Knowledge is an essential part of our individual and organisational ability to innovate, compete and succeed. Competence in knowledge and information management is crucial to success in the global economy. Such competence enables organisations to make sense of the increasing complexity and change in business and socio-political environments, make sound decisions under conditions of uncertainty, and innovate and implement on the basis of distinctive knowledge and expertise.

True knowledge-based organisations develop their knowledge and information management practices as a generic core competence that supports and enhances all their business processes. They remain at the cutting edge of their respective disciplines through continuous research, training and application of these practices.

What do I have to do?

This is the beginning of a new era in which individuals are leading rather than managing knowledge. In the past, many knowledge-based initiatives have failed because leaders underestimated the powerful link between knowledge and performance improvement — and also because they mistakenly thought that information was the same as knowledge. Knowledge leadership authors Steven A. Cavaleri and Sharon Seivert claim that while information is a necessary precursor to knowledge, it is not sufficient in itself for improving business performance. The authors describe notable organisations that use pragmatic knowledge strategies to gain competitive advantage. Pragmatic knowledge is the result of individuals developing a deeper understanding of how (and why) things work best in practice. Knowledge leaders build high-performing, knowledge-based organisations.

Only by executing your knowledge leadership responsibilities effectively will the organisation benefit from your experience. Generative knowledge creation occurs only when people strive to accomplish something that matters deeply to them. The whole notion of generative knowledge creation can appear to be abstract and meaningless unless people become enthused about a shared vision to which they are committed. Knowledge leadership is flexible and adaptive as new knowledge is assimilated by the members and distributed via the organisation’s culture.

Knowledge leaders have to lead from the rear as well as from the front. Engaging the ideas and opinions of staff at all levels of the organisation is essential to establishing credibility and building trust. They have to stimulate sharing and collaboration by demonstrating their value. Successful collaborative projects have to be celebrated and communicated; knowledge sharing has to be incentivised and rewarded (great ideas should never be “stolen” by management); original thinking has to be encouraged and where necessary, long-standing organisational orthodoxies have to be opened to revision.

“Soft skills” feature high among the requirements for 21st century knowledge leaders. Knowledge leaders must have the ability to:

• Engage with staff at all levels of the organisation and demonstrate empathy with the challenges they facelUnderstand the interests and motivations of staff and in doing so, nurture their innovation and sense of inquiry
  
  
• Offer feedback and be open to criticism
  
  
• Recognise others for their efforts, ideas and contribution
  
  
• Create the right work environment and establish a culture of mutual trust and respect; ensure that no one gets ahead at someone else’s expense
  
  
• Change the behaviour of others by personally demonstrating the qualities they hope to inspire
  
  
• Encourage leadership and initiative at all levels of the organisation, and recognise that by doing so they strengthen their own authority as leaders
  
  
• Champion further education and personal and professional development of all staff

What should I study?

You should be a graduate from any stream with the requisite soft skills. An MBA degree will be useful.

What next?

Recognition of the skills necessary to manage people and increase productivity in the workplace means there is a high demand for graduates with the skills to communicate effectively, manage conflict, respond to change, think strategically and act ethically. Knowledge leadership prepares you for a career in a fast-paced business environment in a leadership position. Knowledge leaders can pursue careers in leadership in a wider range of organisations as well as in human resource management, strategic business development, government, consultancy, teaching and research.