Enter the chief knowledge officer

Chief knowledge officers and chief learning officers are gaining strategic positions, making high salaries, and leading large and small organizations in managing and leveraging their knowledge assets-the stuff between people' s ears. Many of the people filling the new, highly visible position of CKO come fro m information systems; those filling the job of CLO come from HR, OD, and s ales and marketing, with a strong background in learning strategies and str ong orientation to setting business goals. Don't for one minute, however, t hink that CLOs are just glorified training directors, says Bonner. The article's information comes from case studies of CKOs and CLOs, who des cribe what activities they do and support. In addition, Bonner traces both the roots and the rationale for the emergence of those positions, which are so new that the roles, responsibilities, and activities are still very muc h a work in progress. She also reports From the cases on the common charact eristics of organizations that foster and support knowledge management, org anizational learning, and the formation of CKO and CLO positions. The CKOs and CLOs from the case studies tell what their values are, and a profile co mes to light. An interesting offshoot of the phenomenon of knowledge and learning officer s is a predicted fusion of the fields of knowledge management and organizat ional learning: Can't have one without the other. The article includes a sample want ad for a chief knowledge officer and a l ist of "power verbs" that distill that position.