Weekly Knowledge Management blog by Stan Garfield

» Citizen Journalism and KM, Google Reader, Forums-Blogs-Social Networks, Free Access to KM Periodical, Remarkable Leadership

Weekly Knowledge Management Blog by Stan Garfield

KM Question, Blog, Link, and Book of the Week

[Blogroll - KM Home Page - Send a Question - Implementing a successful KM programme]

KM Question of the Week

Q: What information is available on citizen journalism and how it relates to knowledge management?

A: Here are several sources.

Whence Goeth KM? by Dave Snowden, commented on by Bruce Karney

Comment by Bruce Karney:

1. You listed two purposes of KM (To support effective decision making; To create the conditions for innovation) but left out two that I think are even more important:
1. To accelerate the spread of useful innovations
2. To allow people to solve problems more quickly by using KM tools to find answers or experts
2. Decision-making and problem solving are similar, so let me focus on spreading innovations. In KM efforts I've seen, a leading indicator of success is some sort of "pushed" newsletter, e-mail to a distribution list, or blog that informs an interested audience of important news and ideas. In my opinion, citizen journalism will be one of the lasting legacies of KM, whether KM itself lives or dies.

Reply by Dave Snowden:

• Accelerating the spread of innovation is obviously a good thing, but I would subsume it in creating the conditions. If you don't have an adoption policy (which may include distribution) then you are not creating the conditions in the first place. In respect of using KM tools, well I think that is a means to an end, not an end in itself. KM tools may be the right answer, but a fair number of them prevent effective knowledge flow. The danger is if you start to add in means, you end up with a long list and you prejudge the solution.
• I agree that blogs, newsletters, etc. can be (but are not necessarily always) useful in KM. However again they are a means to and end.

The knowledge: Euan Semple by Sandra Higgison

• Semple's personal experience with blogs has influenced much of this work, and has also had him presenting to the deputy director general about the impact of external blogs on the BBC's business.
• Indeed, his views on the future of citizen journalism against mainstream media are powerful and, although not for discussion here, make for compelling reading on his blog.

Citizen Journalism by Richard Sambrook

• In the pan of dust and opinion will, I'm sure, be some gold nuggets of real expertise and knowledge.
• The point is, this kind of citizen journalism can only improve and enrich what news organizations do.

DIY video clips get KM endorsement by David Wilcox

• Knowledge networker David Gurteen devotes a lot of his latest newsletter to the importance of audio and video clips in knowledge sharing.
• First citizen journalism, now citizen knowledge management.

Bloggers vs. Journalists and Who Cares by Chris Brogan

• Bloggers aren’t always journalists, and journalists aren’t always bloggers.
• I’m excited for the velocity, the facility, and the ubiquity that bloggers bring to information sharing. I love that bloggers abound, embedded in our communities, ready to share information at the drop of a hat. I’m grateful that there are networks of us sharing information, reposting information, and driving insight into the various corners of what we’re passionate about.

Three Dirty Little Blogging Secrets by Richard Binhammer

• The blogger is not a citizen journalist.
• Participation is very different to losing control. Participation = involvement.
• If you are willing to listen and learn, then you will find people who connect with you and share. That is an important word, SHARE.
• I have learned from so many who have been willing to point me in various directions...it is amazing. This is no angry mob....or some ill-informed populace. It is world filled with great people who are fundamentally generous and willing to help you individually, or as a business, understand and gain even better and more important new insights. Likely more than you can appreciate until you dive in.

KM Blog of the Week

Become a Knowledge Management Ninja with Google Reader by Steve Rubel

I have been using various RSS readers for nearly five years now - I've tried them all. However, none matches the power of Google Reader. I have found that if you tap into all of its features, it's the Holy Grail of Personal Knowledge Management.

Understanding the difference between Forums, Blogs, and Social Networks by Jeremiah Owyang (via Tac Anderson)

• Forums are like social mixers, where everyone is at equal level, milling about and discussing with others. These many-to-many communication tools allow anyone to start a topic and anyone to respond to one. Members are often at equal level, and content is usually segmented by topic. (rather than by people).
• Blogs are like a keynote speech where the speaker (blogger) is in control of the discussion, but allows questions and comments from the audience. Blogs are journals often authored by one individual, and sometimes teams. In the context of business communication, these are often used to talk with the marketplace and to join the conversation that existing external bloggers may be having.
• Social Networks are like topic tables at a conference luncheon. Ever been to a conference where different lunch tables had big white signs inviting people to sit and join others of like interest? It’s like that. Social networks allow members to organize around a person’s relationships or interests, rather than just focused on topic. People that know each other (or want to meet each other) will connect by a variety of common interests. These are great tools to get people of like interest to connect to each other and share information.

KM Link of the Week

Palgrave MacMillan is offering free access to all their eJournals until February 15th.

• Issue Archive for Knowledge Management Research & Practice
• All eJournals

Example of the November 2007 issue of Knowledge Management Research & Practice

• Editorial
• Optimizing knowledge transfer by new employees in companies
• Knowledge mobilization in communities through socio-technical systems
• Integrating knowledge transfer and computer-mediated communication: categorizing barriers and possible responses
• New Learning: a different way of approaching conference evaluation
• Harmonizing codification and socialization in knowledge management
• Knowledge transfer by sharing task templates: two approaches and their psychological requirements
• Integrated use of technologies and techniques for construction knowledge management
• Philosophers and Knowledge Management
• Book Review: Encyclopedia of Knowledge Management

(Via Peter West in the SIKM Leaders Community)

KM Book of the Week

Remarkable Leadership: Unleashing Your Leadership Potential One Skill at a Time by Kevin Eikenberry

Remarkable Leadership is a practical handbook written for anyone who wants to hone the skills they need to become an outstanding leader. Kevin Eikenberry outlines a framework and a mechanism for both learning new things and applying current knowledge in a thoughtful and practical way. Eikenberry provides a guide through the most important leadership competencies, offers a proven method for learning leadership skills, and shows approaches for applying these skills in today’s multitasking and overloaded world of work. The book explores real-world concerns such as focus, limited time, incremental improvement, and how we learn.

Table of Contents

1. The Leader in You
2. Leadership Development in the Real World
3. How to Get the Most Out of This Book
4. Remarkable Leaders Learn Continually
5. Remarkable Leaders Champion Change
6. Remarkable Leaders Communicate Powerfully
7. Remarkable Leaders Build Relationships
8. Remarkable Leaders Develop Others
9. Remarkable Leaders Focus on Customers
10. Remarkable Leaders Influence with Impact
11. Remarkable Leaders Think and Act Innovatively
12. Remarkable Leaders Value Collaboration and Teamwork
13. Remarkable Leaders Solve Problems and Make Decisions
14. Remarkable Leaders Take Responsibility and Are Accountable
15. Remarkable Leaders Manage Projects and Processes Successfully
16. Remarkable Leaders Set Goals and Support Goal Achievement

Free Bonuses

• One Month Membership in the Remarkable Leadership Leadering System
• 26 Questions to Help You Unleash Your Potential
• Power: 27 Decisions that Will Cause You to Crush Your Competition
• Remarkable Leaders Set Goals Successfully Learning Session
• How To Persuade With Confidence
• Success Secrets of Leaders
• Remarkable Leaders Value the Power of Trust Learning Session
• Entry for Leadership Training Camp - March 31 - April 1, 2008, Orlando
• 101 Ways to Become a Remarkable Leader

-END-

[The contents of this KM blog are my personal comments and do not reflect the official views of Hewlett-Packard Company.]