Don't give them alternatives!

Heard at the KM Forum two days ago from a KM consultant:

Teams should not make recommendations to the management but propose alternatives

Wrong. In the knowledge economy, teams are expected to be opinionated and make strong recommendations to the management, as long as it stays within the boundaries of their field of expertise. Corporate decision-making is not about sitting in a restaurant and choosing from a menu. That's poor management.

I am amazed by the number of people who think that knowledge management is about being nice to one another by sharing experiences and building consensus. It is, but only within communities, not between communities. The knowledge economy is no place for whimps.