| COMPARE |
The Myth |
The Truth |
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Knowledge is power. |
The ability to capture knowledge and share it rapidly is power. |
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Objective |
For individuals to develop their personal power by developing their personal knowledge. |
For people in companies to develop organizational power by creating or capturing knowledge, and then sharing it rapidly with colleagues. |
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Perspective |
Individuals can use knowledge to enhance their power. |
People can collectively enhance their power when they share their knowledge. |
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Method |
Knowledge is highly regulated, on a need to know basis, as determined by the structure of the hierarchy. |
Knowledge is shared widely within the company (and with trusted outsiders), on an informal basis as determined by the project or process at hand. |
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Beneficiary |
Powerful individuals with knowledge. |
The collective enterprise. |
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Internal Systems |
Formally determined by the structure of the hierarchy. |
Informally developed through projects and processes focussed on the needs and desires of customers. |
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Employee Outcome |
The restriction of knowledge lends credibility to gossip and rumor. Both knowledge and power are used in the personal warfare of corporate survival. |
The free flow of knowledge empowers people in companies to make meaningful contributions in service of collective interests. Both knowledge and power are shared in the quest for corporate success. |
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Customer Outcome |
Customers experience delays and complications when their "out of the ordinary" needs must be met by uncoordinated, inflexible and unresponsive hierarchies. |
Speedy service and a myriad of innovations delight customers when their special needs are served with expertise, courtesy and urgency. |
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