how to overcome knowledge hoarding course hero

Since hoarding is a subtype of OCD, this can redirect your compulsions in a healthier, more productive direction. Start by sitting down in front of one pile of accumulated stuff. Hold a piece in your hands, turn it around, and remember why it is you decided to keep it. Then be realistic with yourself about what you plan on doing with it.

Full Answer

How do you combat knowledge hoarding in the workplace?

In my experience, one of the best ways to combat the employee knowledge hoarding tendency is to reward employees who participate in the consistent sharing of appropriate information and make clear the benefits of doing so.

Can your organization afford the luxury of ‘hoarding knowledge’?

Hoarding knowledge is a luxury that no organization can afford. Dorothy Leonard is the William J. Abernathy Professor of Business Administration Emerita at Harvard Business School and chief adviser of the consulting firm Leonard-Barton Group, which conducts workshops on this and other related topics.

Why do employees hoard information?

On the other hand, an employee may hoard information for personal gain or power. Clarice in sales may have decided that if she doesn’t share her hard-earned knowledge with others on the sales team, she will continue to be the star and the most valuable player, who is immune to layoffs. Neither scenario benefits the organization as a whole.

Why do people hide their knowledge from others?

But one barrier to passing deep smarts along to the next generation that is often unaddressed is the expert’s inclination to hoard knowledge. Financial incentives, personal ego, and discontent or frustration with the company are three of the top reasons individuals choose to keep their expertise to themselves.

What is knowledge hoarding?

Knowledge hoarding — when employees purposely keep critical knowledge to themselves — is a fairly common phenomenon found in companies of all sizes. It’s an uphill battle to create a culture of knowledge sharing if you don’t address knowledge hoarding head-on.

Why is knowledge sharing important?

Knowledge sharing is critical to a company’s success. It makes onboarding easier and gives every team member the context they need to work autonomously and excel at their job. Plus, knowledge sharing helps your teammates stay connected. The more knowledge you share, the more you shape and define your company culture.

Why do people keep their expertise to themselves?

Financial incentives, personal ego, and discontent or frustration with the company are three of the top reasons individuals choose to keep their expertise to themselves. But they’re also three issues that managers can actually change. Let’s start with financial incentives.

What is the first step in recognizing good work?

Acknowledging good work is the first step. As Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer have demonstrated in their research, small acts such as providing frequent positive feedback, celebrating small wins, and removing obstacles to progress, pay huge, immediate dividends in productivity and creativity.

Who is Dorothy Leonard?

Hoarding knowledge is a luxury that no organization can afford. Dorothy Leonard is the William J. Abernathy Professor of Business Administration Emerita at Harvard Business School and chief adviser of the consulting firm Leonard-Barton Group, which conducts workshops on this and other related topics.

Do people who have been mentored themselves have more chances of mentoring others?

They were more than willing to share what they had learned over the years. Of course, such willingness derives from personality as well as a supportive organizational environment, but much research (including our own) has shown that people who have been mentored themselves are much more likely to mentor others.

Can organizations lose deep smarts?

Organizations cannot afford to lose these deep smarts. Lack of time or resources can, of course, constrain knowledge transfer. But one barrier to passing deep smarts along to the next generation that is often unaddressed is the expert’s inclination to hoard knowledge.