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Communities of Practice - Challenges, Curiosity and Dragons
Arup is an independent firm of designers, engineers, and consultants working across the built environment. They help clients solve complex challenges by turning ideas into reality. Arup's challenges include improving health and well-being while transitioning to zero-carbon and adopting circular economy principles. They also focus on enhancing resilience to climate change and creating more equitable societies. Arup has over 15,000 employees across 89 offices in 33 countries. They utilize their 40+ skills networks, which are communities of practice that virtually connect people to share knowledge across geographies. These networks are led by skills leaders and aim to ensure Arup remains best-in-class in its capabilities.
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Arup focuses on solving complex challenges through interdisciplinary teams. With 15,000 people in 33 countries, they achieved £1.809bn revenue in 2020.
Targeting human health, zero-carbon transition, circular economy, community resilience, and social value. Highlighting the need for adapting to demanding clients and knowledge redundancy.
Arup thrives on diversity, independence, and collective capability, influencing major global projects. Recognized as a top workplace for innovators.
Skills Networks at Arup, established for over 20 years, support knowledge sharing and expertise across diverse areas and are instrumental for project success.
Strategies for effective employee induction, including automated onboarding, roles, and initial tasks to facilitate knowledge sharing within the first weeks.
Importance of personal engagement within the first six weeks of induction, gathering feedback, and involving community leaders to foster new ideas.
Evolution of networks through history, highlighting trust and reciprocal altruism as foundational elements for knowledge sharing among individuals.
Trust dynamics in Communities of Practice focusing on member relations, justice, and competence perceptions crucial for effective knowledge sharing.
Networking as an essential resource, stressing collective efforts over individual contributions and the importance of social contacts in organizations.
Discussing issues like network burnout and the balance between project demands and community engagement while maintaining a vibrant knowledge culture.
Encouraging experimentation and innovation by providing safe spaces for idea development, fostering curiosity and engagement in collaborative environments.
Emphasizing the necessity of curiosity and flexibility in complex problem-solving, shifting from rigid efficiency to exploratory approaches.
Promoting perpetual learning environments with effective practices and lessons from seasoned experts to enhance knowledge management efficacy.
Post-COVID considerations for knowledge transfer, advocacy for collective networks, and willingness to adapt to new structures and tools.
A call for innovative thinking and action to meet emerging challenges, emphasizing the need for adaptability within organizations.
Suggesting literature on trust, organizational dynamics, and knowledge management to enhance understanding of effective practices.
Invitation for questions, facilitating an engaging dialogue regarding the presentation topics.
Providing contact details for Andrew Trickett as the Global Rail Knowledge Manager at Arup.
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Communities of Practice - Challenges, Curiosity and Dragons
- 1. SIKM – August2021 Andrew Trickett August 2021 Communities of Practice, Challenges, Curiosity and Dragons
- 2. We don’t makewidgets- we do complexity Together we shape a better world Arup is an independent firm of designers, planners, engineers, architects, consultants and technical specialists, working across every aspect of today’s built environment. Together we help our clients solve their most complex challenges – turning exciting ideas into tangible reality as we strive to find a better way and shape a better world. 15,000 people in 89 offices across 33 countries Revenue for 2020 £ 1.809bn 2 Arup in 2020/21 worked in 135 countries
- 3. The challenges weaim to solve What challenges do you see now – what is your 2nd curve thinking Improve human health, safety and well-being recognising that this is intrinsically tied to the health of the planet and quality of the built environment. Transition to a zero-carbon economy and a world where everyone has access to clean energy and potable water. Adopt circular economy principles leading to decoupling of economic growth and consumption. Enhance communities’ resilience to climate change and other risks. Create social value that results in a more inclusive, equitable, accessible and just society. Respect planetary boundaries, and reverse the damage done to date. Demanding clients – more for less Knowledge Redundancy cycle acceleration 3
