Information is power. We have all heard this. It enables us to make intelligent decisions. It helps us create strategies and chart courses. It is vital to the continued well being of any business. That is why we continue to pursue it, search for it, and mine it. However, the real power of information is not in just having it. The power of information is in sharing it.

This idea sometimes runs counter-intuitive to what we believe. As we progress through our assignments and our careers, we acquire more experience, more responsibility, more power and more information. It is part of what we believe makes us valuable to the business. It is for these reasons that some managers try to “horde” their information. It is an effort to become indispensible.

Information that is horded and not shared is the same as no information at all. If you know something and don’t tell anyone, it is no different in the eyes of the business than if you did not know it. The more information you give to, and share with the organization, the more valuable you are to the organization.

Most of the good things that have occurred in my career were usually the result of my bringing the knowledge that I had acquired to a larger group, without being asked. It helped others make better decisions and create better strategies. It helped me bring value to the organization.