Knowledge retention in a competitive market
In this section
Date: 26 Feb 2010 - 26 Feb 2010
Location: tba, London
Discover how to:
- Conduct concentrated expert hand-offs that truly develops the skill of your staff
- Retain experts’ deep problem solving abilities, not just what they know
- Continue expertise development after experts have left
- Leverage expertise to sustain your company’s competitive advantage
- Identify the resources you need to sustain a knowledge retention program
- Debrief retiring staff in a way that captures valuable insights, not just war stories
Dr. Richard McDermott, President, McDermott Consulting
About this masterclass:
Just as the global economic downturn is pressuring organizations to reduce staff, senior experts are becoming eligible for retirement. As a result many organisations will soon be losing some of their most valued experts. But in a knowledge-rich world, where routine analytics can be done nearly anywhere, experts’ ability to make good judgment calls and improvise in unexpected circumstances may be the last true competitive advantage of organizations in developed nations.
Most attempts to retain expert knowledge, however, barely scratch the surface and rarely provide the education junior staff need to become experts in their field.
This workshop is based on an 18 month study by Henley Business School on retaining expertise combined with Dr. McDermott’s extensive client experience teaching mentoring. Drawing from a wide range of professional, including lawyers, architects, engineers, auditors, scientists, professional coaches, teachers and project managers in a variety of industries, this masterclass describes:
- How experts develop both good judgment and innovative ideas
- Why experts often can’t tell you what they know
- How experts develop innovative solutions
- The core characteristics of effective expert knowledge sharing
- How to accelerate the development of expertise in junior staff
- How to keep the cost of expertise development affordable
- What tools are effective for retaining expertise, the role of advanced apprenticeships, master classes, case studies, and simulations in expertise development, and
- How to make expertise development truly effective.
Discussion not all lecture
Participants at Dr. McDermott’s masterclasses have repeatedly said that appreciate the fact that he does not give long lectures. He presents his ideas in short talks and hosts a set of discussions. By discussing issues in participants’ organisations, Dr. McDermott makes his experience immediately relevant to you and your organisation.
About your masterclass leader:
Dr. McDermott is a founding thinker in the field of knowledge management and a leading proponent of the application of cognitive science to the field of knowledge management. He is the subject matter expert for a recent study by Henley Business School on retaining expertise and has served as subject matter expert on 4 other international studies on building a KM culture and developing communities of practice. He has written over three dozen articles on knowledge management. His articles have appeared in The Harvard Business Review (forthcoming), The California Management Review, The Knowledge Management Review, The Journal of Knowledge Management, Inside Knowledge, The IHRIM Journal, The Journal for Quality and Participation, Management & Innovation, The Cutter IT Journal, and Info Resources Humaines. His book Cultivating Communities (written with Etienne Wenger and Bill Snyder) was published by Harvard University Press in March 2002. Through his many practical examples he will help you learn what leading companies are doing to retain the real expertise of senior staff.
His clients include Shell Oil Co., ExxonMobil, Anadarko Oil, Schlumberger, Hewlett-Packard, Cisco Systems, Agilent Technologies, Pfizer, Sanofi-Aventis, Environmental Resources Management,