Not Another KM Podcast

What do law enforcement, higher education, AI, and knowledge management have in common? Tim Billbrough.

In this episode, Tim takes us through his unconventional journey into KM and the realities of building a knowledge management program at a global online university. We dig into grassroots KM, the challenge of establishing knowledge governance, the role community plays in making KM stick, and what happens when AI enters the picture.

It’s a conversation about building KM without necessarily having the perfect roadmap, finding champions where you can, and recognizing that sometimes the best KM work starts from the ground up.

KM has been around for 30+ years, and it still can’t answer the question “so what do you do?” without a 20-minute explanation. So we did the only reasonable thing: we sent it to therapy.

Brittany plays the therapist and Rachel lies down on the couch as KM itself, working through some deep-seated feelings. There’s sibling rivalry with information management, constant confusion with content management, a little jealousy toward L&D and its snack budget, and some very complicated emotions about the new kid everyone’s obsessed with: AI.

Once the session wraps, we get real about what’s behind KM’s identity crisis. We talk about why the words we use matter so much when we’re trying to show our value, whether the “KM” label is helping or hurting us, and how KM can flex to fit different organizational cultures. Then we look ahead: is AI the thing that finally makes KM make sense to everyone else, or the thing that makes everyone forget we were here first

Spoiler: KM is going to be okay. Probably.

Sarah Abdelatif, co-founder of Propel, joins us to talk about knowledge retention in the development and humanitarian sectors, the messy, iterative path to building Propel, and what it takes to keep learning alive inside an organization. We also dig into AI: why it should sharpen human knowledge instead of replacing it, why quality control matters, and why democratizing access to knowledge is still the goal. If you care about keeping people at the center of how organizations learn, this one's for you. You'll find links to Propel and Sarah's work below.

Links:

Sarah's LinkedIn

Website: https://www.propelapp.org/

Email Sarah: [email protected]

Most people never think about payroll until something goes wrong. But behind every paycheck is a complex web of regulations, systems, processes, and institutional knowledge that organizations can't afford to lose. In this episode, payroll transformation consultant Nina Teague shares her unique journey from educator to payroll specialist and explains why payroll may be one of the most overlooked knowledge domains in business.

From navigating state-by-state regulations to preparing for the retirement of experienced payroll professionals, Nina explores the challenges organizations face in capturing, transferring, and sustaining critical payroll knowledge. She also discusses the opportunities and limitations of AI in highly regulated environments and why expertise, context, and human judgment still matter.

This conversation offers valuable insights for leaders in payroll, HR, knowledge management, operations, and anyone interested in how organizations preserve mission-critical knowledge.

Contact Nina at: [email protected] or:

Find Nina on LinkedIn

Recall by Emory: Payroll's Knowledge Base

Emory Consulting Services

What happens when organizations stop thinking about learning as something that happens to people and start thinking about it as something they build with people?

Inkeri Lonnrot takes us on a journey through the changing world of work, strategic capabilities, and organizational foresight before diving into her own path to knowledge management. We explore the Finnish approach to learning and KM, and what it can teach us about creating organizations that are ready for what’s next.

We also get practical, digging into the Agile Team Learning Framework, psychological safety, and what it takes to create meaningful learning experiences when your team is working remotely. Along the way, we talk communities of practice, breaking down silos, building learning networks, and creating the conditions for people to learn from one another.

Because a learning culture doesn't happen because you put “learning” in the strategy document. It happens when people have the space, safety, relationships, and networks to actually learn together.

Connect with Inkeri on LinkedIn

The Learning Framework Toolkit

Learn more about Kuulas & Co

This is Episode 2 of a 2 part series.

What happens when knowledge management and human capital management stop working in parallel and start working together?

In this episode, Brittany and Rachel are joined by Liz McLean, bringing the KM perspective, and Elissa Tucker, Lead HCM Researcher at APQC, to explore why the future of work depends on stronger collaboration between these two disciplines. They dig into everything from data governance and workforce planning to AI-driven upskilling, knowledge sharing, and the challenges of getting different teams to speak the same language.

