"One of the most listened to shows"

I'm in Ribatejo, a region close to Lisbon, celebrating my wife's birthday.

A year ago I was in Lisbon recording a podcast with Edwin K. Morris of Pioneer Knowledge? Services . We were discussing a new technique I'd created to capture some of the tacit knowledge and learnings from my 50 year career.

Touching base with Edwin last week, I was delighted to learn that the podcast https://pioneer-ks.org/conducting-a-retrospective-collaborative-valedictory-with-paul-corney/ is in the top 6 of his organisation's most listened to shows.

Our conversation set me thinking: What impact did the process of creating a Collaborative Valedictory have on me and looking back what are my takeaways?

Why did I embark on this exercise? As one of my contributors James Macfarlane said:

Paul is simply “clearing the decks” in preparation for the enduring journey together to continue.

I was seeking some kind of independent validation; that the effort I'd put into working with clients across the globe, with the teams I've led and people I've coached, and the tools and techniques I'd developed had made an impact. And I hoped to learn something about myself!

What better way to acheive that than through anecdotes and stories told in their words?

I saw this as a way of moving on, create new stories and start a new journey.

So, I approached some of the people I’ve worked with across 30+ countries as a professional and working pro bono, and invited them to contribute to this valedictory by answering two questions:

Can you think of an incident/event or project/piece of work we were both involved in that sticks in your mind; and If you were to, sum up in a word, phrase, anecdote, or piece of advice, you took away from working together, what would that be?

The response was humbling and overwhelming: https://www.knowledgeetal.com/?page_id=3357 Over 50 contributions from 24 countries. And so many stories!

Being too close to what each contributor said, and rather than attempting to draw themes and learnings myself, I fed all the comments into ChatGPT and asked it to describe me and draw some conclusions.

Here's the response:

Paul Corney: A Master Weaver of Stories and Connections

"Paul Corney is many things: a stellar communicator, an empathetic listener, an effective strategist, and above all, a wonderful friend. His unique blend of qualities has left an indelible mark on everyone he interacts with. Despite our diverse backgrounds and career paths, our friendship has flourished through shared interests in economic and international development, food, business, and travel.

Paul’s impact extends beyond mere professional achievements. His ability to foster genuine connections and weave narratives that resonate deeply is unparalleled. Whether it’s his storytelling prowess or his adeptness at building bridges between people and ideas, Paul’s contributions are profound and far-reaching. His narratives are not just stories; they are intricate threads connecting the grandiose and the mundane, the inspiring and the humbling. These stories, combined with his vast international experience, create a tapestry of insights and wisdom that he generously shares.

Over the years, Paul has demonstrated a remarkable ability to navigate complex cultural settings, whether in Colombia, Malaysia, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, the Caribbean, or the Philippines. His work, often in partnership with others, has ranged from managing a portfolio of international clients in an international bank, to providing strategic business advice for expanding global businesses, conducting knowledge audits and storytelling projects for multinational institutions, to the development of knowledge management frameworks for regional development banks. One particularly notable example was his role in integrating Polydoc and AppliedNet to form Sopheon, where his steadiness and positivity were instrumental in merging three distinct cultures: American, British & Dutch.

Paul’s work is not just about knowledge management but about creating environments where knowledge can thrive. His tenure as Chairman of Pyecombe Golf Club is testament to his ability to drive radical change while maintaining respect for tradition. By modernizing management practices and fostering a culture of trust and communication, Paul ensured the club’s continued success and popularity.

His mentoring extends beyond professional realms. Personally, Paul’s advice and perspective have been invaluable, from navigating office politics to providing clarity on complex situations. His kindness and attentiveness, whether through sharing his daily walk or engaging in insightful dialogue, reflect a rare and vital quality in the world of work.

Paul’s influence is evident in the success and growth of those he has worked with, and his impact continues to resonate in the knowledge management community and beyond.”

Here are 10 key learnings / character traits the exercise surfaced:

1. Embrace Versatility: Being adaptable and engaging in a range of roles can enhance one's career and impact.
2. Value Storytelling: Effective storytelling is a powerful tool for bridging gaps, fostering connections, and driving organizational change.
3. Cultivate Genuine Connections: Building authentic relationships and showing empathy can significantly enhance both professional and personal interaction.
4. Foster Collaborative Relationships: Trust, respect, and constructive handling of disagreements are essential for successful collaborations.
5. Lead with Integrity and Humor: Maintaining a positive attitude and sense of humor, even in challenging situations, can strengthen teams and overcome obstacles.
6. Be Culturally Sensitive: Understanding and respecting cultural differences can improve effectiveness in diverse settings and contribute to successful outcomes.
7. Mentor and Inspire: Providing mentorship and support can profoundly impact others, helping them navigate their careers and personal growth.
8. Effective Project Leadership: Tenacity and skillful storytelling can unite teams with diverse backgrounds and objectives, driving projects to successful completion.
9. Start Small and Think Practically: Sometimes significant improvements begin with small, practical steps. Exploring simple changes, such as optimizing space for knowledge sharing, can lead to substantial organizational benefits
10. Stop "Punching the Marshmallow": when things get hard and an organisation resists change, recognise you can soak up your energy trying to force change, but ultimately it will always revert to its natural state.

And finally:

My first contributor Luis Suarez challenged me thus:

"Over to you now, Paul, to decide if you’d want to take that challenge / opportunity on board and get busy writing further along!”

It's not the book Luis wanted but I hope it will inspire others to follow along a similar path.

I remain immensely grateful to those I've worked with, for and alongside, for participating in the Collaborative Valedictory and for helping me to capture some amazing insights from 50 years of work. They include but are not limited to:

Nick Poole OBE Mohsen Hamedi Tink Taylor Richard Thomas OBE FCSI ahmed ben halim Chris Collison John Girard Bruce Boyes Richard Maddocks Paul Heller Patrick Lambe Victoria Ward Lee Bryant Ana Neves Stephen Phillips Ian Rodwell Zabeda Abdul Hamid Lerato Umah-Shaylor Maria Ana Botelho Neves, MA. FRSA, FSSE Eric Hunter Scott Bennett Carol Russell Dr Chris Heimann Jeff Martin Ana Paula Aleixo Serra Mendes Rebecca Dorsett Dr Bonnie Cheuk The Lord Carrington of Fulham

#collaborativevaledictory #knowledgemanagement #sopheon #culture #collaboration