversation to help team members connect with and realign with the strategy, purpose, and mission they are working toward. I thought of both my current manager, and the previous President I was working for. Both are exemplars of the necessity to remind and reengage the individual/team/workforce/organization of where they have come and where they are going. I thought of my previous President who both reminded his executives and this workforce continually, that despite the current challenges of the economy and market, the organization had taken great strides in project execution and organizational effectiveness. Yes, others may be ahead of us in certain areas and to not lose sight of the journey of continuous improvement, but to remind ourselves that externally the work we were conducting was highly valued.

In the global team meeting this week, my Manager time and time again played a pivotal role in re-aligning the team in circular discussion on strategy and resources (perceived lack of) on how we we meeting and addressing expectations and demands already. Her contributions were extremely valuable to a team, demanding excellence, in not beating themselves up too badly. After a while I realized what she was doing. She was translating the obvious (things we were ignoring and undervaluing) and helping us connect with our own story, collectively. To notice all the contributions and impact we are having as a team. She helped us in connecting the dots.

The first 30 Days

I've been absent from blogging recently as I have taken the opportunity to work in my new role with ExxonMobil. It's been a real transition working in the L&D space for a contractor organization in energy and now within an owner-operator company. I'm enjoying the opportunities and challenges now working in a global position, and the transitions in thinking around global consistency, vendor management, and governance. It's going to be an interesting and enjoyable ride and hope that lessons from this journey can be shared here.

Lessons from the cheesy mass-emailed inspirational PowerPoint

I was sent one of those cheesy PowerPoints of inspirational metaphors set to a slideshow of flowery landscapes and Chopin or Bach playing in the background. I was about to delete it when, finally, the last slide appeared. Three lines caught my eye, which I thought were worth remembering.

1. Work like you don't need money.
2. Love like you haven't been hurt.
3. Dance like no one's watching.

Seemed like nice reference points to check in with occasionally.

What happens when HIPOs let you down?

In the training gig, working with 'high-potentials' is one of the treats of the craft. These workers usually are open to learning, highly motivated, extremely sharp, passionate, and can envision how and where further development will take them.

But I'm having a curious case with two 'high-potentials' that leaders have pinpointed to me, regarding their engagement with our formal training programs. One is not coming at all, and the other only rarely. The first has a young child, I can cut some slack. The other doesn't.

Today after a Lunch and Learn, the one in question came up to me asking about our Harvard ManageMentor program. In closing the session, I was strongly encouraging a greater uptake of participation. This individual came up to me asking, "Andrew, is it okay if we just do the 20 minute overview? Is that good enough." I went on to explain that I didn't think our business had invested in the Harvard program for everyone to take the 20 minute shortcut, and mentioned that, in my experience, I hadn't seen anyone deeply develop their leadership skills through shortcuts. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Requiring alot of deliberate practice. Our conversation continued where I offered alternative solutions in which to approach completing the two hour module. But I could tell this person wasn't convinced.

Would I be disappointed in any individual wanting to take the shortcut - in seeing that as a sign of completion of the module? Yes. But for some reason given that I know this person is seen and valued as a HIPO, it's nagging at me.

This now creates an opportunity to do some investigating and some relationship building, on my part. It's good to be reminded (and often) of the differing values and perceptions we have to the affordances of learning.

How anxious is your organization?

Anxiety is pretty palpable at the moment. There's alot of gossip going around - rumors and innuendo of the impending axe. Folks are just plain distracted. I've been going through my notes tonight and came across a quote from The Anxious Organization which has been useful - "Learning to manage your own behavior in triangles is probably the single most important thing you can learn about handling workplace politics." (p. 106)

Triangles being that humans always triangulate - between a pair someone is always going to go talk, vent, share and continue the conversation. Triangles enable emotional contagions.

The battle against 'procrastinus'

Procrastination. We all battle it in varying degrees, at varying times. Both personally and professionally there are times when it just seems logical to put something off or avoid all together. Procrastination, in its latin origins, arises from - pro "in favor of moving forward" and crastinus "of tomorrow".

In teaching the Time Management module this week in Harvard ManagerMentor my mind kept coming back to the notion of procrastination, or what our psychologist friends would call task avoidance. I've been thinking about the levels of procrastination from the individual, the team, and the organization.

I left yesterday's class thinking about Time Management in notions of self-care:

1. How do I better respect my own time?

2. How do I better respect others' time?

3. How do I help others better respect my time?

The Law of Forced Efficiency - borrowing the Pareto Principle, what are the tasks, activities, and deliverables that draw 20% of my energy and focus but deliver 80% of my impact? Alternatively, what might be the 80% of tasks which get in my way and only deliver 20% of business impact?

This got me thinking of a comment Amy Kates made in talking about organizational design. Which went something like - How do we design work where people can deliver 5 high value adding contributions of 20% each, as opposed to job design and work processes where people contribute on 20 differing tasks only offering 5% of impact to organizations?

Well, I now need to get ready for the Leading and Motivating module.

Is leadership an expired idea?

During the i4cp conference, I had this thought. Are we talking about leadership too much? In my line of work, it's something I'm talking about every day. But I was challenged in asking the questions are we placing too much emphasis on it?

Is leadership an expired idea? Is it time to 'bury' the idea of leadership much as record producer Rick Rubin 'buried' Def Jam records once it had passed it's used by date?

For all the talk of leadership, we've seen more examples of non-leadership and outright failures from individuals carrying pedigrees from institutions and organizations who have come to define the mental models and currencies of leadership we practice today.

Has our understanding of leadership become the equivalent of the dial-up modem? Does this term mean anything with the changing nature of work? Is it possible to move beyond the trait-based and character-driven assumptions of leadership?

The best quote from i4cp

The  best quote from the i4cp conference for me was during Kenny Moore's session when in justifying his poor penmanship, he stated " Bad handwriting is a sign of greatness."

I really enjoyed Kenny's presentation, particularly his model around the work of leadership. The movements between problems, predicaments, and mystery. I value the lineage of his thinking in talking about mystery, but think it might be a struggle to discuss mystery with many of my senior leaders. Perhaps, couching it within the frame of uncertainty, may be a bit more useful for me. Nonetheless, it is a useful model.

His approach highlights, for me, the varying degrees of complexity we face in our roles. It is a useful diagnostic on where we spend our time.

1. Problems  -  Solutions
This is where many individual contributors are focused (and why we get paid). However, we need to have the insight to know when we are trying to solve a problem and seek a solution. As opposed to addressing a predicament.

2. Predicament  -  Movement
This becomes the domain of ambiguity and uncertainty. Rather, than applying a 'problem-solving' mindset. What is required is a shift to anticipating where impact and efficiencies can be made. There are no answers to solutions or predicaments.

As Kenny pointed out most of our leaders are not comfortable with predicaments. They like solving problems - that is what they are good at. Their problem solving capabilities are what got them their in the first place.

3. Mystery  -  Awe
This is the realm that is often overlooked. How one is feeling connected with themselves and the organization? Is one working within an authentic stance - pursuing their sense of vocation. Often leaders are consumed with their work and draw a large sense of identity from it. Only to find a sense of imbalance towards the end of their career. In terms of the organization it is knowing about which questions to ask - sometimes we need to ask bigger questions our ourselves, our teams, and our business.