EMPOWERING YOUR WORKFORCE: INVEST IN YOUR PEOPLE

Unlocking Your Team’s Hidden Knowledge: The Power of Personal Practical Knowledge

Every leader knows that people are their organization’s most valuable asset. But here’s what many miss: each team member carries within them a unique treasure trove of experience and wisdom that we call Personal Practical Knowledge (PPK). This hidden resource could be the key to transforming your workforce into a powerhouse of innovation and excellence.

What is Personal Practical Knowledge?

PPK isn’t just another business buzzword. It’s the deep, experiential knowledge that comes from your lived experiences and reflections. Unlike simple information that you can recite but not apply, PPK is knowledge you can actually use to drive performance.

Think about it: Have you ever noticed how difficult it is to explain exactly what makes you good at your job? That’s because your PPK is largely implicit – it’s knowledge you’ve gained through experience rather than formal learning.

The Three Critical Insights About PPK

  1. Your Team Members’ Knowledge is Unique
    Every person on your team has walked a different path, faced different challenges, and learned different lessons. This unique perspective makes each employee an invaluable resource for your organization. The key to professional growth often lies within, not in external training programs.
  2. PPK is Hidden Below the Surface
    While your team members carry vast stores of practical knowledge, they rarely have the opportunity to articulate it. Most organizations never ask their employees to explicitly share what they know – and that’s a massive, missed opportunity for collective growth.
  3. PPK is Naturally Stable
    Here’s an interesting paradox: while people adapt to change every day, their core experiential knowledge is remarkably resistant to change. This stability isn’t a weakness – it’s a strength. This knowledge has gotten them where they are today, and it shouldn’t be discarded lightly.

The Change Management Connection

When organizations face resistance to change, they often misdiagnose the problem. In our experience, “resistant” employees aren’t usually opposing change itself – they’re opposing change that doesn’t align with their practical knowledge of what works and what doesn’t.

As Jack Welch, the former CEO of General Electric, once noted: “We have found what we believe to be the distilled essence of competitiveness; it is the reservoir of talent, creativity and energy that can be found in each of our people.”

Moving Forward: Harnessing Your Team’s PPK

To unlock your organization’s full potential, you need to:

  • Create spaces for employees to articulate their practical knowledge
  • Value the unique perspectives each team member brings
  • Build change initiatives that incorporate your team’s collective wisdom

Ready to transform how your organization leverages its internal knowledge? Learn how we can help your team tap into their PPK and drive genuine, lasting change.

Fondly,
Bill

Want to explore how we can help your team unlock their potential? Contact us at clcoalition@yahoo.com or 720-871-8172 to learn about our 2025 Arvada Small Business offering, which includes:

  • 2-hour on-site observation
  • Feedback session
  • Action design episode