Preparing
for Conversations with Carol Tucker
Knowledge
Ignored: Consequence Failure
Carol
Tucker
VP, Loan Servicing, The Washington Service Bank
Randallstown, MD, US
 Introduction
I've known Carol Tucker for nearly as long
as there has been an AOK and I've had at least a couple of opportunities
for some good f2f time with her. So, I've felt like I know Carol
as well as anyone in our circle.
But while exploring the possibility of
her as a STAR Series moderator, her persona has bloomed into
an "ah-ha" that surprises me. Not surprised about Carol;
surprised about me. I simply wasn't getting the depth
of Carol Tucker that was easy to find if I had just taken the
time to dig. Bad admission for a journalist!
Carol is a not-so-stealthy KMer outside
her workplace but a stealthy user of KM strategies, and tools
in her work. Talk about passionate, Carol is brassy enough to
make a difference regardless of the circumstances under which
she works. She's a STAR moderator because she is a bright star
fighting for attention in the vast universe of knowledge management;
and, because she is probably more typical of KM pioneering spirits
than most of us on the 'knowledge map.' She's a talker -just
like the rest of us- but a tireless (but sometimes frustrated)
doer.
It takes a lot of courage to be Carol Tucker
or anyone like her who is constantly reading case reports (like
the ones I write) about superstar KM managers in large, multi-national
companies that actually 'get' KM. Carol's career has been sort
of 'itinerant' over the past few years as she has moved from
one VP position to another in small banks, never hired to be
a KM lead but when a bank hires Carol they've signed up for KM
whether they know it or not! Sometimes, they don't ever know
it until it's too late.
This discussion isn't just about KM and
banking. It's about KM in small and medium (S&M size organizations
with or without a formal KM initiative, where all the resources
are limited, where regulation is debilitating, where KM is a
mystery and where process, and hierarchy are set in stone.
Carol has shared with us a lot of her stuff
in her STAR Series Page. I encourage you to read it all, but
if you can only choose one document, please read the the report
- 'A case study of implementing KM in a small community bank.'
In truth, the effort failed and so did
the bank.
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Biography
With over two decades in community banking,
Carol has a wide range of experience from the teller line to
her current position as Vice  President of Loan Servicing at
The Washington Savings Bank. She has experience and knowledge
of both the sales and support functions of the organization,
and leverages both for the competitive advantage. Carol has worked
with six different community banks in the Baltimore/DC area,
serving as a knowledge nomad creating/disseminating best practices,
simplifying processes and solving complex problems. Her background
in lending, compliance and management reporting has enabled her
to function as an internal consultant to troubled organizations.
Please see her CV online and while you are there, look
around at the knowledge base she created to serve as a resource
for her fellow bankers.
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Opening
Remarks:
Which Part of 'kNOw' Didn't You Understand?
I want to make a difference.
Granted, in these days of employment-at-will,
I have a simple relationship with my employer. They pay me, I
work. They don't pay me, I don't work. I don't work, they don't
pay me. But what gets me up each morning for two to three hours
of commuting is a chance to make a difference. Organization development
and knowledge management are the means that I utilize to add
value to the organizations with whom I have been involved.
You've heard me talk about stealth KM.
You've heard me say that jargon doesn't work in my world. You've
probably thought that implementing a KM program in a smaller
organization shouldn't be that hard!
This STAR dialog is about KM for the rest
of us, for the organization that doesn't get it and doesn't want
it. In the course of our dialog, I will share my journey -- what
worked, what didn't work and the outcome. Although all of these
organizations are independent community banks, I believe that
the scenario and solution are applicable to many small businesses.
So -- welcome to my world!
Let's set the stage:
You have been recruited to an organization
of about 150 people. This service organization has been in business
for a couple of years now and has assets of about a half billion.
The organization employs about 150, about 130 mostly clerical
positions with about 20 managers. You are in a middle management
position with limited access to senior management. Your area
is responsible for providing support to the sales force, ensuring
portfolio quality and reporting to senior management on the state
of the portfolio.
The problem:
- Auditors/examiners/regulators circling
like vultures
- Paper files and filing stacked about willy-nilly
- Senior management pointing the finger
at "them" [and each other]
- A plethora of customer complaints
The mandate:
- Figure out what is working and make it
better.
- Figure out what is broken and fix it.
- Figure out what to do going forward.
The resources:
- Your knowledge, skills and abilities
- Existing staff -- 25 people
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Links
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