Ignorance is never an excuse for poor performance (just ask FEMA); so managing ignorance becomes essential to success. How can you decrease your ignorance while increasing your knowledge?
First, seek to discover what you don’t know. When you begin a project, make a commitment to examine your preconceptions, and seek hard data that will provide you with a complete picture. Your goal is to discover those things you haven’t considered in order to plan accordingly.
Next, seek to discover what you need to know. You can easily get overwhelmed with all the information that’s available, and you can easily overwhelm others. It is important that you process all the information that has been gathered, within the framework of your project goals. This may mean laying aside the majority of the information you’ve gathered, to focus on the essential information you need to complete your project. I apply the 80/20 (Pareto) principle when I’ve gathered information. I seek to discover the 20% that is essential to producing the results I need.
However, I’ve also made a commitment to maintain the 80% I’ve discarded, in a retrievable format, even though it extends beyond the needs of my project. This information may become the basis for future projects, or be an access point for others who could benefit from the discoveries. Never keep information proprietary that you have no plans on using. Don’t discard it either. Give it away! Allow others to run with it! Your desire to benefit the community will ultimately bring great benefit to you.
Finally, seek to discover what is not readily apparent. Look at the information in different ways, use a variety of methods to process that information, get insights from a variety of individuals. Ask them, “How do you perceive this information? What does this mean to you?” Sometimes, these discoveries will shape the direction of your project. You will gain new insights and increase your expertise.
Real Knowledge Management extends beyond the tools we use. It’s more than the development of a good IT system, more than the maintenance of records, more than a corporate demand, more than an academic program. It is the ethos of a society that is committed to discovery, and the willingness of a people to move beyond apathy and ignorance.
Powered by ScribeFire.
