Connect the dots. Leaders have wide visibility over initiatives across their organisation and I've found that enables you to see synergies and value that others don't have the opportunity to. Teams may only need a nudge to have a conversation about what each other are doing so they can share learnings and assets they've developed. Building Communities of Practice is a more formal approach for knowledge sharing. I've found this is particularly useful for team members to develop technical skills and provides a platform for recognition from respected peers across the organisation when sharing knowledge. Creating the opportunity to showcase achievements and see new perspectives can be the required spark to start the next wave of innovations.

To foster innovation through knowledge sharing, I create ‘knowledge hubs’ within projects, where each member leads a mini-session on their expertise. By embedding these sessions in our regular workflow, perhaps as a five-minute presentation at the start of weekly meetings team members naturally grow curious about each other’s skills and approaches. Beyond structured meetings, I also set up ‘peer buddy’ systems, pairing team members with different strengths. These one-on-one exchanges often spark new ideas that formal sessions miss, allowing organic knowledge transfer that actively supports innovation.

To foster knowledge sharing in a team struggling with innovation, I would create an open environment where curiosity is encouraged. Implementing regular brainstorming sessions and cross-functional workshops can facilitate idea exchange. Additionally, recognizing and rewarding team members for sharing insights and collaborating on projects cultivates a culture of continuous learning, driving innovation and empowering everyone to contribute creatively.

We don't know what we don't know. Encouraging more opportunities for interaction or cross-sharing of work scopes, allow team members to "see" things from the other person's angle. The other less known and less used option that I sometimes employ (to great effectiveness) is acknowledgement. By highlighting areas that I see are working for a particular team member for a particular period, other team members pay attention and also learn from the process what works, and what doesn't.