I ran across this rather disturbing quote on the web this morning:
“Knowledge is power. Knowledge shared is power lost.”
This is the very argument that keeps people from sharing knowledge — a fear that they will be giving up a portion of their power base. This irrational fear cripples people and prevents us from achieving far greater good.
What is reality? Knowledge is power, and knowledge shared is power multiplied! When I share my knowledge with you, you add your collective knowledge, experience and perspectives and do new things with it. I’m no less “powerful” because I haven’t lost the knowledge I shared. And together, we are much more powerful, able to accomplish more and innovate beyond what either of us could do alone.
Hmmmm, so if I share knowledge of where my “weapons of mass destruction” are stored with my enemy, I have increased my power? Seems to miss the mark a bit.
Define “knowledge”.
Define “power”.
Define “share”.
Definitely a phrase like that is open to many levels of interpretation, and not a black and white condition.
Also, I would say it is the “application of knowledge” that is where the power becomes evident. Knowing something, without action, is only an example of ‘potential’ or ‘stored’ power.
I am not a hoarder, btw. 🙂
Hmmmm, so if I share knowledge of where my “weapons of mass destruction” are stored with my enemy, I have increased my power? Seems to miss the mark a bit.
Define “knowledge”.
Define “power”.
Define “share”.
Definitely a phrase like that is open to many levels of interpretation, and not a black and white condition.
Also, I would say it is the “application of knowledge” that is where the power becomes evident. Knowing something, without action, is only an example of ‘potential’ or ‘stored’ power.
I am not a hoarder, btw. 🙂
Good point, epiclectic, and something I discussed with Randy and Darryl at lunch yesterday.
So I’ve clarified my thought as follows:
Knowledge shared with a collaborator increases power (personally and collectively).
Knowledge shared with a competitor MAY decrease my power. It’s not a foregone conclusion, though. As you noted, power is expressed in the application of that knowledge, and many times time-to-market and other factors make the value window very small.
Good point, epiclectic, and something I discussed with Randy and Darryl at lunch yesterday.
So I’ve clarified my thought as follows:
Knowledge shared with a collaborator increases power (personally and collectively).
Knowledge shared with a competitor MAY decrease my power. It’s not a foregone conclusion, though. As you noted, power is expressed in the application of that knowledge, and many times time-to-market and other factors make the value window very small.
I am a johnny-come-lately to this discussion. But, could there be a pertinent distinction between knowlege (generalized, basic) and information (particular, specialized)?