Nikolay Kryachkov, creator of the “Knowledge Person” concept.
Good morning Nikolay, let us know about you
I am living in St. Petersburg, Russia, was born and brought up there in the family of high school teachers and researchers. Historically my relatives came St. Petersburg/Leningrad from the central european parts of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union. Among their activities were agriculture, handicraft, trading, medicine, military service, science, engineering and even Orthodoxy church diplomacy. In 1985 I got economic degree and my first job was in creation of some methods to govern knowledge intensive industries in the state. Perhaps this defined my future interests of what knowledge is, how it can influence wealth creation, etc. Sport, especially sprint running, also is among my interests from early childhood thanks to my father who was my coach. I won some city and country level competitions in 100 – 200 – 400 m dash and I would stress that without knowledge creation, its proper distribution success and competitiveness in sport is impossible. The same is true for other activities, I think.
As a consultant with a new vision, how do you define success in business?
Success in business is probably a question of power and consists in creation of new markets where producers of goods and services and customers are interconnected by good feedback – market 2.0. But if to add there a money like inflation-free instrument for exchange, success would be outstanding.
What is The “Knowledge Person” concept?
The “Knowledge Person” concept I created in the beginning of this century. It cames into being when I realized that impossibility to separate knowledge from personality is the very nature of knowledge that defines future human centric society and economy, the future that is in hands of every knowledgeable person – the Knowledge Person. And it seems people understand it when joining the “Knowledge Persons” on Google groups and “For Knowledge Persons” group on LinkedIn.
Another dimension of the “Knowledge Person” concept was brilliantly formulated by a fellow Knowledge Person, investment banker from the NL. He said: “… in all respects intelligent people searches in free time to something that satisfy them at the same level they are used to be in their working environment …”. The more knowledge era is closer to us, the more problematically to separate work and free time from each other. Most prominent example of it is classical art – a language in which every eternal question finds its answer in a unique way -knowledge. Science and technology have the same source of creativity that art also has – knowledge. Even not consumption, but sharing of science, technology and art need knowledge. People who do this – create, produce, share knowledge – we can name the Knowledge Persons. Perhaps in the nearest future, I hope, we can experience a new kind of luxury events where classical art, science and technology, hope Russian classical art, science and technology as well, meet each other in some seamless format to satisfy both esthetic and business needs, but we shall live and see (smile) …
Why you have created this new concept?
Initially I thought that the “Knowledge Person” concept helps in management consulting. If you structure your business by answering a few questions – what, why, who, where, etc., connect the answers with documents which define the cash flow, its time you can see, measure and therefore manage competitiveness of your business in a simple way. That is why I started experimenting with KnowledgePerson.com. Over time it was clear that the spectrum of the “Knowledge Person” concept is wider. Goods and services can be of excellent quality but sometimes poorly described because the language is difficult to manage.
Description is the first “thing” – the intangible “thing” – any customer deals with before touches the real thing. Understandable or knowledge based descriptions for goods and services is difficult to overvalue. Therefore, I think, the “Knowledge Person” concept can be of service as a meta brand which emphasizes the description quality of the branded goods and services or emphasizes newly created ones, let’s say, in jewellery, fashion, business accessory and in other luxury industries.
And how to be a “Knowledge Person”?
I think every Knowledge Person has only own nerve center (no “wisdom of crowds”, rule of majority, etc.). Every decision is individual, but can be discussed, checked and corrected in collaboration with others. It is closer to meritocracy, but the best word for it, I think, is the Russian one – samoderzhavnost’ (самодержавность) – meaning similar to govern oneself.
How can the “Knowledge Person” concept could helps the luxury industry? Give us an example.
As I have said before, everything luxury must be well-described and the “Knowledge Person” concept could help the luxury industry in it. Also, to me “luxury” means something individually oriented, preferably hand work, unique as everyone from us. An example is K. Faberge during the Russian Empire – creative fantasy, very innovative management, sharing commission among the creative workers instead of salary, as far as I know. Almost 100% auction sales ability. Still unsurpassed!
But let’s imagine something like that as the market 2.0 and well-described …
Mr. Nikolay Kryachkov can be reached in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Skype: nikolay.kryachkov
Website: KnowledgePerson.com
