Knowledge Sharing: Lessons Learned from a Technician

An Unexpected Help

On 3 June 2009, my colleague, Jaslyn, and I were rehearsing for the KM Awareness Week event the next day at the Auditorium. A technician from One Marina Pte Ltd was helping us to setup the projector and the speaker. When we tested the CEO vodcast on his thoughts about knowledge sharing, the technician suddenly pointed out that the image in the video was ‘soft’ – a term used to indicate that the image is too dark - and the sound was not clear.  

Remembering that one should give constructive criticism instead of just criticism, I asked the technician on how to improve the video and the sound in that video. To my surprise, he told us that he used to work for a broadcasting company, and he shared that to improve the video, I could use a reflective material – such as paper or Aluminum foil - to direct the room’s light to highlight the speakers’ face, and to improve the audio, I should have placed the voice recorder closer to the speakers’ mouth. The technician shared his knowledge further by demonstrating the effect of light reflection, using a paper, on Jaslyn’s face.

I was delighted, not because he told me the image and sound quality weren’t good, but because he shared a constructive criticism – a practical knowledge on how to improve things. I had received similar feedbacks on the video’s image and audio before, but without knowledge on how to improve them. 

I believe that people appreciates knowledge sharing in general, but some of us – like me – dislike negative feedbacks or comments without improvement suggestions. The issue is less on the ability to receive criticism, but rather on having the knowledge to improve our work. We, at the receiving end of criticism - or knowledge sharing for some of us, usually know that certain aspect of our work can be improved, but more often than not, we don’t know how to improve our work.  

Another interesting aspect of the knowledge transfer that happened between the technician and me was the fact that we barely know each other and he shared his expertise for free. In today’s commercialized world, most of us tend to believe that we ought to know and reward the person, who has the knowledge that we wanted, before that person shares his or her knowledge. But, the story above tells us otherwise. Knowledge sharing can happens between strangers and without extrinsic rewards – such as money, performance ratings.
 
 

An important element of knowledge sharing – one that is often invisible – is trust (Riege, 2005). There is trust between the technician and me, two persons who barely know each other. He trusts me that I will not misuse the information against him, one of the factors that inhibit knowledge sharing between individuals. And I trust his experience in video’s image and audio. The technician’s demonstration of his knowledge certainly helped to enhance my trust.

Other than trust, many questions related to knowledge sharing have not been answered. For example, when does knowledge sharing happen between knowledge source and receiver? How could knowledge sharing happen without extrinsic rewards? Therefore, it is worthwhile to examine the concept of knowledge sharing from the perspective of knowledge source and knowledge seeker.

a. When Does Knowledge Sharing Happen?

Some scholars define knowledge sharing as the process by which individuals collectively and iteratively refine a thought, an idea or a suggestion in the light of experiences. The original idea may be progressively modified or gradually rejected until a shared perspective emerges (West and Meyer, 1997; Rogers, 1986). Knowledge is shared when help is given. (Chua, 2003)

From the definition given above, it is obvious that knowledge sharing happens only when there is a shared perspective between knowledge source and receiver, or when the knowledge seeker perceives that help has been given by the knowledge source.  

In my story above, I felt that the technician has helped me and therefore I can say that knowledge sharing has happened between the technician, the knowledge source, and me, the knowledge seeker. On the contrary, when I received feedbacks and comments on the image and audio quality of the video, but without the knowledge to improve the quality, knowledge sharing has not happened.

b. How Could Knowledge Sharing Happen Without Extrinsic Rewards?

Knowledge sharing is a human behavior (Small & Sage, 2005). It means that we are sharing our knowledge consciously or unconsciously to our friends, colleagues, family, and even strangers. Further, Bock & Kim (2002) proposed, based on Social Cognitive Theory, that people will share their knowledge if they perceive they have the ability to contribute to the organization.

The Social Cognitive Theory suggests that the technician shared his knowledge because he believed that he could make valuable contribution. Thus, given his experience with the broadcasting company, the technician might felt that he could contribute to improve the quality of the video’s image and audio. This, in addition to my appreciation of his knowledge, might have encouraged him to share his knowledge further.
 
 

Knowledge sharing is more than just telling a person about certain information. It includes giving the information or new perspective that the person doesn’t already know. For example: information on how to improve their work.

While the story above illustrates that knowledge sharing can happens between strangers and without extrinsic rewards, it also shed lights on trust – an important element of knowledge sharing. Without trust, the knowledge source will not share their knowledge and the knowledge seeker will reject the knowledge shared.

Knowledge sharing happens when the knowledge seeker has a shared perspective with the knowledge source, or when the knowledge seeker perceives that help has been given by the knowledge source. In addition, the theory of Social Cognitive suggests that when the knowledge source feels that a valuable contribution could be made, then the knowledge source will share their knowledge. 

This article has several implications for KM professionals. First, we should share knowledge that can help our colleagues. As explained in previous paragraph, knowledge is shared when help is given. Second, we ought to be aware that when a person shared his knowledge, he might felt that he could give a valuable contribution. Equipped with this understanding, the knowledge seeker ought to appreciate the knowledge shared. And last, we need to foster trust among ourselves to cultivate knowledge sharing behaviors. 
 
 

Bock, G.W., & Kim, Y.G. (2002). Breaking the Myths of Rewards: An Exploratory Study of Attitudes about Knowledge Sharing. Information Resources Management Journal, 15, 2, 14 – 21.

Chua, A. (2003). Knowledge Sharing: A Game People Play. Aslib Proceedings, 55, 3, 117 – 129.

Small, C.T., & Sage, A. P. (2005). Knowledge Management and Knowledge Sharing: A Review. Information Knowledge Systems Management, 5, 153 – 169.

Riege, A. (2005). Three-dozen Knowledge-Sharing Barriers Managers Must Consider. Journal of Knowledge Management, 9, 3, 18 – 35.