Right now, many of us are feeling the effects of an “expertise desert”—a gap between those with time-earned institutional knowledge and those still learning the ropes. Whether you’re a tenured employee with years of experience or a new hire eager to contribute, we all play a role in closing this gap. Here’s how we can work together to share knowledge, create a learning culture, and build a stronger, more collaborative team.
Truvelop Tip: Fill the Knowledge Gaps
1. Tap Into Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)
- If you’re experienced: Share what you know! Even small acts—like documenting a process, hosting a quick team demo, or offering to mentor—can make a huge difference. Become the go-to person for a solution and show your value.
- If you’re newer: Seek out SMEs and ask questions. Don’t hesitate to request shadowing opportunities or a short “coffee chat” to learn faster. By taking initiative, you’re building relationships, developing your skills, and opening yourself up to new verticals for growth.
2. Learn and Teach Across Levels
- Mentorship isn’t just top-down. Pair up with someone at any level—sometimes the best insights come from fresh perspectives. Developing cross-functional partners is a great way to learn new skills and bring in new ideas.
- Own your growth. Identify a skill or process you want to master, then find a colleague who can help or sign up for a new training. Don’t hesitate to ask your manager for ideas as they may have some additional connections.
3. Collaborate – Nobody Should Work on an Island
- Cross-functional projects are key. Volunteer for teams outside your usual scope as it’s one of the fastest ways to learn and build connections.
- Speak up in meetings. If something’s unclear, don’t hesitate to ask for clarification. Chances are, others are wondering the same thing.
What’s Next?
- Reach out: Message a colleague this week to set up a knowledge-sharing chat.
- Document something: Write down one thing you know well that others might not (a shortcut, a best practice, etc.) and share it in your next team meeting.
- Join (or start) a peer group: Whether it’s a Slack channel or a monthly meetup, create spaces for open Q&A and learning.
No one should operate alone on an island. Lean on your team, build your skills, and strengthen your learning culture. Turn this “expertise desert” into an opportunity to grow together.
AI is developing at an incredibly rapid pace, so it may feel a bit overwhelming. That said, there is a place for AI in performance development. Let’s get started!
Truvelop Tip: Grow Efficiently with AI
There are a lot of different avenues that you can apply AI when it comes to performance development. However, one piece to keep in mind is that AI should never replace in person conversations. It can help you to outline or strategize a best approach for that conversation, but it shouldn’t be something you share word for word as that becomes inauthentic. Here are a few examples of how you might leverage AI today to advocate for your growth and see strategic, efficient development.
- Create meaningful goals. With generative AI, you can input your KPIs and personal aspirations and create a meaningful, strategic goals that aligns both your personal and professional goals. Be sure to share the outline with your manager, so that you can collaborate on any tweaks.
- Use Truvelop’s AI-generated Evaluation summaries to open a conversation with your manager around what’s going well and what can be improved regarding your performance. Again, these summaries aren’t meant to replace in-person conversations, but instead open a meaningful, collaborative discussion around what’s next.
- Leverage generative AI to gather ideas on how to best navigate a difficult scenario. Be sure to input clear instructions, as the output is only as strong as the input. Try asking for clarifications or a different approach if the first output isn’t what you’re looking for.
Ultimately, AI is just another tool. It isn’t meant to replace our human interactions, but can instead make them more efficient and meaningful when used correctly. How will you use AI in the workplace?
Work shouldn’t feel like a solo mission. Whether you’ve been at your organization for six months or six years, you should never feel like you’re figuring things out on an island. That’s why here at Truvelop we’re doubling down on something that might sound simple but makes all the difference: inclusion.
This isn’t about rewriting the game plan. It’s about making sure you:
Actually understand how your work ties to the bigger picture.
Feel comfortable speaking up, asking questions, or tossing out new ideas.
Know your growth matters, not just your output.
Truvelop Tip: Feelings of Belonging Matter.
Here’s How You Can Help Build This:
Ask “Why” More
If you’re not sure how your work connects to the team’s goals, ask! Send a Spark to your Manager asking to review your role or bring it up after your next Evaluation.Share Applause
See someone crushing it? Give them a shoutout on the Recognition Wall. Boost team morale and create a culture of celebrating the wins, both big and small.Claim Your Growth
Don’t wait for a review to talk career goals. Schedule that coffee chat with your manager and say, “Here’s where I want to go.” Don’t forget about the resources in the Knowledge Center than can help you organize your thoughts and next steps!Call Out the Islands
If you (or someone else) feels siloed, flag it to your manager. By documenting a need for support or guidance, you can create clearer communication channels for yourself and others going forward.
Why This Works for You:
Better ideas happen when multiple perspectives actually get heard.
Cutting out uncertainty leads to greater confidence and autonomy.
A team that’s got your back feels a lot better than a team that just shares a Slack/Teams channel.
Let’s make “belonging” something we do, not just say.