Angelika Mittelmann

Knowledge Manager at Voestalpine, Winner of the KM Award 2015

It is not the knowledge but the attitude toward learning that makes the difference. Knowledge and learning are two sides of the same coin. The good news is that learning is a built-in feature of human nature. In our childhood, we are constantly learning unconsciously. Given a supportive environment for child development, we stay curious and willing to learn throughout life, exploring and interacting with the world around us positively. This leads to well-grounded knowledge of our environment, enabling us to adapt to changes accordingly. The bad news is that in our society all over the world there are many individuals who have never even had the chance to experience encouragement and appreciation or have lost any interest in personal development.

This part of the population satisfies its basic needs while not wasting much thought on gaining knowledge beyond its own surroundings. These people are lost for the advancement of their society or, even worse, they may have a negative influence on their families and fellow citizens.

Given this challenging situation, we are all asked to do everything humanly possible to mitigate this problem. Each and every one of us can start in his or her immediate vicinity by being more caring for each other, staying open-minded and appreciative, and offering help wherever necessary. This will lead to a free flow of knowledge and an exchange of experiences in the end. Learning and development can only prosper in a world where freedom, equality of men and women, equal opportunities for minorities, an appreciative attitude among all citizens, and the exchange of knowledge and experiences are naturally nourished. Let’s not hesitate to put learning and development into action.