Pinoak Consulting was founded in 1998 in Cape Town by Antonia (Toni) Gillham and Zak Van Straaten and is based in Cape Town, South Africa. We work in a strategic partnership with the black empowerment company Mayikana Consulting (based in Johannesburg), which is headed by the well known South African consultant Mbulelo Mayikana.

Although we are based in Cape Town we are able to deliver knowledge management solutions, customised learning strategies and assist you in implementing corporate business schools or academies in North America, Europe and Asia.

Pinoak Consulting has produced work for its clients which has resulted in international awards. The work we did in designing a Group Learning Strategy for the Old Mutual Business School and for consulting on the implementation of the Business School received an award for Best Corporate Business School from the United States based Corporate University Xchange (C.U.X.) in Paris, September 2003.

The Old Mutual Business School won four further awards;
• from the Corporate University Xchange (C.U.X.): Best Strategic Alignment and Best Leadership Development.(2004)

• An A.S.T.D. (American Society for Training & Development) BEST Award for 2004
• An Honorable Mention for Best Overall Corporate University from Corporate University Best in Class (CUBIC) in 2003.

Our mission is to empower our clients by sharing our knowledge and thinking, so that they can maintain competitive advantage.

Consultants:

Ms. Antonia (Toni) Gillham

C.E.O. (Corporate Business School Design and Implementation; Learning Strategies; Business Strategy, Knowledge Management Strategies & Solutions)

Mr. Mbulelo Mayikana

(C.E.O. of Mayikana Consulting which consults in the field of Human Capital // Human Resources)

Ms. Sham Ahmed

(Learning and Development)

Professor Zak Van Straaten

(Knowledge Management Strategies, Solutions and Education and Training; Corporate Business School Design and Implementation) (in a previous academic life:- The Methodology of Scientific Research Programmes, Model Theory, Provability Logic & ZF Set Theory)

Mr. Almur Killian

(Corporate Business School Design and Implementation; previously Head, Group Learning and Knowledge Management, Old Mutual Business School, Cape Town)

Ms. Thobeka Base

Project Officer (Community Projects)

Advisers:

Professor Nigel Nicholson

(Professor of Organisational Behaviour, London Business School and author of Managing the Human Animal, (Texere, London, New York, 2000.))

Mr. Rolf Dienst

Business Strategy (Rolf Dienst is a founding partner of Wellington Partners, a leading European venture capital company; and past chairman of the German Private Equity Association)

Mr. Anton van Straaten

(Software Consultant, Decision Support Systems, Functional Languages Expert (e.g. SCHEME, HASKELL, LAMBDA & ML). http://www.appsolutions.com/)

Dr. Abner Nyamende

(African Languages; Communications & Cultural Affairs)

Knowledge & Thinking Partners

Professor Mark Leon

(Foundations of Psychology; professor of philosophy in the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.)

Mr. Onno Huyser

(Manager, Table Mountain Fund; Environmental Strategies)

Mr. Cory Voigt

(General Manager, Palgrave MacMillan (Southern Africa) Academic, professional and reference book publishing and marketing in developing countries, Johannesburg.)

Mr. John Thompson

(Leadership Development using the business driven action learning (BDAL) approach. Has run major programmes for top talent in the Standard Bank and in the Packaging, Chemical and Pharmaceutical industries using the BDAL methodology. Johannesburg.)

Dr. Susan Van Zyl

(Psychology & Evolutionary Psychology, Deputy Dean (Postgraduate), Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.)

Mr. David Suzman

(Demography of Africa & Private Wealth Management, Johannesburg.)

Ms. Henrietta van Greuning

(Merchant Bank Credit Scoring, Origination & Account Management, & Private Wealth Management)

Ms. Alison Garlick

( Information Specialist, Capetown.)

Ms. Janet McFarlan

(Education & Training Specialist, Glascow, Scotland.)

Ms. Laura de Wet

(Education & Training Specialist, Johannesburg.)

Dr. Colleen Seymour

(Researcher at the South African National BioDiversity Institute, Cape Town. Environmental matters & terrestrial ecology)

Mr. Anthony Holland

(Information Technology; London.)

Mr. Ryan Hill

(Copyright and Publishing; Cape Town.)

Ms. Caroline Suzman

(Photography, Johannesburg. Official photographer for the World Bank. homepage: http://www.carolinesuzman.co.za/)

Ms. Alice Gillham

(Composer; the Music Industry, Cape Town)

Unlisted Knowledge & Thinking Partners

(We have many unlisted knowledge & thinking partners, who for reasons of professional reticence or modesty, or because they are the ultimate insider, influential but not visible, wish to be knowledge & thinking partners but remain unlisted.)

