Have you ever noticed how people from your firm will attend conferences, seminars, lunch sessions, etc. but then they will neglect to share their new knowledge or experience? When times are busy, admittedly, it’s hard to keep track of what’s being absorbed and shared, let alone keep up with regular project responsibilities. Initially, many firms have the intention of encouraging their staff to share knowledge.
Intentions are good. Leadership often proclaims that if staff are to attend an educational session they ‘should’ come back and share the information. However, because there is no easy mechanism to do so, it often goes by the wayside.
I can speak from personal experience. When I was a Business Development Director (and before that, Coordinator), I myself ‘should’ have returned to the office to share what I learned from the many, many sessions that I attended. Yet often, I would rush back to the office, and then immediately get back into work mode by attending meetings, returning phone calls and emails. By day’s end, I had neither the energy nor the inclination to take extra time to share what I had learned or experienced (from a networking perspective).
As a result:
- The newly acquired information rarely went beyond me (what a shame!)
- In the end, I only retained a small bit of the information. Out of sight, out of mind!
Regarding #1: Once someone leaves the firm, we realize that with them also goes information that they did not (intentionally or unintentionally) share with their colleagues.
Regarding #2: We also know, from research on learning and memory, that
people are more likely to remember what they’ve learned if they repeat it right away. Even more likely if they summarize it for others, which involves integration and processing. And most likely if they initiate discussion, questions and answers.
My suggestion is that companies create a regular, standing forum for professionals in the firm to share their knowledge from that week, every week. As an example, every Friday, with no exception, those who attended external sessions are expected have their lunch together and spend about five minutes each sharing the highlights from what they learned. Whether it’s a junior architect, a senior electrical engineer, a project manager, the business development director or even a human resources professional….all of these staff members can figure out a way to share the highlights so they are relevant to everyone. (Speaking in a layperson’s terms, relative to your own area, in itself is a wonderful thing to practice). Later, if they want to elaborate further in more technical terms, they can arrange separate informal discussions with those most interested.
Note: Because one main reason for sending people to conferences and other professional meetings is to promote the firm’s brand, make new networking contacts, and demonstrate an expertise through visibility. As such, even sharing the networking experiences—the successes and challenges—during the five minute in-house ‘presentation’ is a wise idea.
So tell me—via post or private email—what would keep you from executing this idea in your own firm? Alternatively, tell me how your firm ensures that information gets transferred back to the firm post-conference, seminar, etc.?
See also: Scarlett Letter #107 Learning by Training.