- 4. Arup- some background Thediversity of talent and common values we share make us who we are. While encouraging individuality, we operate as a collective - supporting each other to do our best work. We are owned in-trust with no shareholders or external investors. Therefore we have the independence to set our own direction and choose work that aligns with our values. Guided by the Key Speech given by Ove Arup in 1970. The vision for knowledge at Arup is to deliver the full potential of our collective capability, developed within the firm and through collaboration with others, to bring value to our clients. We deliver some of the most challenging and innovative projects globally – Rail 2nd Ave Subway NY, HS2 (UK), Gold Coast Light Rail (Aus) Cityringen Denmark and various MTR lines in Hong Kong. Arup recognised August 2021 by Fast Company as #18 of 100 companies ‘Best workplace for Innovators’ 4
- 5. Knowledge Networks One toolin the box 1990’s the Community of Practice Cornerstone of most KM systems globally Arup has been using COPS for over 20 years – we call them Skills Networks Arup’s Skills Networks are by and large Virtual communities of people (VCOP) sharing knowledge and expertise and connecting across geographies. We have over 40 Communities going from Acoustics to Wind Engineering Skills Networks are led by Skill Leaders who are charged with seeing that Arup is best in class. This includes identifying the skills and capabilities we need to deliver our business requirements, and seeing that best practice is continually drawn out and made known. They are supported by colleagues within Arup University with leaders in all our regions 5
- 6. COPs KM’s Killer App SkillsNetworks/Forums – Arrow and Cloud JIT Focused problem solving – acquire & diffuse experiential knowledge Culture Share lessons learnt Strong & Weak Ties Projects/Teams Questions/ problems 6
- 7. Induction Catch them new Seeif you can send material in advance • Especially people pages Automate- don’t rely on HR Make sure they have an e-mail on Day 1 Brand it Appointment for knowledge induction • Ideally 2-3 weeks after they arrive • Cc in their line manager • Must-do meeting • Get buddy or skills manager to attend 7
- 8. Knowledge Handbook Some keyareas Keep it lean & relevant Introduction from Business Leader Who the Knowledge Manager is Highlight the Skills Network Key things they should do 1st 5 weeks • Links • A strong picture Training Modules- Arup University One size doesn’t fit all 8
- 9.
- 10. Key lessons What's next– what would you/are you doing different Don’t rely on the corporate induction Get to new starters in person by the end of the first 6 weeks Make sure they can access key links Engage with them and listen for feedback – sounding board If there are corporate knowledge workshops do sessions with them Check your community leaders engage with them they are the future. • Cheap • Enthusiastic • New Blood • New Ideas 10
- 11. They’ve just evolved Networksaren't new Bottegas of Venice Masonic Guilds Junto Groups Coffee houses 11
- 12. The Godfather, AdamSmith Why we succeed TRUST People want to share – Adam Smith Reciprocal Altruism People are intrinsically good- and we co-operated to survive and develop – networks – Learn- Adapt- Improve Bregman Homo Sapiens vs Neanderthal We were better connected But also have social cognitive skills Live and exchange knowledge in groups We get a buzz when we share knowledge 12
- 13. The Godfather andAdam Smith Lets learn from my grandson Trust in a CoP can be established at different levels: member-member, member-manager, member-institution, or member-channel used for the knowledge exchange. The perception of the competence, integrity, and benevolence of other participants is essential in member-member trust and has decisive influence on the intention of sharing knowledge. Justice has been identified as a precursor of trust. On the one hand, trust in members depends on reciprocity (distributive justice) and on the quality of relationships (interpersonal justice), and acts as an antecedent of altruistic behaviour. On the other hand, trust in managers is based on the justice of the policies and procedures of the community (procedural justice) and on promptly informing the members of the procedures of the group (informational justice). 13
- 14. Personal and interpersonalfactor in a community Roberto, Monica & Bartolome (2021) 14
- 15. Knowledge Sharing &Networks It’s our train set!! 15
- 16. Networks Pause for thought 16 Cumulativeeffort No one person Lots of organisational nodes Who are your boundary spanners • What are their interactions • Where are my Networks of future • Yammer/Slack/Teams Can you free us from constraints? Key role as we return- social contacts
- 17. Network Burnout Is thisgetting worse in your organisation Pushme/Pullyu effect • Project vs Tribe/Network membership • Inward vs Outward thinking Knowledge Tsunami Professional Community Managers?? Keeping the network alive What would you do to keep the zombies at bay? 17
- 18. Dragons Networks andPro-creation Tolkien, Tesla and Metropolis Safe space without blowing up the company – experimentation Ability for ideas to procreate Your innovation machine- Networks not Rotwang Encourage and Reward Curiosity Little bets to do something of value but not to hobble. Publicise- transparent working via forums Don’t hoard – Lessons from Smaug and Bacon 18
