11 Jul
In May 2016, Smile london opened a new conference format. Three rooms in parallel to allow for everyone to choose from different topics. The format was called Smile Workshops and emphasized interaction amongst participants. I was a speaker myself and was giving a workshop on New Knowledge needed and the Knowledge Sharing Canvas.
Adapt… is the key word by Luis Suarez who says it is time to stop focusing on adoption in favour of employee adaptation…of (new and existing) technologies provided to us by the wide world and of new work and culture principles:
- The shift from a project approach to a programme approach
- The end of rules for co-developed charters (a positive and inclusive governance model)
- The understanding that knowledge, on condition that is now shared, remains the power medium
- A particular focus on natural contributors often considered as too disturbing to connect amongst themselves, reinforce them in their positive dynamic and create an model network of change agents
- The emphasis on the “persons in charge” to convert them into facilitators and mentors, by lowering/distributing responsibilities
- The establishment of open canals for “message-in-a-bottle“ type questions and workshops
- A positive evolution of the existing culture towards the one desired by the employees
- The immediate launch of this change, that is to say as of today, by developing positive behaviour according to Lawrence Clark:
— Someone has talked about their progress
— Someone encourages their development
— They know what is expected of their work
— Their colleagues are committed to quality work
— They receive support from their managers
— They have been praised recently
— They have the equipment needed to do their job
— They have opportunities to learn and grow
— They are able to do their best everyday
— They view their job as important to the company
— They have a best friend at work
This engagement is real in the majority of companies. It must not become the central objective (“Culture is not the Culprit”, HBR, 2016), but one of the key means supported by exchanges of good practices and awareness of the importance of developing new knowledge by always paying attention to misunderstandings (“Why organizations don’t learn“, HBR, 2015). Benefits have been shown with tangible figures by Lawrence Clark from Simply-Succeed who revealed the truly positive impact of these behaviours and that we wish to see appear on every company social network, which reflects the company. In the meantime, a few numbers:
