Demographic research, statistics and observation tell us that the generational scales have tipped. While generation X (those born 1965-1980) and millennials (1981-1996) are on the rise, baby boomers (1946-1964) are on the decline, creating a transition from one generation to the next.
Within this transition are those individual thought leaders who either did or still do govern, lead or manage the many organisations within the various human services industries. This transition is also occurring in aged care – be it residential, in-home or retirement living services – as well as in acute, primary and allied healthcare; the four sectors that form the Australian healthcare system.
Over the course of an individual’s career future thought leaders gain information whilst they develop skills and accumulate knowledge overtime to eventually gain wisdom. Recognition of this career journey – within the context of the generational transition underway – brings into focus two incredibly powerful dynamics that are and will continue to create significant strategic, organisational and operational impacts and implications for all human service organisations.
The first dynamic is knowledge and wisdom loss. With the exiting or retirement of baby boomers – who are thought leaders from both workforces and workplaces – comes the incalculable loss of intellectual capital at either governance, organisational or operational levels. An unquantifiable amount of individually accumulated knowledge and wisdom gained over a 35-to-50-year career is potentially lost if opportunities for transferring accumulated knowledge and wisdom are not created.
The second dynamic is skills and knowledge development. With the rise of gen X and millennials comes the opportunity for expansion of intellectual capital at either governance, organisational or operational levels. Whilst they have accumulated their individual skills and knowledge over a 10-to-25-year career to date, they could benefit from the opportunity of knowledge and wisdom transfer from departing baby boomer leaders.
Given this generational gap in knowledge and wisdom a critical strategic question must be asked: what strategies does your organisation and the aged care industry have to facilitate the transfer and embodiment of these highly valuable learnings, key understandings and deep insights hard won and secured over many decades by current and past long-term thought leaders?
In asking this question it is important to understand that successful and sustainable societies, communities and families – as well as organisations and their services or products – are typically built on an exchange of past, present and emerging information, skills, knowledge and wisdom provided by their respective thought leaders.
To this end there is no greater example of this approach than the past and present Elders of Australia’s First Nations Peoples – be they an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander – whose song lines, dreamtime stories, message sticks, corroborees, ceremonies and similar cultural elements have ensured the intergenerational exchange of knowledge and wisdom over the millennia to today.
Knowledge and wisdom exchange strategies
Within the aged care sector are a small number of providers who have substantially enacted the transfer of knowledge and wisdom of their thought leaders. However, the majority of providers have done little more than maintain their official documents and historical records.
From a practical perspective, if the true value and benefit of these individual thought leaders’ knowledge and wisdom is to be captured and utilised by the boards and chief executive officers of today and tomorrow they may wish to consider a few of the following strategies for exchanging knowledge and wisdom exchange strategies.
1. Hall of fame
Establish an industry-led hall of fame via peak body Aged & Community Care Providers Association – and/or set up onewithin your organisation. Then, against various categories and robust selection criteria, identify, nominate and induct outstanding thought leaders.
By engaging these wise individuals in significant events, strategic discussions and major projects, boards and chief executive officers can gain sage advice and major insights, and also bring about the public acknowledgment and recognition of these individuals’ ongoing or past achievements and contributions.
2. Aged care leaders council
Establish and operate an aged care leaders council that brings together hall-of-fame inductees and other strategic leaders who are planning to exit or transition away from employment or have already retired.
The aim of this approach is to resource and support inductees and other strategic leaders to stay connected to colleagues, determine and organise their own events and projects, and advance and promote their passion for aged care.
3. Beyond life membership
Hall of Fame inductees can be utilised in a variety of creative ways, such as moving well beyond the traditional and outdated approach of life members – who are typically featured in annual meetings, annual reports or honour boards, but rarely fully engaged for their specialist knowledge and wisdom.
Be mindful that a hall of fame and its inductees are definitely not the same as an organisation’s annual awards and award recipients.
4. Mentor emerging or current leaders
When the development and or implementation of specific governance, leadership or management strategies and projects arise, consider the involvement of current or past thought leaders.
For example, during strategic review and planning workshops or major projects. Additionally, seek their wise council via individual or group governance, leadership or management mentoring sessions in order to draw upon their extensive knowledge and deep wisdom.
5. Embed knowledge and wisdom
Document and embed current and past thought leaders’ considered observations and reflections, definitive understandings and insights via webinars, annual organisational conferences, sector reference groups and panels, keynote speaker events and newsletters. These can provide content for such resources as professional development programs, bringing a quality management system alive with an embedded video or board, management, staff, volunteer or member induction packages.
6. Accurate & secure archives
Review your historical governance and organisational records policy and practices to take greater account of your organisation’s heritage and history, stories and events, along with your thought leaders’ knowledge and wisdom via an accurate and secure archival process and system.
Take action now
I urge all aged care organisations to consider these strategies. Even though boards, chief executive officers and executives are heavily focused on addressing their respective governance, organisational or operational roles and responsibilities, it is nevertheless important to take the time to reflect upon who the carriers of your organisation’s information and skills are.
And, more importantly, to know who the existing or past keepers of your service’s knowledge and wisdom are and ensure it has been captured.
Michael Goldsworthy is principal consultant at Australian Strategic Services and chairman of Better Boards
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