Posted by Jack Russell on March 25, 2003 at 07:40:51:

In Reply to: two weeks and the grunt work posted by Martha R. on March 19, 2003 at 11:02:07:

Martha - Denham's advice is as practical as always, and I have a request in for the same text from our library.

One question I have is centered around the 'motivation' of the exiting employee for wanting to leave their 'knowledge'.

One of the reasons why 'KnowledgeWorker' works is that it acknowledges all emplyees as "knowledge workers" or "knowledge managers" who contribute to the 'intellectual capital' or 'knowledge base' of the organisation. It provides direct and public acknowledgement of their contribution (particularly in terms of electronic documents where their name/email is appended).

I am assuming that you will be appealing to, or capitalising on some form of loyalty/alturism from exiting employees (ith a nice severance ackage and a guarantee of a good reference to boot :), so assume that the willingness exists.

If Denham's book doesn't arrive within what remains of your two week time frame I would sit down with the person (in THEIR office) and do a knowledge 'profile' exercise like Denham alluded to.

If I had that task I would most likely take the following approach - this is why men are from Mars - too ready to offer solutions :-):

1) Acknowledge - no pun intended - their contribution
2) Explain the purpose of wanting to 'capture' their (tacit) knowledge
3) Obtain/secure their commitment
---
then perhaps starting from their job description ...
4) Detail what projects/tasks/responsibilities they worked on and within those groupings ...
a) link electronically to or identify hard-copies of documents, programs, reports, etc they produced (solely or as part of a team) or worked on.
b) list the contents of their bookshelves & files and invite them to 'leave a comment' for the next/new occupant on its relevance, usefulness or otherwise. If the info is online, or in the subnet, link to it and let them take the original/hardcopy or destroy if appropriate (less to move ;-) or keep if you maybe are a pack-rat (and/or it has sentimental or historical or legal justification)
c) invite them to draft "handover notes" and link where appropriate to the files etc in the subnet that refer.
---
5) anything else you have time for
6) Recognise and Reward their contribution.

---

In relation to where there will be a time interval between exit and arrival, is someone going to maintain a watching brief? is there a capacity for ongoing distance "consultancy-type" relationships? can the responsibilities be refocused/re-allocated?

Sorry - didn't mean to add questions when I pretended to give possible answers - but I think they are valid.

Suffice at this stage to say - what is the induction plan for the replacement person? what would the exiting person suggest be included in this, and what things need to be "maintained" or are 'in train' and need to be supported.

Please feel free to email if you have any queries or I need to explain myself better

regards

Jack the Martian

• KnowledgeWorker

---

Follow Ups:

---

Click Here to Post Follow Up in New Forums

    Knowledge Management Think Tank (New)

  

 Subject: 

Message: