I use an activity called “13 Nails” to take a deeper dive into creative thinking, innovation, and teamwork. It is an old carpenter’s game and provides experiences than one can transfer back into the everyday business.
The task, done in smaller groups, is to balance all 13 nails on the head of the nail in the block, without any other resources.
There are often one or more of these smaller groups that manage the task.
Remarkable, you say.
Yes and no. More interesting than the speed at which people can “solve the problem” is what happens after they solve it.
Most often those that come up with a solution hide their results and do everything they can not to share how they managed the challenge at hand. During the debriefing, what begins as a proud moment of achievement leads to deeper thinking about their culture of sharing and hiding information, best practices, and other critical know-how.
What is happening in your business? Are your great ideas living in isolation?
Talking about knowledge sharing means little if you practice knowledge hiding.
What is your experience?