Key Person Dependency (KPD)

Ensuring loss of resources does not equal loss of knowledge.

What is Key Person Dependency?

In a knowledge-based society, what an employee learns from experience contributes to company growth. He or she may spend many years building relationships, developing processes, learning trade specifics, and enhancing his or her ability to work effectively. These employees significantly impact business operations, and loss of their knowledge threatens the successful delivery of services and maintenance of business continuity. Research shows that few companies make an effort to identify and capture the knowledge of employees who are serving key person dependency (KPD) roles.

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Challenges of Knowledge Transfer

Lack of structured approach in organization and/or department Potentially time-consuming Requires clear strategy and measurable results Potential struggles with conveying tacit knowledge Possible resistance of key personnel to sharing the knowledge that qualifies them as KPDs Fear of sharing information that has taken years to acquire and then being replaced

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Overcoming Challenges of Knowledge Transfer

Overextending expectations and soliciting information through a tell me everything you do approach is overwhelming. The knowledge transfer process should begin with: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Identifying a companys core competencies Capturing the correlating sphere of knowledge from key personnel Offering financial and non-financial incentives to encourage key personnel to share their knowledge Introducing a model to guide the initiatives for knowledge transfer Building a targeted model and clarity around what is valued Determining what is critical from control, customer, and competency perspectives, and capturing that data Identifying what knowledge is important and necessary to sustain the competitive advantage

Recognizing that explicit knowledge can be clearly measured while tacit knowledge is more challenging to gauge will allow organizations to customize various programs for different types of knowledge. Utilizing this collective information to build an organizational culture of knowledge management will increase opportunities to continually measure success.

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How MorganFranklin Can Help

We at MorganFranklin understand how KPDs impact organizational operations. Our customized and holistic approach helps identify gaps in knowledge and facilitates information transfer for future reference. Our KPD assessment methodology and knowledge transfer instruments work to mitigate the risk of KPDs and provide transparency into critical roles. We begin by engaging with leadership and employees to identify KPDs and develop risk profiles on potential impacts. We further utilize this information to document both explicit and tacit knowledge, and position clients to retain the knowledge that will continue to deliver success. Our goal is to complement knowledge management investments and provide sustainable solutions for imparting knowledge throughout organizations.

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About MorganFranklin
MorganFranklin is an execution-oriented business consulting and technology solutions company. We deliver financial management, performance improvement, and national security solutions to industry and government clients. Business Facts Founded in 1998 Headquartered in the Washington, D.C., area with a regional office in Chicago European operations established in London in 2007 National presence and international reach Diverse full-time workforce comprised of industry, global consulting, Big Four, former military, and government professionals Technical excellence: CPA, CIA, CISA, CISSP, MCSE, RCDD, PMP, CGFM, CDFM, CEH, NSA-IAM, NSA-IEM, MBA, Ph.D. Fast access to a powerful network of trusted partners with solid industry experience Unique blend of industry and government clients Industry recognition as a top consulting firm in the U.S. Recognized for industry-leading workplace best practices

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Contact MorganFranklin
Corporate Headquarters 1753 Pinnacle Drive Suite 1200 McLean, VA 22102 www.morganfranklin.com office: 703.564.7525

MorganFranklin Corporation. All Rights Reserved.