Do you love to learn?
Do you enjoy solving problems and pondering complex issues?
If you answered yes, you might make a good mentor.
Researchers John Cacioppo and Richard Petty would describe you as high on need for cognition.
One way to conceive of a person who is high on need for cognition is to imagine a magnet, and think of information as being analogous to iron filings. The iron filings are attracted to the magnetic field, just as high need cognizers are drawn to data, information and analysis.
A long history of social science research would describe you as someone who likes to think. In fact, you are intrinsically motivated to exert cognitive effort. You like to solve complex issues.
Interestingly, need for cognition describes a motivational disposition. It is not reflective of intellectual ability.
People vary along a continuum with regards to need for cognition. On one end of the spectrum exists high need cognizers, while at the other extreme lie people who are cognitive misers. Cognitive misers don’t get the same pleasure from trying to solve life’s mysteries. In fact, one of the items on the need for cognition scale reads “thinking is not my idea of fun”.
There are important distinctions between people who are high and low on need for cognition.
Those high in need for cognition search for information to better understand themselves, relationships and life events. As such, they tend to accumulate greater amounts of knowledge than people low in need for cognition. High need cognizers also possess a more expansive repertoire of successfully solving problems. This is an attribute that you want a mentor to have.
If you want to ensure that the mature workers in your organization are transferring their tacit knowledge to their successors, then these are the guys you want on your team.
In our research, we found a positive relationship between need for cognition and the desire to share one’s knowledge with younger colleagues.
As I explained in a previous post on tacit knowledge transfer, the opportunity for a protégé to observe a teacher demonstrate his knowledge, for example, in a meeting, or while giving a presentation, enables the student to question the teacher about his diplomatic response to abrasive commentary. The protégé’s question elicits the mentor’s knowledge, knowledge he may have long forgotten that he had until it is awakened as a result of the protégé’s question. The question then leads to an enriching discussion that encourages reflection and active learning. High need cognizers love this stuff!
Older workers who love challenging cognitive tasks may relish the opportunity to serve as a mentor. And this process will ensure that tacit knowledge is transferred from one generation of workers to the next.
As we have discussed in a previous post, tacit knowledge is essential to a firm’s competitive advantage and in danger of disappearing once people walk out the door. If your workforce is comprised of a significant number of mature workers, or you own a business and want to sell it or pass the baton to a child, you need to start this process NOW.
Tacit knowledge transfer requires time, energy and a proper process.
Find the people in your organization who love to learn and have extensive knowledge and experience.Chances are you will find a high need for cognition employee who will jump at the opportunity to mentor a younger colleague.
Of course, just because an older worker wants to share her knowledge and experience doesn’t mean it will be received by a willing and welcoming recipient. More on that in next week’s post.
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Dr. Gill is the founder of rewire to retire, a corporate training company dedicated to helping pre-retirees successfully transition from work to retirement, while ensuring businesses retain their organizational knowledge.
