database in the belief that “there has to be a pony in there some-
where.” Make the information as specific as possible.
To satisfy the principle of specificity and focus, for example, we
made the links to GuideMe dynamic, based on the user’s objec-
tives. That is, instead of directing the user to the general index and
in essence saying, “You find it,” the link directs the user to the rel-
evant sections and items based on the type of objective (delegation,
time management, and so on). The generalization of this principle
to other systems means ensuring that links to content are always as
specific as possible and relevant to the user’s objectives or areas of
interest.
A further refinement would be to take into consideration the
user’s level of development or managerial responsibility; guidance
appropriate for a person in a first managerial position are likely too
elementary for a senior manager. A single list that attempts to sat-
isfy the full spectrum of development will contain a large number
of items irrelevant for any one user. Irrelevant or unusable items
represent “noise” in the system that slows down use and impedes
getting knowledge in motion.
Guidance systems should be specific to the program as well as
the user and his or her objectives. They should employ and reinforce
the terminology, models, and concepts used in the feedback and
instruction. Corporations are increasingly developing their own
leadership models and values. The ideal guidance system should
reinforce the company’s values and principles by using the same
concepts and terms, thus minimizing the need for “translation.”
Properly organized electronic versions can be filtered to “sepa-
rate the wheat from the chaff” by showing only suggestions relevant
to the particular skill and (ideally) the person’s current level of
development and responsibility (frontline supervisor versus enter-
prise manager, for example). Obviously, this is easier to do in an
electronic system than a mass-produced printing, which must nec-
essarily be “generic.” Here, too, appropriately designed computer-
based systems are superior to printed materials because they can be
readily revised or reorganized to reflect specific program objectives
and content.
128 LEADINGORGANIZATIONALLEARNING