- 19. Our thoughts strayedconstantly and without boundary Standing on the shoulders of giants Rashomon effect Discussion opens up new horizons – Exploration Rainbow Swans Discussion can also confirm and endorse a view point or idea, support innovation through encouragement. Schliemann’s & Newtons layers to new ideas Do your networks do this INWN? 19
- 20. Curiosity Land of thequick and the dead tired Speed of change – Curiosity is a must have Organisational Laocoon • The tragedy is that its recognised – but seen as messy • Efficiency not Exploration • Starved not fed Embrace uncertainty – reasonable doubt Diverse voices – don’t be Maginot, be Guderian Use communities as your ‘red team’ The most powerful question • What are we missing here? Ko-ki-shin - - pleasing/curious/heart 20
- 21. Dealing with complexproblems Old Times and Modern Times 21 • We need networks to deal with complexity and being messy • Knowledge work not widget work • People want to connect and collaborate, organisations find ways to stop them esp the nomenklatura- and so it is lost • C.O.D.E – keep it lean
- 22. Dealing with Complexproblems Perpetual Beta 22 Harold Jarche 7 essential facets for enterprise knowledge sharing Harold Jarche – Working in Perpetual Beta
- 23. Key lessons –for Communities Lessons from a 95 year old sushi master Pride – Shokunin- meet their aspirations Lessons are being learnt & applied Honesty through Trust Politiea – expected to take part & debate • Corporate Hemlock excluded • Have you considered. Providing a flow. Seen as do-able WIIFM/WIIFU 23 Picture by courtesy of Tanmay Vora of QAspire.com
- 24. Post Covid thoughtsre KM & Networks Thoughts for your consideration Accelerate Learning and variety of sources – internal and external Return of guilds for co-networkers and gig workers standards and protection Knowledge has to flow across silos- Microsoft Viva/Cortex Make sure KM isn’t bureaucratic – in the flow Gen Z staff turnover – no silver bar Experimentation is key and sharing that story as you go along Complexity Quiet value based leadership Change in COPS – size isn’t everything - Superteams T shaped management & new organisational frameworks New tools to advance knowledge to create value 24
- 25. 5 key areasfor your consideration Time to think The wrong kind of simplicity no simple fixes – see the board • What are we missing here? Remembering Dunbar’s law – size isn’t everything Failure is an option Conformity sucks –Mao, and JFK were right 25
- 26. A concluding ‘amended’thought The dogmas of the quiet past, are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise — with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew. We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our organisations.
- 27. Key Reading Some influences 27 CharlesHandy1995 HBR Trust and the Virtual organisation Manville & Ober 2003 HBR Building a Company of Citizens The Neuroscience of Trust HBR Jan-Feb 2017 Paul Zax Humankind Rutger Bregman 2020 Working in Perpetual Beta – Harold Jarche
- 28. Thank you andany questions
- 29. Contact Global Rail Knowledgeand Information Manager Andrew Trickett 29
Editor's Notes
- #12 They maintained the quality and spread dangerous ideas esp Junto Groups – Ben Franklin and the thoughts of the enlightenment
- #13 STARTING POINT TO ASK QUESTIONS Sharing – welcome to the pleasure dome – LEARN –ADAPT –IMPROVE RECIPROCAL ALTRUISM/Adam Smiths Theory of Moral sentiments where Smith highlighted the delight that we as human beings receive from helping our fellow humans even though at the time we derive nothing from this save for the pleasure of seeing it. Aim of knowledge reviews is not just to capture and forget The short answer is that we have to. The potential benefits from trusting others considerably outweigh the potential losses on average. The ever-increasing complexity and resources of human society — its technological advancement, interconnected social capital, and burgeoning economic resources — all depend on trust and cooperation. . . . More can be achieved by working together than by working alone. That’s why we trust — plain and simple. The need to increase resources — whether they be financial, physical, or social — often necessitates depending on others to cooperate. Friends are made on the basis of trust and trust only grows if you are kind to people KM ITS BETTER THAN SEX - https://hbr.org/2014/10/why-your-brain-loves-good-storytelling
- #14 Roberto, H. S., Mónica, G. O., & Bartolomé, R. A. (2021). Key factors in Knowledge Sharing Behavior in Virtual Communities of Practice: A Systematic Review. Education in the Knowledge Society
- #15 Roberto, H. S., Mónica, G. O., & Bartolomé, R. A. (2021). Key factors in Knowledge Sharing Behavior in Virtual Communities of Practice: A Systematic Review. Education in the Knowledge Society
- #16 Copyright Arup University & Australian National Univeristy
- #22 Sessho Toyo Communities of Discovery and Exploration.
- #26 Also Bernard/Kilworth median is 231 – max is 290 but Dunbars number is better publicised
- #27 Abraham Lincoln 1862 address to congress thrall