Exploring the supervisor role as a facilitator of knowledge sharing in teams

This paper explores the themes and implications, concerning the role of the supervisor as a facilitator of knowledge sharing in teams. After describing the strategic context for devolving human resource responsibilities to line managers, the paper defines and discusses the line manager/supervisor role. The barriers to learning in the workplace are considered. It is suggested that supervisors, through their devolved responsibility for people (which, by implication, includes learning and development) have an influence as facilitators promoting knowledge sharing within their teams. The paper examines whether the supervisor's intervention as a facilitator, could provide the important link leading to the sharing of individual and collective tacit knowledge in teams.