How to build a culture of knowledge-sharing
Having seen Tsvetelina Plummer’s and Berrin Akvardar's insightful talk at the Fast Flow Conference about GfK — an NIQ Company's Learning Enablement Team, I felt compelled to explore the idea more with them. It aligns closely with a key theme I've been exploring: the balance between autonomy and team alignment. You can read my article ‘Why Learning Enablement Teams are a no-brainer for modern organisations’ to get some details from our discussions on the subject.
Knowledge-sharing is a strategic organizational practice in which teams come together to exchange expertise and learn from each other. This creates more effective and connected organizations that can deliver value quickly. Active Knowledge Diffusion is an approach we use at Conflux to spread and share practices across organizations, aligning ways of working and bringing business and technology together. The knowledge diffusion is active, not passive, because specific people are tasked with building trust, aligning mindsets and practices, and sharing knowledge across the organization and beyond.
Tsvetelina Plummer and Berrin Akvardar's talk ‘How an Enabling Team Propelled Company Learning’ at the Fast Flow Conference.
Throughout this article, I explore Tsvetelina Plummer’s approach to learning enablement teams and her experience with knowledge-sharing, as well as the Active Knowledge Diffusion (AKD) approach in use at Conflux, to demonstrate how vital knowledge-sharing is in modern organizations.
Understanding Learning Enablement Teams
The foundation of effective knowledge-sharing lies in purpose-driven learning enablement teams. Unlike traditional organizational structures, these teams operate virtually, united by mission rather than reporting lines. They emerge organically from observing organizational needs and developing solutions that connect people across traditional boundaries.
The most effective learning enablement teams bring together diverse perspectives and roles. Agile coaches serve as keen observers, supporting learning needs across the organization. Engineering leaders step forward as advocates, championing the value of knowledge-sharing among their peers. Community managers facilitate connections and communication, while technical experts contribute vital domain knowledge to enrich the learning ecosystem.
"We are together by a purpose, by a mission, so to speak, not by a reporting line." - Tsvetelina Plummer
Building a Culture of Knowledge-Sharing
The most impactful knowledge-sharing initiatives emerge from clear organizational challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted that organizations with traditional knowledge-sharing approaches struggled in a world that had suddenly become virtual, and the crisis became a catalyst for innovation, driving the development of new virtual learning approaches that are now standard practice.
Experience demonstrates that knowledge-sharing programs thrive when they grow organically rather than through top-down mandates. The key lies in creating an environment where participation springs from genuine interest and enthusiasm. This approach fosters psychological safety, encouraging experimentation and learning while building credibility through peer advocacy. Recognition plays a vital role but must be balanced carefully to avoid over-incentivizing participation at the expense of authentic engagement.
Measuring Business Impact and ROI
Value Creation
Organizations implementing structured knowledge-sharing programs see tangible benefits across multiple dimensions. The reduction in duplicated training efforts alone presents significant value, while the more efficient use of internal expertise accelerates problem-solving and innovation. These programs create natural networks for collaboration, leading to improved outcomes through practical application of shared knowledge.
Quality and Feedback
Successful knowledge-sharing initiatives thrive on robust feedback mechanisms, with regular surveys after sessions providing immediate insights, and retrospectives with trainers offering a deeper understanding of what works and what needs improvement. The most valuable measure comes from long-term impact evaluation, assessing how shared knowledge transforms into practical application across the organization.
"We wanted it to be a grassroots thing. We wanted it to be something that people do because they want to; because they see the value in doing it." - Tsvetelina Plummer
Scaling Globally and Future Considerations
The challenge of global implementation requires careful attention to multiple factors. Time zone coordination demands creative scheduling solutions, while cultural differences necessitate thoughtful approaches to communication and participation. Hybrid meeting dynamics add another layer of complexity, requiring deliberate effort to ensure inclusive participation across all locations.
Looking forward, thriving organizations are focusing on making their knowledge-sharing content more discoverable and accessible. This involves mapping knowledge circles, creating navigable resource collections, and building on successful sharing patterns. The future of knowledge-sharing lies in creating systems that seamlessly integrate with daily work while preserving the human connections that make learning meaningful.
If you’re looking to transform your organization's knowledge-sharing practices with expert guidance, we can help you create a culture of continuous learning and collaboration.
“The way that the Conflux crew used their active knowledge diffusion approach to seek out and champion good practices was a real revelation to us at TELUS and helped to shift thinking around how we innovate and share successes.”
— Steven Tannock, Director, Architecture (Platform Technology & Tools) at TELUS Digital
Internal Tech Conferences — the book
Internal tech conferences are a powerful tool for organizations seeking to accelerate learning and knowledge sharing across technology teams. Drawing from experience helping technology leaders implement successful internal conferences, we've seen how these events can act as strategic enablers for organizations building software systems. This guidance is precious for formal technology leaders (CIOs, CTOs, Engineering Heads) and informal ones (team leads, senior engineers) who want to drive organizational learning and change through structured knowledge sharing.
In our book, Matthew Skelton and I share detailed guidance and case studies from several organizations on how to prepare, run, and follow up on internal tech conferences.
