Learn how to grab others' knowledge to do your job properly

Purpose – This paper addresses the ways in which a prospective knowledge user can approach seeking a potential contributor's knowledge. Design/methodology/approach – Qualitative data were collected in 2004 using semi‐structured interviews from a large multinational corporation situated in the UK. Findings – The main findings of the paper suggest that context and content – such as status of the knowledge contributor, personal preference of superior, intimacy with the knowledge provider, trust between the actors, and criticalness of the technical query – have a great role to play when asking for technical help. Research limitations/implications – The paper ignores to identify the determinants of the selection of knowledge transfer mechanisms, which is an interesting area of future research for academicians. Practical implications – The paper will help organizational members to consider the contexts before approaching their colleagues for a technical advice. Originality/value – The paper is of value to practitioners because it develops a view of grabbing others' knowledge without hesitation.