I was recently asked – “Why aren’t you selling your knowledge?”
In fact I’ve sold knowledge for more years than I care to count.
Usually the sale is in a form where the knowledge is a part of the package I bring to bear in the course of fulfilling a professional role.
Through the offices of ffox Software Ltd, I have also traded services as an advisor based on my knowledge and experience. How knowledge dissemination is delivered always depends on the needs of both the seller and the buyer at the point of the trade.
Other than day to day purchase of professional advice in areas of accountancy, law, medicine and (in some cases) IT, my experience is that the purchase of knowledge is often a course of action pursued by buyers who seek a ‘magic carpet’ solution to an issue that has not been clearly identified or defined.
The thing I find strange is that the purchase of knowledge is often fuelled by fear.
So what fears drive the potential purchasers of knowledge to the point where they seek sellers of that commodity?
The fear that the ability to act will be compromised by not knowing?
The fear that if action is taken it will be the wrong action?
The fear that action is perceived to be required in such a time space that there is insufficient time to allow for full analysis of the issue?
These fears all focus on the perceived lack of ability to act.
Peter Senge wrote - "Knowledge is the capacity for effective action."
Very nicely put. In fact the only time anyone should need to purchase knowledge is when there is insufficient time to learn.
Even then, if I were buying knowledge I would want the deal to include the right to retention of that knowledge for later retrieval. In other words I would want to learn from the experience.
In fact I’ve sold knowledge for more years than I care to count.
Usually the sale is in a form where the knowledge is a part of the package I bring to bear in the course of fulfilling a professional role.
Through the offices of ffox Software Ltd, I have also traded services as an advisor based on my knowledge and experience. How knowledge dissemination is delivered always depends on the needs of both the seller and the buyer at the point of the trade.
Other than day to day purchase of professional advice in areas of accountancy, law, medicine and (in some cases) IT, my experience is that the purchase of knowledge is often a course of action pursued by buyers who seek a ‘magic carpet’ solution to an issue that has not been clearly identified or defined.
The thing I find strange is that the purchase of knowledge is often fuelled by fear.
So what fears drive the potential purchasers of knowledge to the point where they seek sellers of that commodity?
The fear that the ability to act will be compromised by not knowing?
The fear that if action is taken it will be the wrong action?
The fear that action is perceived to be required in such a time space that there is insufficient time to allow for full analysis of the issue?
These fears all focus on the perceived lack of ability to act.
Peter Senge wrote - "Knowledge is the capacity for effective action."
Very nicely put. In fact the only time anyone should need to purchase knowledge is when there is insufficient time to learn.
Even then, if I were buying knowledge I would want the deal to include the right to retention of that knowledge for later retrieval. In other words I would want to learn from the experience.
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