Knowledge Matters™

30 odd years ago I went to the cinema to watch Monty Python’s Life of Brian – I still get a laugh from this movie, but not as big a laugh as I get from the prelude which was called “Away From It All ”. Away From It All was a travelogue with a voice over by John Cleese. When I saw it every person in the theatre was sucked in for 10 minutes or so, and almost to the famous line “and now back to Venice, Queen of the Adriatic. Here certainly we have peace and tranquillity, and also more of those f***ing gondolas!” At the time this was a shocking thing, but it had the theatre audience in raptures.

So what’s the point? Well for the past two weeks I have attended meeting, after meeting, after meeting, after meeting, all on the same subject and with no decision or action in sight! I am at the point where it’s become yet another f***ing meeting and I just want to get away from it all!

Why, oh why, do knowledge workers feel the need to consult absolutely everyone, no matter how remote their interest in the subject matter? Why do they have to go over the same ground over and over again? How does this improve knowledge productivity and help them make better decisions?

It seems to me a skill all knowledge workers need to learn is meeting management. Consultation matters, but so does time management. More importantly consultation and discussion is pointless if no action results. It’s the end result that matters – not the discussion!

Regards Graham