Insider Info

"We are living in an Internet era -- there is no such thing as a 40-hour, five-day workweek," says Yogesh Malhotra. "It is more like 24 hours a day, seven days a week, because the information is never going to stop -- why should you?"

Malhotra is the chief knowledge officer at an online knowledge management company. His life is fast-paced and full of new adventures and a never-ending stream of new information..

He has 20 years of experience as an engineer in information technologies, as well as a doctorate of information systems and knowledge management. But he says that isn't the key to being a CKO.

"It's about using your head, about trying to make sense of it all," says Malhotra. "The things they don't teach you in schools is what you have to teach yourself to do. Things like trying to create structure out of mess, and trying to do it in a way that everyone will understand and benefit from. This makes every day a challenge."

And it's the challenge of being a CKO that gets Malhotra up in the morning. "It's fun. And it's fun because there is no routine, [and] there's no structure. It's always stimulating trying to keep up with all the new information and technology, not to mention the amazing rate of speed that the competition is zooming along at," he says.

"This job makes you think at a more abstract level -- it's more than simple computing. It's trying to create a market of ideas in a world you can never predict because everything is always changing, and you have to stay on top of it all."

Malhotra also says that part of the fun is thinking up all of the new strategies that will help him turn information into something that will benefit his company. "You could never use the old strategies in today's new and ever-changing world; it would never work," he says.

"So you have to think in terms of real-time response and create new strategies to deal with the continuous flow of information, to apply it and find more than one use for the information."

Knowledge manager Jo-Anne Raynes agrees that finding new ways to do things is a big part of the role of a CKO, but for her that's where the fun begins. "To me this is a lot of fun, not work. It is a real challenge, because my ideas in turn may create new jobs and benefit other people directly.

"I like working as part of the leading edge," says Raynes. "It is high-performance work that sees results. I love to see things happening. It's making the abstract into something tangible that others can see and relate to."

When asked if this job is dealing in abstract ideas, Malhotra laughs. "It is what you make it. If you want to make it abstract, it is. But it can be very concrete. It is a matter of you filtering through the information and creating something you can benefit from....It is what you make it."

Another part of the challenge of everyday work for Raynes is the resistance to change she sees in the workplace. "When you work in a large bureaucracy, people get used to their old ideas and old ways of doing things. It's hard to get people to understand that change is good -- they are afraid of it," she explains.

"So that is a big part of the challenge -- getting people to see that new ways of doing things will catch on in a big way and then snowball."

Being a CKO has changed Malhotra's life. "It was a job at first, but then it became more than that," he says. "It turned into something I do not because it is my job, but because it has become a part of who I am. It is my hobby, my life. There are only boundaries if you want them to be there. It is a truly global job with a global feeling."

Raynes echoes Malhotra's love of the job. "I basically believe that people can be greater than they are, [and] that there is always potential for growing and learning. It has really become a part of me and I get a real sense of satisfaction knowing that I was able to help someone think and act on a higher level."

And Malhotra feels gratified about the work that he does. "Currently the work that we as CKOs are doing is creating a market of ideas for others to use. But we are also driven by the market that is already out there," he says.

"And our work always gets feedback. The market tells us what works and what doesn't, what they need and what they don't. It feels good to know that you are adding value to a business, and adding value means you are helping people by analyzing information they can use and benefit from on more than one level."

The best news for CKOs of the future is that Malhotra and Raynes are convinced there is a real future in this type of career. "The label may change, but the abilities and concepts will stay the same," says Malhotra.

"It is a must to have these skills in your business for a successful journey into the future, to communicate and implement issues. This is a job that is definitely in demand. And it's a great feeling to be doing something you really truly love."