He has the knack for… She has the knack for…
What does it mean to have a knack? We think of those we know that seem effortless in their ability to grasp a topic and perform at a high level. But research tells us that no one becomes great at what they do without practice. Performers of viola in great symphonies practice, they practice a lot actually. No one becomes great in their field without work.
So what does the knack mean to business? I guess I should get down to business and explain some things here. We relate having a knack with knowledge management, the tacit form. Tacit knowledge management is often referred to as tribal knowledge, things we learn from one another that cannot be written down. But we contend that there is another element to tribal knowledge other than a great mentor, a seed of desire to learn. This seed is the knack. No one will pursue learning a topic they have no desire to learn (there was that chemistry 101 class in college…but then again you forgot all of it as you left the final exam anyway). So having a knack for something gives us the seed that can blossom into a beautiful expertise in biology, cooking, engineering, photography, writing, etcetera. This is where the mentors and guideposts of our lives help us navigate our path to becoming talented. And remember, all growth is an organic process that occurs logarithmically, so it starts small. So find a knack and nurture it, it will be beautiful!
