The Critical 6Cs of Knowledge Management

In the beginning, there were 4Ps. This is the house that Kaizen built or the Rising Sun. We in the industry need structure. We need it to build foresight in a blind world. We need it to replicate any past successes into future economies of scale. This structure is never sufficient to yield the results we need, so inevitably it becomes 7Ps then 4Es. So why not the 6Cs?

At this point, in order to capitalize on the knowledge economy and ring out all the advantages in a business model, it can be any number of Cs: content, cognition, capture, code, community, creativity, cordlessness and other words leading to Scrabble Champion. But for now, let us focus on the fundamentals as there is so much data and information out in the world, and it is critically important to be able to filter it to the benefit of the business objective.

1. Capturing – the task of assembling the necessary data. It has to be the right data. One cannot squeeze lemon juice from a bunch of bananas. Much of what has been observed in the information age in the Capture Division is capture is considered running around the yard catching fireflies in a jar. The problem with this is that there is no strategy blueprint for what you are capturing. If you value the process of gathering ideas, thoughts and insights then please continue to collect twinkles, hold them safe and we hope that you have an effective catch and release program because we are not strategically aligned.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Data Meow specializes in assessing best practices, lessons learned, customer feedback, and market research. If you have game plan, a strong strategic framework like a treasure chest. Then capturing becomes a simple task of collecting all the defined coins you need to fill that chest. All knowledge and by extension, wisdom is the sum of data. Just as the value of treasure is the sum of its content. Thus, the Create key C falls into the logical sequence.                                                                                                                
2. Create – In order to capitalize on your significant efforts of knowledge management, you have to create your strategic framework, with a clear objective and a defined future state that meets all the SMART fundamentals. Even though we are working in a new space, and a revolutionary time, the fundamentals need to remain strong otherwise the lemon banana flavored cocktail will fail.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          If we stick with the treasure analogy and stretch it beyond plausibility, we have to create the plan of attack, we have to strategically coordinate the resources in the mining of the treasure needed to fill the chest, you may need to even create the chest and you have to have rum.                                                     
3. Codifying – After data collection (yet, another intrinsic C), this is the critical step of transforming the data, random and around, into information. If you have filtered it correctly to your clear future state, then this is a simple task of organizing scattered into structured. Once the treasure is captured, pirates would catalog and organize it. They might sort the gold from the jewels, and create an inventory list or a coded map indicating where each type of treasure is stored. One thing that many in the industry forget is that it must be easily accessible and have clear connection nodes. It is a key component to completing this step. This could involve tagging documents with keywords, creating databases, and using taxonomies or ontologies to make the information easily retrievable and understandable. Essentially, it’s about creating a structured system where knowledge is stored.                                                                                                                                         
4. Communicating – Unless you draw your treasure map, clearly and accurately, then you could have all the buried treasure in the world. With no chance of accessing it. Do not bury your treasure.

   I have studied many philosophers and many cats. The wisdom of cats is infinitely superior

   Hippolyte Taine

       

5. Capitalizing – in order to capitalize on your excellent knowledge management practices, you have to be able to translate them into solid KPIs to drive your business. Organization is the number one skill when it comes to capitalizing on organizational knowledge. It’s only by working together that you can capitalize on everyone’s knowledge, experience, and skills.                                                                                                                    The better this knowledge is shared, the more effectively teams can work together. This makes knowledge capitalization a key lever for collective performance. Pirates capitalize on their treasure by using it to fund further adventures, trade for goods and services, or stash it away for future use. They make strategic decisions on how to best use their captured and coded treasure to maximize their benefit.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             In a business setting, capitalizing on knowledge involves leveraging the organized knowledge to make informed decisions, improve processes, innovate, and gain competitive advantages. It’s about applying the knowledge in practical ways to enhance the organization’s performance and achieve strategic goals.                                                                                                                                               
6. Cats – although cats are not well-known or acknowledged for their exceptional teamwork, let us purport that it is the most critical of Cs, meow. Should you not embody the principles of the hunt? Similar to a lion pride, successful organizations rely on coordinated efforts. Team members collaborate, share knowledge, and support each other to achieve common goals. Effective coordination involves clear communication, defined roles, and a shared vision, which together drive success.

Each cat capitalizes on its unique strengths and knowledge to survive and thrive independently. In organizations, individuals also contribute to success through their unique skills, creativity, and knowledge. While teamwork is important, recognizing and harnessing individual talents and allowing for independent innovation can lead to significant breakthroughs and personal achievements.

With proper and diligent management of the elements of the knowledge pyramid, you can leverage knowledge to increase the margins in your business in the new economy. You can use it to unlock, combine and balance individual brilliance and teamwork, or you can drown in it. And we all know how cats feel about water.