“Maybe as much as 80% of the knowledge in an organisation is undocumented. Much of the knowledge of an organisation is never codified as information. People know more that they can tell, and tell more than they can write.” (According to Nick Milton, thanks to Helen Bevan for the link).
Inspired by reading this, and by questions from a client with a lot of employee churn, I’ve been thinking hard about the elements of my online events work that I haven’t yet written down – and how I might share them.
We did a lot of writing things down when we created our online course Engaging Online Events. It’s absolutely stacked out with checklists and templates.
But as I reviewed those documents this week, I realised there’s still loads more to say, both obvious and less obvious. I could write as many documents again… but I’m not convinced I’d get the key ideas across.
That’s the thing about tacit knowledge. It’s hard to document – or you’d probably already have done it. It’s almost certainly complex.
So, what do expert communicators reach for when they have complex ideas to share? A metaphor, of course!
So, here goes: a great online event is like a fantastic meal.
There are great ingredients, expertly cooked. Several courses, each with multiple dishes which go together well, and the right wine alongside. Everything will be served elegantly but unobtrusively, in a delightful space where everyone feels comfortable and welcome.
And while the food and drink are delightful, they aren’t the centre of attention.
What really matters are the people, their conversations, their relationships.
How to make the magic happen? It’s almost all in the preparation. By the time everyone’s sitting down to eat, the job’s almost complete.
Of course, the host should be welcoming people, introducing people, helping the conversation to flow. Of course, someone needs to bring things to the table, clear away, wash up.
But that’s not where the real work is. The planning and preparation really, really matter.
Little details like selecting and inviting the guests. Planning the menu. Buying the ingredients. Cooking each dish with care, and the correct timing. Laying the table, choosing background music, arranging flowers…
Ready-steady-cook can be great fun, as can random groupings of strangers. But they rarely produce the kind of fabulous feast that’s so memorable guests will still be talking about months later.
And the same is true for online events.