Chapter Meeting

Topic: Plugging the Great Brain Drain!

Knowledge leaks are occurring in the workforce. Baby Boomers are retiring or exiting and taking the years of experience and “know-how” with them. This “tacit knowledge (TK)” – or intuitions and intelligence gained from their experience – is the undocumented competitive advantage that companies risk losing.

Most organizations are not ready for the Great Brain Drain. Not because they are unaware of the threat but because they simply do not know how to avoid it. TK can never be derived into the SOP’s, policies, or procedures; it can only be created and shared through individuals. Plugging the great brain drain requires understanding of how to prevent knowledge losses and improve ownership to support safe and reliable operations.

On Wednesday, September 6, learn about invisible generational barriers that limits TK sharing and the tools needed to overcome them. It is not a simple fix. Sharing the “know-how” is more difficult than sharing the “know-what” because we do not know what we know. The presentation will provide tools, tape, and putty to help you share (or receive) knowledge personally and professionally.   

Speaker: Neil Nommensen – University of Phoenix

Neil was born in Chicago and raised in Northwest Indiana. He completed his undergraduate and graduate work at Indiana University. He holds a JD from California Pacific School of Law and is currently completing his Doctorate of Management in Organizational Leadership at the University of Phoenix. The focus of his study is on the relationship between generations and knowledge sharing. Understanding, analyzing, and studying human (soft skills) and system interaction is one of his passion.

Neil retired in 2017 from Shell/Cal Resources/Aera after 35 years. Since 2001, he functioned as an HR Learning Advisor/Consultant at Aera Energy. His job duties included facilitation of workshops, organizational learning, employee development, and coaching. In addition to his Aera career, he is an adjunct professor at the University of Phoenix Central Valley in the Undergraduate & Graduate Business School. He was awarded the Outstanding Faculty of the year in 1999 and 2000, Outstanding Faculty in the MBA program in 2008, and the Timothy May Community Service Award in 2013.

His community involvement in Bakersfield included serving on the Board of Junior Achievement and the Board of the National Alliance of Mental Illness. In addition, he spent five years on the pitch as an AYSO soccer referee. Neil enjoys teaching, learning, and sharing his knowledge gained through his education and experiences. His latest knowledge adventure is traveling the United States with his wife of 37 years in their motor home.