Our mission is to empower our clients by sharing our knowledge and thinking, so that they can maintain competitive advantage.

Consultants:

Ms. Antonia (Toni) Gillham

C.E.O. (Corporate Business School Design and Implementation; Learning Strategies; Business Strategy, Knowledge Management Strategies & Solutions)

Mr. Mbulelo Mayikana

(C.E.O. of Mayikana Consulting which consults in the field of Human Capital // Human Resources)

Professor Zak Van Straaten

Consultant (Knowledge Management Strategies & Solutions; Corporate Business School Design and Implementation) (in a previous academic life:- The Methodology of Scientific Research Programmes, Model Theory, Provability Logic & ZF Set Theory)

Mr Almur Killian

(Corporate Business School Design and Implementation; previously Head, Group Learning and Knowledge Management, Old Mutual Business School, Cape Town)

Ms. Thobeka Base

Project Officer (Community Projects)

Advisers:

Professor Nigel Nicholson

(Professor of Organisational Behaviour, London Business School and author of Managing the Human Animal, (Texere, London, New York, 2000.))

Mr. Rolf Dienst

Business Strategy (Rolf Dienst is a founding partner of Wellington Partners, a leading European venture capital company; and past chairman of the German Private Equity Association)

Mr. Anton van Straaten

(Software Consultant, Decision Support Systems, Functional Languages Expert (e.g. SCHEME, HASKELL, LAMBDA & ML). http://www.appsolutions.com/)

Dr. Abner Nyamende

(African Languages; Communications & Cultural Affairs)

Knowledge & Thinking Partners

Professor Mark Leon

(Foundations of Psychology; professor of philosophy in the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.)

Mr. Onno Huyser

(Manager, Table Mountain Fund; Environmental Strategies)

Mr. Cory Voigt

(General Manager, Palgrave MacMillan (Southern Africa) Academic, professional and reference book publishing and marketing in developing countries, Johannesburg.)

Mr. John Thompson

(Leadership Development using the business driven action learning (BDAL) approach. Has run major programmes for top talent in the Standard Bank and in the Packaging, Chemical and Pharmaceutical industries using the BDAL methodology. Johannesburg.)

Dr. Susan Van Zyl

(Psychology & Evolutionary Psychology, Deputy Dean (Postgraduate), Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.)

Mr. David Suzman

(Demography of Africa & Private Wealth Management, Johannesburg.)

Ms. Henrietta van Greuning

(Merchant Bank Credit Scoring, Origination & Account Management, & Private Wealth Management)

Ms. Alison Garlick

( Information Specialist, Capetown.)

Ms. Janet McFarlan

(Education & Training Specialist, Glascow, Scotland.)

Ms. Laura de Wet

(Education & Training Specialist, Johannesburg.)

Dr. Colleen Seymour

(Researcher at the South African National BioDiversity Institute, Cape Town. Environmental matters & terrestrial ecology)

Mr. Anthony Holland

(Information Technology; London.)

Mr. Ryan Hill

(Copyright and Publishing; Cape Town.)

Ms. Caroline Suzman

(Photography, Johannesburg. Official photographer for the World Bank. homepage: http://www.carolinesuzman.co.za/)

Ms. Alice Gillham

(Composer; the Music Industry, Cape Town)

Unlisted Knowledge & Thinking Partners

(We have many unlisted knowledge & thinking partners, who for reasons of professional reticence or modesty, or because they are the ultimate insider, influential but not visible, wish to be knowledge & thinking partners but remain unlisted.)

Knowledge Management Education & Training

We can assist your organisation with:

Customized internationally benchmarked knowledge management learning interventions for middle and senior management levels. For senior executives we offer one-on-one knowledge management sessions geared to the needs of the individual organization.

Practical, customised, world class knowledge management education and training for all your people.

Providing knowledge management coaching by e-mail for anyone who may need it including knowledge management officers and knowledge management champions.

Training knowledge management officers and "knowledge management champions". In our understanding a "knowledge management champion” is someone who is already on the staff in a job which is not a knowledge management job but who happens to be enthusiastic about knowledge management and loves to share knowledge management best practices with others. A champion is given managerial support and financial resources to spread the knowledge management message. Our method would be to train officers and champions in such a way that they are able to train and coach others, thus significantly reducing your education and training expenditure.

K.M. “on the job” TRAINING WORKSHOPS

1) One-day workshop for KM knowledge workers

The focus is on assisting knowledge workers to be proficient in the Best Practices methodology and applications of KM. We place emphasis on tools and techniques, case studies and practical solutions.

2) One-day workshop for managers from the business units where KM implementation pilots will run.

The curriculum will be determined by the guidelines for the roles of the managers as set out in your KM STRATEGY. If you don’t yet have a KM STRATEGY we can help you write one. Alternatively we can customise the curriculum to your needs as suggested by best practice.

