THE INTERSECTION
OF SECRETARIES
AND KNOWLEDGE
WORKERS
by Julia Montgomery of Traveling Coaches, Inc.
Management consultant Peter Drucker is credited with coining the term "knowledge
worker" back in 1959. Since then, variations on his original definition have been put
forth, but at their core, they all consistently point out that knowledge workers focus
more on thinking than on performing routine tasks. Lawyers fall into the category of
knowledge worker with so many of their responsibilities focused on critical thinking and
reasoning. However, roles are shifting in many ways. Attorneys might not be knowledge
workers purely, and they need not be viewed as the only knowledge resources in a law
firm. This is where secretaries come into play.
80
Peer to Peer
