km world 2007: how do we make people do things?
DESCRIPTION
David Gurteen's talk/mini knowledge cafe at KM World 2007 in San Jose, November 2007.TRANSCRIPT
David Gurteen
How do we makeHow do we makepeople do thingspeople do things??
KM World 2007
David GurteenGurteen Knowledge
David Gurteen
A story:A story:How do we make them use it?How do we make them use it?
Henley Management College
Work with People Work with People don’t do things to them!don’t do things to them!
Many of the familiar principles of Quality management amount to an
elaboration of this simple truth:
an innovative, healthy organization requires that we work with people
rather than do things to them.
Alfie Kohn
David Gurteen
Should we rewardknowledge sharing activity?
David Gurteen
For Best Results: Forget the Bonus!
Here is what Alfie Kohnsays about rewards
To the best of my knowledge, no controlled scientific study has ever found a long-term
enhancement of the quality of work as a result of any reward
system
http://www.alfiekohn.org
David Gurteen
Alfie Kohn on rewardsAlfie Kohn on rewards
• Rewards punish• Rewards rupture relations• Rewards ignore reasons• Rewards deter risk taking• Rewards undermine interest
David Gurteen
Rewards PunishRewards Punish
• Threats & coercion destroy motivation and so do rewards
• Rewards are manipulative• “Do this and you will get that” is not much different to
“Do this else here is what will happen to you”• When people do not get the reward they hoped for
they feel punished• The more desirable the reward the more
demoralizing it is to miss out
David Gurteen
Rewards rupture relationsRewards rupture relations
• Excellence depends on teamwork• Rewards (especially if scarce) destroy
cooperation• Incentive driven employees will not ask for
help from their manager when they need it• People will conceal problems from their
manager to appear infinitely competent
David Gurteen
Rewards ignore reasonsRewards ignore reasons
• To solve problems people must understand the causes
• They ignore the complexities of the problems• Each situation calls for a different response• Rewards tend to blindly promote a single
solution
David Gurteen
Rewards deter risk-takingRewards deter risk-taking
• People are less likely to take risks; to explore possibilities; to play hunches
• The No. 1 casualty of rewards is creativity
David Gurteen
Rewards undermine interestRewards undermine interest
• Loving what you do is a more powerful motivator than any goody including money
• Rewards are controlling!• If people focus on getting a reward they tend
to feel their work is no longer freely chosen and directed by them
• If they have to bribe me to do it - it mustbe something I don’t want to do!
David Gurteen
So what’s the solution?So what’s the solution?
How do we make people share?
How do we make people do anything?
How do we make people use the new KM system?
David Gurteen
Alfie KohnAlfie Kohn
• Pay people well• Pay people fairly• Then do everything possible to
take money (rewards) off people’s minds
Incentives, bonuses, pay-for-performance-plans and other reward systems violate this last principle by
their very nature!
David Gurteen
Bob BuckmanBob Buckman
Our approach to KM is far more than stick or carrot.
We say, "Knowledge Sharing is your job. Do it!"
As a reward you may keep your job.
David Gurteen
John HoltJohn Holt
Children do not need to be made to learn to be better, told what to do or shown how.
If they are given access to enough of the world, they will see clearly enough what
things are truly important to themselves and to others, and they will make for themselves a
better path into that world then anyone else could make for them
John Holt
David Gurteen
Anthony de MelloAnthony de Mello
The only way to change is to change your understanding.
Anthony de MelloJesuit Priest
David WeinbergerDavid Weinberger
For all our knowledge, we have no idea what we're talking about.
We don't understand what's going on in our business, our market, and our world.
KM shouldn’t be about helping us to know more. It should be about helping us to
understand.
So, how do we understand things? … It's through stories that we understand how the
world works.
David Weinberger, The Cluetrain Manifesto
David Gurteen
So how do we make people do things?
How do we make people share?
How do we make people do anything?
How do we make people use the new KM system?
And what role should rewards play?
David Gurteen
www.gurteen.com
David GurteenGurteen KnowledgeTel: +44 1252 812 878Email: [email protected]