O’Dell and Grayson focus on what they call “beds of knowledge” which are “hidden resources of intelligence that exist in almost every organization, relatively untapped and unmined.” They suggest all manner of effective strategies to tap into “this hidden asset, capturing it, organizing it, transferring it, and using it to create customer value, operational excellence, and product innovation–all the while increasing profits and effectiveness.” Almost all organizations claim that their “most valuable assets walk out the door at the end of each business day.” That is correct. Almost all intellectual “capital” is stored between two ears and, for whatever reasons, much (too much) of it is inaccessible to others except in “small change.” O’Dell and Grayson organize their material as follows:
In their Conclusion, the authors assert, “there is no conclusion to managing knowledge and transferring best practices. It is a race without a finishing line.” They are right, now and especially in years to come. In the concluding chapter, the authors share ten “Enduring Principles” which inform and direct the formulation of any plan by which to manage knowledge and transfer best practices. During implementation of the plan, everyone involved must be willing and able to make whatever adjustments may be necessary. Perhaps the authors would agree an 11th “enduring principle” affirms that change is the only constant. Readers who hold this book are urged to check out Senge’s The Fifth Discipline and The Dance of Change, as well as Isaacs’ Dialogue: The Art of Thinking Together.
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