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Knowledge Management Can Help Solve the Leadership Deficit

During last week’s webinar, How KM Supports the Nurturing of Successful Leaders, I talked with our Human Capital Management program manager Elissa Tucker about APQC’s latest research on leadership skills gaps. At the end of the call, the audience brought up some great questions about the intersection of KM and leadership development. One of the most interesting was, “Do you think setting up communities of practice will help resolve an organization’s leadership deficit?”

I think communities can certainly be part of the solution. For one thing, communities can function as microcosms of the larger organization—they’re an environment where diverse sets of employees get together to make decisions and solve problems. Because these groups are inherently collaborative, participating in or leading a community can help high-potential employees build the kind of competencies (e.g., knowledge sharing, listening) associated with the dynamic leadership model Elissa outlined during the webinar. Communities are also a great forum for current and up-and-coming leaders to connect, get advice, and support one another as they learn what works and hone their leadership skillsets.

What other KM approaches can help solve the leadership deficit? Share your ideas with us in the comments. And check out the free webinar recording and Q&A summary on APQC’s Knowledge Base.