Overview

From Harvard Business School's book review (August 8, 2005 edition ofWorking Knowledge)Knowledge management is a tad passé if all we imagine is managing the brainpower of our colleagues. More important these days, according to this book, is for individuals to actually lead the creation of knowledge in their organizations in a systematic and pragmatic way: That's how innovation and competitive advantage take hold. This serious book offers a comprehensive framework in that direction, helping you first to evaluate your own "knowledge leadership" style and then see the big picture within the company.In a non-gimmicky way, the authors-specialists in learning organizations and management-serve up the Yogi and Commissar figures once described by Arthur Koestler, the late novelist, philosopher, and political activist. As used here, the Yogi is someone who challenges others to question their assumptions and beliefs in order to forge a new path for learning. Commissar leaders prefer to focus on action and changing the outward behavior of others."The message for knowledge leaders from Arthur Koestler's book, The Yogi and the Commissar, is that any rigidly held worldview, although seductive on the surface, is inherently limited and likely to cause leaders their own demise. Although it is no small task, becoming a knowledge leader requires you to become aware of-then reduce the dysfunctional effects of-your own worldview and perpetual blocks," they write.The book is divided into six parts: Why Should You Care About Knowledge?; Becoming a Knowledge Leader; Putting Knowledge into Action; Developing Pragmatic Knowledge; Leading Fast Knowledge-Based Organizations; and Putting it All Together. Plenty of examples, illustrations, and executive summaries help to clarify what can be a difficult and unwieldy challenge for a fast-paced company."Starting change efforts by increasing self-knowledge may not be the most comfortable for business leaders, but it is where knowledge leaders have to begin-and we think it will be a differentiating trait between good and great leaders in the future," the authors conclude."The authors of this well-researched and clearlywritten book stimulate reflection with intriguing images and practical tools, and they guide towardsaction with examples from private, public, andnot-for profit organizations. Readers will come away not only with an up-to-date understanding of the field of knowledge management, but also with greaterself-knowledge, enabling them to hone their leadership skills and strategies."-- Ariane Berthoin Antal, Social Science Research Center Berlin and co-editor The Handbook of Organizational Learning and Knowledge"A refreshing scholarly perspective of Knowledge Leadership for creating functional, adaptive, sustainable, and timely knowledge-basedorganizational strategies to affect bottom line performance. Drawing upon a solid pragmatic understanding of systems thinking, the authorsoffer an incisive analysis of how to develop and apply pragmatic knowledge in today's organizations. Real world industry cases and scientific analyses of knowledge profiles support the conceptual andpragmatic framework while offering tools for bridging the knowing-doing divide."-- Dr. Yogesh Malhotra, PhD, MBA, BE, CCP,CEngFounding Chairman and Chief Knowledge Architect, BRINT Institute, LLC; Faculty of Management Information and Decision Sciences, SyracuseUniversity Whitman School of Management"Knowledge Leadership is a timely response to a widely felt need within the KM field. Practical, readable and with sound foundations, it is a valuable guide for leaders who want their companies to become part of the elite Knowledge-based Organizations, those companies that base their long-term strategies on knowledge differentiation. If you lead, you must read."-- Javier Carrillo, Professor of Knowledge Management and Director of the Center for Knowledge Systems, ITESM, Mexico."Knowledge leadership is the key to sustained competitive advantage in the knowledge economy. Steven Cavaleri, Sharon Seivert and Lee Lee help us to understand what knowledge leadership is and show us how to recognise, develop and become knowledge leaders. If more people in business, the professions, and public and voluntary organisations use this book to undertake similar journeys to become leaders in their fields we will all benefit."-- Professor Colin Coulson-Thomas, author of 'The Knowledge Entrepreneur'"Kudos to Cavaleri and Seivert for sharing this enlightening volume on the wisdom and power of skillful knowledge management. For those of us who have the fortune of working within a visionary and well-balanced "robust learning" environment, Knowledge Leadership: The Art and Science of the Knowledge-based Organization is a great resource to keep our knowledge strategies and processes on track.For organizations that have not yet effectively embraced the "era of knowledge" or utilized knowledge as the source of innovation and success, this book provides a gold mine of tools to integrate the knowledge development process and knowledge management initiative.This illustrative resource can guide receptive organizations to 'develop actionable and pragmatic knowledge,' which can facilitate engaging employees to foster innovation and ultimately yield a competitive edge.This book provides an invaluable guide to managers who are on the journey toward understanding knowledge-based organizations, and can serve as a useful overview of the role of knowledge in organizations for managers just beginning the journey."-- Lynn S. Quinn, Manager, Retail Human Resources,Eileen Fisher, Inc.