The focus will be on:
• The KM processes which will run in the business units and how they should be managed;
• The wider scope and implications of KM;
• KM tools and resources and best practice KM thinking and practices;
• How KM brings people, processes and technology together around valuable business knowledge, which is to be turned into shareholder value.
• What the expected outcomes will be

3)One-day workshop for KM Champions

The curriculum will be determined by the guidelines for the roles of the champions as set out in your STRATEGY.

The focus will be on:
• The role and function of the KM champions in the implementation of KM in the business units;
• KM champions as seed carriers of KM, promoting KM practices both in your business unit and in neighbouring business units;
• KM tools and resources;
• KM mentoring and coaching;
• What the expected outcomes will be.

4) Half day Workshop for Senior Managers

The focus will be on:
• The complete set of KM processes which will run in the business units
• How middle management and senior management will be involved;
• The strategic and operational benefits and their impact;
• How the KM initiatives will be managed;
• What the expected outcomes will be.

5) Two day workshop for the Knowledge Manager and her/his staff whose responsibility it is to introduce KM into the organisation

The focus will be on:
• All issues (enablers and disablers) of implementation;
• Building your project plan
• Culture change;
• Strategic alignment and adjustment;
• All the tasks and responsibilities as set out in the job descriptions for these roles.
• Bringing people, processes and technology together around valuable business knowledge, which is to be turned into shareholder value.
• Planning, implementation and evaluation of KM initiatives; (including: best pratices methodology; enterprise knowledge sharing; communities of practice; enabling innovation; business intelligence; data warehousing; building systems capacity to support knowledge transfer and knowledge sharing).

6) Two day workshop for KM Continuous Improvement Experts

The focus of this workshop is on how to apply a continuous improvement methodology (incremental innovation) to the knowledge assets usage cycle. You will learn how to diagnose and solve an organisation’s KM problems using international best practices. You will learn how to write up your KM solutions and successfully transfer the knowledge to other knowledge workers using best practice knowledge transfer methods. * * *

We can assist your organisation with:

Customized internationally benchmarked knowledge management learning interventions for middle and senior management levels. For senior executives we offer one-on-one knowledge management sessions geared to the needs of the individual organization.

Practical, customised, world class knowledge management education and training for all your people.

Providing knowledge management coaching by e-mail for anyone who may need it including knowledge management officers and knowledge management champions.

Training knowledge management officers and "knowledge management champions". In our understanding a "knowledge management champion” is someone who is already on the staff in a job which is not a knowledge management job but who happens to be enthusiastic about knowledge management and loves to share knowledge management best practices with others. A champion is given managerial support and financial resources to spread the knowledge management message. Our method would be to train officers and champions in such a way that they are able to train and coach others, thus significantly reducing your education and training expenditure.

K.M. “on the job” TRAINING WORKSHOPS

1) One-day workshop for KM knowledge workers

The focus is on assisting knowledge workers to be proficient in the Best Practices methodology and applications of KM. We place emphasis on tools and techniques, case studies and practical solutions.

2) One-day workshop for managers from the business units where KM implementation pilots will run.

The curriculum will be determined by the guidelines for the roles of the managers as set out in your KM STRATEGY. If you don’t yet have a KM STRATEGY we can help you write one. Alternatively we can customise the curriculum to your needs as suggested by best practice.

The focus is on:
• The KM processes which will run in the business units and how they should be managed;
• The wider scope and implications of KM;
• KM tools and resources and best practice KM thinking and practices;
• How KM brings people, processes and technology together around valuable business knowledge, which is to be turned into shareholder value.
• What the expected outcomes will be

3)One-day workshop for KM Champions

The curriculum will be determined by the guidelines for the roles of the champions as set out in your STRATEGY.

The focus is on:
• The role and function of the KM champions in the implementation of KM in the business units;
• KM champions as seed carriers of KM, promoting KM practices both in your business unit and in neighbouring business units;
• KM tools and resources;
• KM mentoring and coaching;
• What the expected outcomes will be.

4) Half day Workshop for Senior Managers

The focus is on:
• The complete set of KM processes which will run in the business units
• How middle management and senior management will be involved;
• The strategic and operational benefits and their impact;
• How the KM initiatives will be managed;
• What the expected outcomes will be.

5) Two day workshop for the Knowledge Manager and her/his staff whose responsibility it is to introduce KM into the organisation

The focus is on:
• All issues (enablers and disablers) of implementation;
• Building your project plan
• Culture change;
• Strategic alignment and adjustment;
• All the tasks and responsibilities as set out in the job descriptions for these roles.
• Bringing people, processes and technology together around valuable business knowledge, which is to be turned into shareholder value.
• Planning, implementation and evaluation of KM initiatives; (including: best pratices methodology; enterprise knowledge sharing; communities of practice; enabling innovation; business intelligence; data warehousing; building systems capacity to support knowledge transfer and knowledge sharing).