The conversation highlights why reframing KM around business outcomes—not just knowledge—is key to building stronger partnerships across organizations. Liz and Elissa also discuss taking a more human-centered approach to learning and development by recognizing employees' unique strengths, embracing diverse perspectives, and creating environments where people can learn from one another, not just from technology.

Whether you're in KM, HR, learning and development, or simply trying to prepare your organization for what's next, this episode offers practical insights into breaking down silos, building collaborative cultures, and keeping people at the center of every strategy.

Show Notes:

Connect with Liz on LinkedIn

Connect with Elissa on LinkedIn

Free Resources from APQC:

Activate What You Learn: Closing the Gap Between Learning and Doing (webinar slides)

Activate What You Learn: Closing the Gap Between Learning and Doing (webinar recording)

Learning in the Age of AI Requires Better Knowledge Management

Research Insights: The Evolution of KM Amid Rising Business Expectations

What Is Upskilling, and How Can Organizations Keep Skills Current?

What Is Reskilling, and When Should Organizations Use It?

Learning & Development Blueprint for Success: Executive Summary

This is Episode 1 of a 2 part series.

AI is changing the way we work, but it isn't going to solve your organization's skills gap on its own. In this episode, we're joined by Liz McLean, Strategic AI+KM Roadmap Advisor at Knosaic, who brings the knowledge management perspective, and Elissa Tucker, Lead Human Capital Management Researcher at APQC, who shares the HCM perspective. Together, they explore why KM and HR need to be working together—not in separate lanes. We talk about upskilling, reskilling, internal mobility, and what it really takes to help people move into new roles without losing critical knowledge along the way.

We also explore why onboarding is really a knowledge transfer challenge, how remote and hybrid work have changed the way we share what we know, and why building a culture of learning requires more than just good intentions. If you've ever wondered where KM fits into workforce planning, talent development, or AI strategy, this conversation connects the dots.

Show Notes:

Connect with Liz on LinkedIn

Connect with Elissa on LinkedIn

Free Resources from APQC:

Activate What You Learn: Closing the Gap Between Learning and Doing (webinar slides)

Activate What You Learn: Closing the Gap Between Learning and Doing (webinar recording)

Learning in the Age of AI Requires Better Knowledge Management

Research Insights: The Evolution of KM Amid Rising Business Expectations

What Is Upskilling, and How Can Organizations Keep Skills Current?

What Is Reskilling, and When Should Organizations Use It?

Learning & Development Blueprint for Success: Executive Summary

Tacit knowledge is the stuff people just know—the experience, instincts, relationships, and lessons that don't show up in a process document or SOP. In this episode, Brittany and Rachel explore why that knowledge is often an organization's greatest asset, why it's so difficult to capture, and what happens when it walks out the door. They discuss the emotional side of knowledge transfer, practical strategies for preserving expertise, and how AI can support the process without replacing the human connection that makes tacit knowledge so valuable.

Links:

Here is a link referencing the Holocaust survivor interviews mentioned in the interview: https://sfi.usc.edu/dit

In this episode of NAKM, Brittany and Rachel reflect on their first 12 episodes for what they are lovingly referring to as their Q1 Performance Review.

Do you have something to want to share? Hit us up at [email protected]

Thanks for listening

What happens when you combine knowledge management with CliftonStrengths?

In this episode, Brittany and Rachel sit down with Tieska Jumbo, a knowledge management strategist whose journey from education to KM has shaped her people-first approach to helping organizations learn, share knowledge, and get results.

Together, they explore how strengths influence collaboration, knowledge sharing, and execution. Tieska challenges traditional KM thinking by highlighting the critical role of emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and human connection in successful knowledge management.

The conversation dives into themes like responsibility, consistency, woo, and individualization, while exploring how strengths—and their blind spots—show up in both work and life. Along the way, they discuss what it means to build truly human-centered knowledge management practices and how understanding people can lead to better outcomes.

Tieska Jumbo is a knowledge management strategist and CliftonStrengths facilitator who helps organizations move from misalignment to execution. She works with teams to structure information, clarify priorities, and build systems that ensure decisions don’t get lost and work actually gets done. With over fifteen years of experience in fintech and global organizations, she brings a practical, systems-driven and strengths-based approach to turning strategy into progress.

Find Tieska on LinkedIn