Antoni Lacinai
Sharing is Caring – and good for business
I experienced something truly remarkable in my early career. In 1998, I attended a conference with 100 people, 20 of whom were from my company. Eager to share knowledge, I asked my colleagues to email me their top three takeaways. But not a single soul responded…
I approached my boss’s boss and explained that sharing our learnings could maximize our $50,000 investment. To my surprise, he brushed it off as “Personal Development.”
Determined to make a change, I promised myself that when I became a manager, I would encourage knowledge-sharing with one condition: insights must be shared with the team. And it worked!
Managing knowledge in large organizations is challenging, but it’s crucial. Without a structured approach, communication falters, hindering us from tapping into the collective intelligence. We waste resources seeking knowledge elsewhere when our colleagues hold the key.
Let’s break this cycle! The best teams SHARE. Sharing is caring. So, let’s share our insights and empower each other!
Team Antoni Explains
The value of sharing ideas cannot be emphasized in the ever-changing context of professional growth. Antoni Lacinai, an advocate for collaborative learning, shares a transformative experience from his early career that underscored the value of knowledge exchange.
In 1998, Lacinai attended a conference where a golden opportunity for shared learning presented itself. With 20 colleagues from his company in attendance, he saw the potential for collective growth. Eager to capitalize on this, he requested his colleagues to share their top three takeaways via email. However, to his surprise, not a single response echoed in his inbox.
This encounter prompted Lacinai to reflect on the reluctance to share knowledge within the professional sphere. When he approached his boss’s boss, proposing that sharing insights could maximize their $50,000 investment, he was met with indifference. The dismissive response labeled it as “Personal Development,” sidelining the potential for collective organizational growth.
Undeterred, Lacinai set out on a personal mission to cultivate a culture of knowledge-sharing when he assumed a managerial role. His condition was simple yet powerful: insights must be shared within the team. This shift in approach proved to be a game-changer, fostering an environment where knowledge flowed freely among team members.
Managing knowledge within large organizations presents its challenges, but Lacinai emphasizes its critical importance. Without a structured approach, communication breaks down, hindering the ability to tap into the collective intelligence of the team. In such instances, valuable resources are wasted seeking knowledge externally when often, the key lies within the expertise of colleagues.
Breaking free from this cycle is imperative for success. Lacinai advocates that the best teams are those that share. In his words, “Sharing is caring.” By openly exchanging insights, teams empower each other, fostering a culture of collaboration that propels the entire organization forward.
As we navigate the complexities of the professional world, let Antoni Lacinai’s experience serve as a guiding light. Embrace the ethos that sharing is not only caring but also a strategic imperative for business success. Let us commit to sharing our insights, unlocking the full potential of collective intelligence, and propelling our teams and organizations to new heights.
