Indeed, Weiss describes the process as "ironic" and notes that, "The incentives to put clients first underplay the more subtle logic behind encouraging knowledge sharing in the first place: firms that effectively collect and connect what they know will better serve their clients" (1999, p. 62). The benefits that can accrue to professional services firms that achieve this level of knowledge sharing among their practitioners are wide ranging and can contribute to the firm's performance and profitability. By developing the networks, procedures and routines that are needed to deliver efficient services, professional services firms can take advantage of individual expertise in a modern administrative fashion. In this regard, Weiss advises that, "Clients typically want customized services, but they do not want to pay professional services firms to 'reinvent the wheel.' Professional service firms can develop competitive advantages when they provide higher quality services that are delivered more efficiently than their competition" (1999, p. 62). In order to achieve this desirable combination of professional talent and administrative efficiency, a corporate culture must be in place that values knowledge sharing behaviors that can be encouraged through intrinsic motivational techniques. For instance, Weiss (1999) notes that to achieve this combination, professional services firm must develop the mechanisms whereby the accumulated tacit knowledge of the firm can be applied in meaningful ways.
Some of the ways the professional services firms can develop this optimal combination include the following:
1. Introduce incentives that value collection and connection activities and evaluate professionals on these activities in performance reviews;
2. Institute practices of assessing partners and senior-level professionals on their success in creating knowledge sharing opportunities in the teams they lead;
3. Encouraging or requiring team debriefs at the end of projects so that professionals can share what they learn;
4. Undertake activities that facilitate knowledge sharing, including encouraging senior-level professionals to become knowledge brokers; and,
5. Aligning incentives with knowledge sharing goals (Weiss, 1999, p. 62).
Although it is reasonable to assume that all professionals in an organization that uses their training and skills receive some level of intrinsic motivation from the work they perform because this is precisely what they studied and trained for; however, it is also reasonable to suggest that in any professional organizational setting, there are various types of work assignments that are available that may be more suited to some individuals than others, making the need to link individual with work type an important part of the intrinsic motivational equation. This does not necessarily mean that people need to find their work "fun" (after all, that is why they call it "work"), but it does mean that some people simply enjoy some types of work more than others. Some ways that leaders can better link the type of work that is performed with individuals who will receive the maximum intrinsic motivation from the work in professional services organizations include the following:
1. Make it a priority but keep it simple. The CEO and senior leaders need to believe it, talk it, and walk it.
2. Link talent to business strategies. Show the connection in multiple compelling ways.
3. Develop disciplined systems for assessment. Require leaders to know their people's talents and conduct regular reviews (e.g., quarterly updates) as well as an annual deep dive.
4. Use the data. Integrate talent assessments and organizational needs back into internal search or recruitment, retention and motivation programs, professional and leadership development programs, performance management, and workforce planning (Vosburgh, 2007, p. 12).
In many professional services organizations, there are some common intrinsic motivational methods that are practiced that provide some useful insights into the environments that are involved and the outcomes that have been achieved. For example, peer review is used by many law firms as a means of quality control that is intended to both protect the firm, to assure continuity and quality in the level of services provided to clients as well as a framework in which to provide motivation for up-and-coming firm members (Sternberg & Horvath, 1999). As a result, some professional services organizations, such as law firms, use mentorship programs to help motivate younger staff members become more proficient and "learn the ropes" in ways that contribute to their sense of competence and self-determination (Sternberg & Horvath, 1999). Of course, some mentors are better than others in providing these services and savvy aspirants try to navigate the system to their advantage. For instance, Sternberg and Horvath add that, "Associates understand the limitations of the environment, and struggle in their early years of practice to work with the partners who are the better mentors. They also try to be given the assignments that will afford them the best opportunity for learning with a minimal risk of serious failure" (1999, p. 18).
Likewise, a growing number of professional services organizations have also developed standardized training programs to help groom their talent for expanded roles in the future in ways that contribute to their sense of competence and self-determination (Vosburgh,...
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