Tacit Knowledge - how to use it?

My mentor Ken and I have been exchanging email thoughts about TACIT KNOWLEDGE. We'd love to hear your ideas about how tacit knowledge can be effectively captured and used.

My understanding of tacit knowledge is knowledge that is difficult to write down or express. It’s kind of intangible and difficult to pass on because it’s so difficult to ‘get hold of.’ I suppose an example might be how some people can play the piano by ear rather than by learning from formal piano lessons. Another example might be a footballer (George Best, Pele or Maradona as examples) who does things that can’t be taught on the training pitch and are not learned through coaching. It’s just part of the person – it therefore makes it virtually impossible to pass on or teach.I love the idea that if we could understand it more and ‘bottle it’ we could use it as a force for good. So ..... Simplicity Blog reader ...... What’s your take on it?

Finding Why

The world of business is changing. There is a growing trend toward more honesty, more generosity, more just plain human behaviour. My mad friend (his words not mine) Joel D Canfield would like to lead the charge toward something totally different. Today, he's shifting his focus from his various businesses to a philosophy he thinks will change the world.

Joel says:

"Too many people spend life stuck, going through the motions; believing they know what to do and how to do it, but never really clear on why. Finding 'why' makes 'what' and 'how' become clear. I want to help folks who are stuck being what the world expected to find their why, to find meaning and joy in life, and show the world who they really are."

Visit his new website http://FindingWhy.com/

As expected, there's honesty, generosity, just plain human-ness. 10,000 words already written and hundreds of thousands to come. Free downloads. Room for conversation. A little insanity.

Joel's putting out the welcome mat right now.

Managers and Leaders

I am honoured that my friend JK from Bangalore, India has given me this piece of wisdom to post on my Simplicty Blog - thank you JK.

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Please Read & amp; understand the contrast between the Managers and Leaders and then decide for yourself what would "YOU LIKE TO BE"?????


Managers.                                                            Leaders.
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Says "Go"                                                             Says "Let us Go"


Production oriented.                                             People oriented.


Delegates Responsibilities.                                Maintains Develops.


Shows who is wrong.                                            Shows What is Wrong.


Administers.                                                           Innovates.


A Copy                                                                  The Original.


Asks "How"                                                            Asks "Why" & "What".


Drives Team Members.                                        Trains Team Members.


Imitates.                                                                  Originates.


Accepts the Status-Quo.                                       Challenges the Status-Quo.


Short Term Results.                                                Long Term Vision.


Plans & Budgets.                                           Change & Risks.


Standards.                                                               Values.


Can be appointed.                                                  Should be accepted.


Talks a lot.                                                               Listens a lot.


Tells.                                                                        Asks.
 
Presumes.                                                               Explores.


Seeks control.                                                         Seeks commitment.


Orders.                                                                     Challenges.


Works on.                                                                Works with


Positional Power.                                                    Personal Power.


Keeps distant.                                                          Makes contact.


Says what to do.                                                       Shows how to do.


Demands respect.                                                    Commands respect.


Works in the system.                                                 Works on the system.


Gets the best out of the resources.                          Organises the best resources.


System centric.                                                            People centric.


Professional (IQ).                                                        Emotional (IQ).


Directional.                                                                  Inspirational.


Systematic.                                                                  Charismatic.


Have schemes.                                                            Have dreams.


Says "Some thing must be done".                             Says "I must do some thing."


Doing things Right.                                                       Doing right things.

Moretransactional.                                                        More transcendental.


Creates Fear.                                                               Creates Confidence.


Creates resentment.                                                    Breeds Enthusiasm.


Says "I"                                                                         Says "We"


Fixes blame.                                                                 Fixes mistakes.


Knows "How"                                                               Shows "How"


Drives.                                                                          Leads.


Has Employees.                                                         Has Followers.


People need Managers.                                            People long for Leaders.


And.......................................................................


The Ultimate Leader says.......


"I did it".........whenever some thing go haywire.......says......


"We did it"......whenever something is semi good and says........


"You did it":....whenever everything go Right.

Sir Alex - Genius and gentleman ....

Below is a list of trophies won by Sir Alex Ferguson as Manager of Manchester United Football Club in the last 21 years since 1990.

Premier League (11): 1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09
FA Cup (5): 1989–90, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1998–99, 2003–04 League Cup (4): 1991–92, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10 FA Charity/Community Shield (9): 1990, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2010
UEFA Champions League (2): 1998–99, 2007–08
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1): 1990–91
UEFA Super Cup (1): 1991
Intercontinental Cup (1): 1999
FIFA Club World Cup (1): 2008

That is an amazing 35 Major trophies won in 21 years and ….. With a little luck 2 more to add to that list in a few weeks’ time!

Quite simply there has never been a more successful football manager in the long and distinguished history of British football. I suggest there has never been a more successful manager anywhere in world football.

When business authors look for successful people to use as examples of how management and leadership can be perfected I suggest they take a look at Sir Alex rather than the usual suspects from the traditional, boring, stuffy world of business.

I’ve been lucky enough to communicate directly three times in my life with Sir Alex and on each of those three occasions I found him to be a wonderful man who made me feel special. There was no pretentiousness or self-importance we see in some high profile people. Quite the opposite in fact, Sir Alex was genuine, humble, obliging and very kind.

Sir Alex is now approaching 70 years old and has been in charge at Old Trafford, home of my beloved Manchester United since 1986 and shows no signs of losing his competitiveness.

Long may Sir Alex reign at the Theatre of Dreams.