An interview with Gary Ashworth-Phillips, CEO of the Federation of Australian Knowledge Enterprises (FAKE). The organisation’s processes are documented. The documentation assumes you’re Narelle.
Stop running on Narelle. See how →
Transcript:
Where does our operational knowledge live?
It’s documented. We have process documents.
Narelle wrote them.
They assume you already know what Narelle knows.
So they’re not very useful to anyone who isn’t Narelle.
An interview with Gary Ashworth-Phillips, CEO of the Federation of Australian Knowledge Enterprises (FAKE). Gary is asked what happens when Narelle takes leave. The pause says everything.
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Transcript:
What happens when Narelle takes leave?
Narelle doesn’t really take leave.
She took four days in 2021. We don’t talk about that.
An interview with Gary Ashworth-Phillips, CEO of the Federation of Australian Knowledge Enterprises (FAKE). Knowledge management is a board priority. Narelle has agreed to document her processes. She’s very busy though.
Stop running on Narelle. See how →
Transcript:
Is there a succession plan for Narelle’s role?
Absolutely. Yes. Knowledge management is a board priority.
Narelle has agreed to document her processes.
She’s very busy though.
An interview with Gary Ashworth-Phillips, CEO of the Federation of Australian Knowledge Enterprises (FAKE). Gary walks through the contingency plan for Narelle leaving. There are two options. One is harder than the other.
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Transcript:
If Narelle did leave — what’s the plan?
Okay so. We’d need to document everything she knows. Which would take… a while. We’d need someone who understands the membership system AND the spreadsheet AND the workarounds AND the history of why the workarounds exist.
An interview with Gary Ashworth-Phillips, CEO of the Federation of Australian Knowledge Enterprises (FAKE). Are we running on Narelle or on our systems? Gary tries to answer both ways. He can’t.
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Transcript:
Are we running on Narelle or on our systems? Honestly?
…Both.
Narelle.
An interview with Gary Ashworth-Phillips, CEO of the Federation of Australian Knowledge Enterprises (FAKE). Gary is asked whether anyone else has Narelle’s login credentials. The shortest episode in the series.
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Transcript:
Does anyone else have Narelle’s login?
That’s an interesting question.
Yes.
An interview with Gary Ashworth-Phillips, CEO of the Federation of Australian Knowledge Enterprises (FAKE). Gary is asked whether Narelle appears on the organisation’s risk register. A decision is made in real time.
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Transcript:
Is Narelle on our risk register?
She… no.
She should be on the risk register.
I’m going to go and put her on the risk register.
An interview with Gary Ashworth-Phillips, CEO of the Federation of Australian Knowledge Enterprises (FAKE). Gary is asked to consider the unthinkable. The series one finale.
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Transcript:
What happens if Narelle leaves? Have I thought about that.
Narelle’s not going to leave.
…Is she?
An interview with Gary Ashworth-Phillips, CEO of the Federation of Australian Knowledge Enterprises (FAKE). Gary is asked about the organisation’s biggest operational risk. He doesn’t hesitate.
Stop running on Narelle. See how →
Transcript:
What’s our biggest operational risk right now?
Narelle getting a better offer.
Which she will. Eventually.
Because she’s exceptional.
And exceptional people get better offers.
An interview with Gary Ashworth-Phillips, CEO of the Federation of Australian Knowledge Enterprises (FAKE). Gary does the maths on Narelle’s value. The answer is uncomfortable. The tone shifts.
Stop running on Narelle. See how →
Transcript:
Is Narelle good value?
Narelle is extraordinary value. She does the work of three people.
That’s actually the problem.
She does the work of three people. Which means three people’s worth of institutional knowledge lives in one person.