Dr. Kirby Wright on Personal Knowledge Management (PKM)

On Friday I attended a presentation and discussion by Dr. Kirby Wright titled "Succeeding as a Knowledge Worker" where he discussed knowledge work from both the individual and the manager's perspective (how managers can support knowledge work). He described the nature of knowledge work, referenced working in simple, complicated and complex environments, and then outlined how improvement in knowledge worker competencies would improve knowledge work. Some of the competencies he touched on were sense making, creativity, searching, networking and reflecting.

I was impressed by how he's drawn on some key thinkers in knowledge management, blended it with some of his own perspectives, and come up with a relatively free strategy for knowledge workers.

When I think of the list of competencies Kirby presented, it would see a good idea for organizations to create developmental opportunities for knowledge workers in these areas - perhaps making them part of an "official" competency dictionary and curriculum.

You can download Rethinking Knowledge Work from Kirby's Blog that touches on his core PKM principles.

I also found a synergy between Kirby's competency list and Karl Albrecht's Practical Intelligence "macro-skills":

1. Mental Flexibility
2. Openness to New Information
3. Capacity for Systematic Thought
4. Capacity for Abstract Thought
5. Skill at Generating Ideas
6. Sense of Humor
7. Positive Thinking
8. Intellectual Courage
9. Resistance to Enculturation
10. Emotional Resilience

PS: I HIGHLY recommend Karl Albrecht's books Social Intelligence, Power of Minds at Work, Practical Intelligence. They contain excellent thinking, provocative & entertaining writing. For example:

Albrecht's Law: Intelligent people, when assembled into an organization,
will tend toward collective stupidity.

PKM references:
Stan Garfield's Weekly KM Blog lists a number of references - scroll down this page a bit.
Jon Husband's blog post "But I just don't have the time!"