Is Personal Knowledge Management the missing link in the Knowledge Economy?

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In describing the rise of Knowledge-Work as the backbone of the 1960s American economy, Peter F Drucker wrote how "The young engineer, the accountant, the medical technologist, and the teacher [took]… work home with them when they [left]… the office." 

Drucker had a piece of advice for these newer generations of individuals whom he called Knowledge-Workers. That is to learn how to learn, unlearn and relearn. 

Almost half a century later, the context and the advice have never been more relevant.

What Drucker described as systemic acquisition and application of knowledge are now what we do on most days. Our roles revolve around laboriously collecting data, organising information and generating insights. It is a messy process and takes a significant time to master.

Although it is often difficult to explain what one does and how knowledge work fits into the intricate clockwork of things, the impacts of knowledge workers do not go unnoticed. In fact, the results of knowledge work are widely felt, seen and acknowledged.

Managing knowledge work sometimes requires managing information. As the body of our collective information expands, an increasing need is being felt to make sense of such information. Today, many high-performance organisations have put top priority on harnessing the flow of information through a culture of learning and knowledge sharing.

This brings us to Knowledge-Management, a set of practices that aim to draw on what the knowledge workers know and thus propel the organisation towards solving big challenges. Organisations which continue to lead the global market are also heavily invested in doing Knowledge-Management well.

To solve big problems, organisations need savvy employees who are skilled and updated. As technological disruption continues, reinventing ourselves through unlearning and relearning often has moved from being a priority to being a requirement.

The repercussions of technological innovation on employment seem unavoidable. Just as our desk calendars and calculators have been replaced by smartphones, some percentage of the jobs that would have made sense a few decades ago are poised to become automated. 

ChatGPT, for example, the latest arrival from OpenAI, has been stirring discussions recently. The Machine-Learning service is forecasted to automate coding, content writing, digital art creation and knowledge aggregation. Another reminder that machines are catching up.

While the machines are learning, the baseline for intellectual capacity has also jumped. The level of skills and knowledge that was once expected only of the exceptionally brilliant are becoming baseline standards in our time. 

As information continues to move from being a rarity to utility, traditional education continues to be complemented by newer sources of information, which allow one to learn independently. We are seeing the rise of a generation of individuals who are not only learning on their own but also bringing a lot of creativity and innovation in the fields of their preference.

With a lot happening out there, making sense of things is proving to be challenging. I believe, Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) is the missing link which might assist us to integrate ourselves with these newer developments.

To a beginner, PKM could seem like a collection of note-taking gimmicks and productivity stunts on YouTube. But it is much more than that. In theory, PKM is a set of practices that enable an individual to purposefully take control of their learning and drive it to develop technical and conceptual skills. It promises that making such practices a habit could lead to an exponential accumulation of expertise over one's lifetime making them highly productive as an intellectual.

PKM practitioners today maintain their own Personal Knowledge-Bases, a personal collection of curated information-artefacts, different forms of notes, thoughts and ideas, which they reflect and build on over a long period of time. They deliberately and often systematically train themselves to push boundaries in their metacognition, information organisation, creativity, critical thinking and analytical abilities, setting them apart from many others who are yet to be aware of the potentials of such pursuits.

Knowledge Management emphasises the urgency of generating and circulating knowledge within the organisation; and it does so under the assumption that Knowledge Workers already know certain things that are valuable to the organisation. Personal Knowledge Management completes the equation by offering organisations the skilled thinkers it needs.

The enthusiasm around Personal Knowledge Management in certain communities is near to the impression that it is the ultimate way of living and productivity.  I think it is not. There is however an indication of what is to come.  

Until recently, techniques such as journaling, collecting inspirations, taking notes, keeping a repository of personally useful information artefacts, and portfolio building were fringe interests practised by a handful. With the growing interest in productivity, these once-lesser-known but effective practices are being adopted by many contemporaries. And it, indeed, has made them successful in their own fields. As these techniques, once practised by the exceptionally brilliant, continue to be adopted widely, the baseline of intellectual abilities might take yet another leap.

There are numerous pathways to approaching Personal Knowledge Management and it is not exclusively limited to certain lines of the profession. Practised regularly for a significant few years, Personal Knowledge Management can lead to an unparalleled level of clarity and self-discovery. The more one pursues it, the more skilled one becomes in spotting principles and techniques within their field of work. As one becomes adept in their subject matter the overall effectivity as a person also grows. 

As a practitioner, I feel excited when I get to apply what I learn and do it better using a wide range of digital tools. The world has certainly come a long way from using word processors for everything. The internet, as I write, is teeming with exciting new technology solutions that not only make Personal Knowledge Management easier but also fun. Becoming literate in these tools and learning new things through small daily iterations is not very hard to do. 

With a little effort, consistent pursuit and a well-kept knowledge base, anyone can become an expert. So why not you?

The writer is an EMBA Student at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh.

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