Everyone puts up barriers, either deliberately or inadvertently. 3M tries to dismantle these barriers by making knowledge sharing an expectation of its employees. Anyone promoted to staff, division, or corporate scientist level has as an expectation of their job that they are sharing information and processes with peers and business units. Webster states that it is very difficult to reach the higher levels in the 3M technical communities unless you share information and, therefore, are well-known across the organization. It is an absolute expectation of job promotion.

The other key to knowledge sharing is to not have any explicit barriers. Rewards and recognition systems can become barriers by encouraging people to hold ideas and knowledge close rather than share them.