6) Two day workshop for KM Continuous Improvement Experts

The focus of this workshop is on how to apply a continuous improvement methodology (incremental innovation) to the knowledge assets usage cycle. You will learn how to diagnose and solve an organisation’s KM problems using international best practices. You will learn how to write up your KM solutions and successfully transfer the knowledge to other knowledge workers using best practice knowledge transfer methods. * * *

The integration of Knowledge Management and Learning Management

We have a paper on the integration of Knowledge Management and Learning Management. In the paper we demonstrate what the conceptual and functional reasons are for the integration of Learning Management and Knowledge Management. We also look at issues of integration at the operational level and offer conjectures on what the integrated landscape of Knowledge Management and Learning Management might encompass in the next 5 years. Our paper is called;

Knowledge Management and Learning; the eternal merry-go-round ?

Knowledge Management education & Training

The Knowledge Management Research Unit, (K.M.R.U.) :

a. Keeps up to date with new developments in knowledge management strategy and implementation in FORTUNE 500 companies.
b. Does knowledge management BENCHMARKING for clients.
c. Scans new books and knowledge management journals for new concepts, developments and applications.
d. Produces knowledge management solutions on demand for our clients.
e. Publishes selected research findings.

The Director of the Knowledge Management Research Unit (K.M.R.U.) is professor Zak Van Straaten, who was previously Executive Director of the Human Sciences Research Council's division of knowledge management, called KnowledgeTec.

Transition coaching for managers - its benefits and outcomes

Each year you make senior appointments to key divisions in your business. You hope that the new appointees will get up to speed as quickly as possible, perhaps in the first 90 days. You will know that this often doesn't happen.

Many managers who leave a company relatively soon after arriving say one of the key reasons is that they felt they were not given sufficient help in settling into the responsibilities of their position.

This is where Pinoak Consulting can help you, thereby saving you time and money. It has been established that:

§ The actions a new jobholder takes in the first three months will in many cases determine whether they will fail or succeed on the job.

§ Failed transitions do great damage to organisations and every hour saved to achieve "break even point" (the point at which new leaders or jobholders contribute as much value to a new position as they have consumed from it) is an hour gained for the organisation.

§ Transition failures occur largely when a new appointee misunderstands the essential demands of the work situation or lacks the knowledge, skill and flexibility to adapt to them.

§ Well focused transition coaching whether by means of individual coaching or by means of a carefully targeted development programme can significantly speed up the time it takes to reach break even point.

§ There are tried and tested methods that can be deployed to lessen the likelihood of failure that work across disciplines and industries.

§ There are procedures for achieving "quick wins" that can form the basis of success in transitions at all levels and across all geographical boundaries.

§ Transitions are also a vital part of leadership development for the person themselves as well as for the organisation and should therefore be viewed as critically important.

And finally:

§ Every year many people change jobs inside of organisations as well as enter them from the outside and these numbers are on the increase. Every transition affects large numbers of people who have to adapt to the new person and their abilities to succeed. As the impact of this is immense, it helps profitability and growth significantly if everyone speaks the same transitioning language, has a set of guidelines, and has access to the required support, which might include a targeted workshop and transition coaching. This type of support is significantly different from the usual induction or orientation programmes that organisations offer, which do not address the critical factors at play during transitions.

Hundreds of thousands of Rands can be saved by means of a good transition acceleration strategy, while people who have experienced proper transition support use this knowledge in bringing their own teams and reports up to speed far faster than those who have not experienced it.

Our research indicates that most people in organisations, especially at the senior levels report that they received little or no transition acceleration support and would have appreciated it immensely. Each one had to invent their own models and this hard won knowledge, which is rarely shared is a great knowledge management loss to the organisation.

The transition coaching approach that we use runs for 3 months and assists and prepares the new manager to:

§ Take charge by assessing his/her own strengths and skills

§ Diagnose the job, the organisation, the culture, the people and the new team -- a carefully designed guide and set of tools is provided

§ Devise a learning plan (informal and formal)

§ Develop the right strategy for the situation - different types of transitions and their respective needs require different strategies

§ Secure early wins

§ Create coalitions

§ Learn to negotiate both upwards and downwards for success - a set of simple practical tools

§ Aligning strategy, structure, systems, skills and culture

§ Identify and avoid vicious cycles

§ Keep balance and build a network for advice and counsel

§ See the forest for the trees, develop the holistic vision for accelerated momentum and performance into the future