by Lesley Mason

Created on: April 24, 2008

As wary as it makes me whenever anyone starts a conversation with "I've been told you're the fount of all knowledge", I'm also delighted. Not because of the "all knowledge" part - I don't know it all. Not even remotely. I do know quite a bit, because I love my work & I've been in the firm a long time. The delight is in "the fount" part of the equation.

I am pleased not that my colleagues think I will know, but that they are confident that if I do know, I will share; if I don't know, I will point them to someone who should; and if I can't do either I will try to find out.

In contrast to those individuals (every office has them) who keep what they know to themselves. Hoarders.

There is nothing more frustrating and demoralising than being refused help from someone who would find it easy to give: not that your average Information Hoarder (IH) would do anything as blatant as refuse to help.

No. Knowledge is power, but any power-base can be attacked once its nature is understood. Your average IH will dissemble, prevaricate, wonder-aloud about authority levels or at worst offer to help and then simply be far too busy to get around to it.

How do you deal with such people?

Firstly: recognise them for what they are. We all have moments when we are too busy or too stressed to deal with an enquiry. Don't mistake this for the consistent behaviour of the IH.

Secondly, formulate a medium term strategy.

Any attempt to force an IH to offer up their knowledge will be only selectively successful.

In extremis, you may need to appeal to their line manager or even on up the chain to the very top. This will almost certainly elicit the precise requirements of the specific request.

On a one-off basis this can work. Try a repeat performance, however, and you will suffer for it. It will do nothing to strengthen your relationship with the IH. At the same time it will undermine the respect other colleagues have for you, as you will be seen as what in the schoolyard would be called "a sneak". Worst of all, it will undermine your position with those members of higher authority, who may perceive you as being unable to carry out your own remit without their help.

No. You need a different approach.

One option is to appeal to IH ego. Try to establish them as the guru. This can work in some circumstances: where the knowledge being hoarded is technical and where the IH is motivated by pride rather than power. If their desire is simply to be seen to have the knowledge and to be applauded for their skill

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