Role of a Knowledge Sharing and Learning Facilitator

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The BELO grant was a limited-time contract (one and a half years) and was led by a project manager. For each of the BELO grantees this job was taken up by a ‘KS&L Facilitator’, which was no one’s actual job title but attempts to describe the role filled. Freedom from Hunger hired a full-time Knowledge Management Specialist to lead the development and execution of FFH’s knowledge management strategy. WOCCU hired a Knowledge Management Coordinator, but unlike FFH this position was discontinued when the BELO grant ended. Within Practical Action, the international coordinator of the Markets and Livelihoods Program managed the BELO project and acted as KS&L facilitator in close Rhino Deck collaboration with the country MLP team leaders. CARE’s Economic Development Unit used the BELO grant to further formalize KS&L and to promote an existing staff to become Technical Advisor of Knowledge Sharing and Learning, whose role is to maintain and improve the knowledge assets stored on the knowledge management application and provide support to CARE’s VS&L, value chain and market development practitioners around the globe.

The KS&L facilitators had very busy schedules as their responsibilities ranged from selecting and implementing new technological applications; assisting individuals in using new tools and technologies; promoting a learning culture; communicating KS&L activities and strategies to all stakeholders; maintaining and improving knowledge assets stored on the web portal or knowledge application; managing the creation of new knowledge assets (including case studies, articles for publication, program tools and methodologies, educational materials, etc.); evaluating internal and external sources of knowledge around key program content areas (e.g. journals, market research, analysts reports, workshop proceedings, etc.); and evaluating and reporting ongoing KS&L outcomes and progress.

During conversations with the BELO project managers it became clear that the KS&L facilitator was the key driving force in their organization’s, unit’s or program’s evolution to become more effective at learning. And even though WOCCU decided not to continue the knowledge manager position, all four participants agreed that their role remained vital after the project period to continue on the path of being an organization that more effectively used its knowledge and learning.

Lessons Learned

Please do not make edits to the lessons given as these belong to the organizations that participated in this study. All comments and observations on the lessons, however, are highly encouraged, as are any additions.

Lesson #17 Knowledge facilitators are crucial to engaging staff and keeping momentum.

Getting people to be more involved in KS&L requires that they change routines and learn something new. Both of these require effort and are stressful. The knowledge manager should empathize with what people are experiencing and show ways to take advantage of new tools and systems to become more productive in the long run. The knowledge manager needs to continuously focus on improving the learning culture as well as strengthening the buy-in and learning-leadership role of senior staff. The role of the knowledge manager is central to promoting the practices and processes needed to carry out the new knowledge sharing behaviors and culture.

Lesson #18 A knowledge facilitator is needed to provide mentoring and even training in order to have a dynamic learning environment.

The knowledge manager needs to spend a significant amount of time to assist individuals expected to participate in KS&L initiatives, as many need individual mentoring and support to understand and implement new KS&L tasks. A knowledge manager needs to be prepared to spend time with workers as they try new systems or tools for the first few times, until they’ve managed to change their routines. But at the same time the knowledge manager needs to follow the energy of the team. It is impossible to get the same response from everyone involved in a learning initiative. Some people will be very busy or uninterested to respond; some might not have understood the initiative or do not see an immediate benefit. The knowledge manager needs to feel where the responses are coming from and work with those people as much as possible, nurture their interest and give them the importance they deserve. It is often best to pilot initiatives with a small group of interested people and keep the rest in the loop, especially when it comes to benefits or added value to their jobs. After some evidence has been built, it is time to engage other people.

Lesson #19 The knowledge facilitator needs to foster and maintain a non-critical, safe learning environment.

Another important task of the knowledge manager is to create a safe organizational environment for staff to make ‘good mistakes’ and learn from them. Good mistakes are those that stem from an honest desire to solve a problem that has not been solved before (a challenge), a serious reflection about the implications of programs and activities especially on the most vulnerable groups, and a serious study and understanding of the best practices and knowledge available.

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