Knowledge-Sharing

by Anthony Williams | on May 24, 2013  

Leadership’s Role in Creating an Environment that Supports Knowledge-Sharing

Leadership plays a very important role in facilitating the right environment that supports knowledge-sharing. In such an environment, the leadership is not there to judge one’s input or give answers. The role of leadership is to help the group share their insights on a level playing field. In so doing, leadership acts as a guide to help lead participants to workable answers. As well, the leader is to ensure all concerned are clear on the objective; and, that a medium is there to capture new knowledge (Collison & Parcell, 2010).

Human Resource’s Role in Knowledge-Sharing

In an organization with human resource (HR) as the leadership, the role is to create partnerships focused on sharing knowledge. In this instance, HR is to create a culture that promotes innovation, creativity, and learning that has sustainability. This culture should promote learning on an individual, organizational, and group level. So, in essence, leadership role is to be proactive in creating an environment that supports knowledge-sharing (Thite, 2004).

Tools that Encourage Knowledge-Sharing among Workers  

Some tools that can be utilized to promote the knowledge-sharing among workers are after action reviews (AAR). Once employees are open, and committed to learning AARs can help to decipher what works, and what don’t. A learning review is another tool that can help in the capturing of knowledge. Learning reviews are thought to be the most established tool (Collison & Parcell, 2010).

So too, case-based reasoning systems (CBR) can help facilitate knowledge-sharing by using knowledge from past cases. By pulling these pass similar cases, knowledge learned may be applied to current situations. As well, information and communication technology as a tool can address knowledge about the knowledge that is about to be shared (meta-knowledge) (Hendriks, 1999).

References

Collison, C., & Parcell, G. (2010). Learning to fly: Practical knowledge management from
leading and learning organizations (Updated ed. with free CD-ROM). West Sussex, UK: John Wiley & Sons Limited/Capstone Publishing Limited.

Hendriks, P. (1999). Why share knowledge? The influence of ICT on the motivation for knowledge sharing. Knowledge and Process Management, 6(2), 91-100.

Thite, M. (2004). Strategic positioning of HRM in knowledge-based organizations. The Learning Organization, 11(1), 28-44.

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Tags: case-based, human resource, Knowledge Sharing, Leadership, new knowledge

 

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About The Author: Anthony Williams

I am from the 19th Galaxy :). I am a Dad, husband, brother, son, entrepreneur, poet, lifelong learner... and personal development advocate. Even when I was living in the heart of Brooklyn as a teenager, I had an entrepreneur’s heart. .......If you want to, you can click on one of those links for a FREE Video

Leadership Article Review

In the journal of business ethics, an article on leadership, trustworthiness, and ethical stewardship focuses on leaders perceived as trustworthy. According to the article, followers trust for these leaders is more likely to increase, and the leaders are seen as ethical stewards (Caldwell, Hayes, & Long, 2010).  While reading this article, one may consider the history of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
According to Solomon (2006), Dr. King “advocated civil disobedience in the tradition of Gandhi and Thoreau. In other words, he sought to advance the position of African Americans in the [United States] through peaceful political protest” (p. 332). That required a lot of trust from Dr. King’s followers, and thus, he may have been an ethical steward of his time. Since, “such protest included breaking unjust laws and suffering the consequences of doing so” (Solomon, p. 332).

In addition, Caldwell, Hayes, and Long (2010) says, “relationship development behaviors [rdb] reflect a people centered focus on leadership” (p. 2) [.]  Caldwell, Hayes, and Long (2010), go on to say, “that [rdb] involves creating personal connections with others to increase shared ownership and commitment” (p. 2).  One could extrapolate, for this reason Dr. King “was also an integrationist, meaning that he believed that equality of the races required mixed neighborhoods, workplaces, and schools” (pp. 332-333). Dr. King sought to increase a paradigm of shared interracial ownership, and commitment to equality. Dr. King, was indeed a very smart leader in this context.

Leadership Activating Interpersonal Relations

Moreover, by activating interpersonal relations, one may then focus on creating synergy, manifesting a win-win situation by negating competition (Covey, 2003). It is apparent that Dr. King had referent power, thus many people identified with him, and was in awe by his charisma. The article is accepted by the author of this post, as one that reflects the precepts of ethical leadership. Another parallel to theories, and or discussions in the leadership course, is how an ethical leader uses power? “Leaders as ethical stewards consistently demonstrate by their behaviors their commitment to the welfare of stakeholders rather than simply behaviors that seek their own self-interest” (Block, 1993, Caldwell & Karri, 2005, & Pava, 2003 in Caldwell, Hayes, & Long, 2010, p. 6).

Leadership Leading to Trustworthiness Likely to Increase

In conclusion, Caldwell, Hayes, & Long, (2010), discussed how followers trust for leaders perceived as trustworthy is more likely to increase, and the leaders are seen as ethical stewards. Further, Dr. King’s followers, saw him as trustworthy, thus, he may have been an ethical steward of his time. Also, the author of the post feels the article reflects the precepts of ethical leadership. And, parallels to the leadership course, range from referent power, to charisma, interpersonal relations, and ethical leaders uses of power.

 References

Caldwell, C., Hayes, L. A., & Long, D. T. (2010). Leadership, trustworthiness, and ethicalstewardship. Journal of Business Ethics, 96, 497–512.

Covey, S. R. (2003). Principle-centered leadership .Free press, Simon and Schuster, Inc.,

Solomon, R. C. (2006). The big questions: A short introduction to philosophy (7^thed.). Wadsworth, a division of Thompson Learning, Inc.,

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This entry was posted in Empower Network

Tags: Dr. King, Leadership, referent power, trustworthy

 

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About The Author: Anthony

I am from the 19th Galaxy :). I am a Dad, husband, brother, son, entrepreneur, poet, lifelong learner... and personal development advocate. Even when I was living in the heart of Brooklyn as a teenager, I had an entrepreneur’s heart. .......If you want to, you can click on one of those links for a FREE Video