Why do executives approve some KM projects — and ignore others?

This week in the Knowledge Management Global Network (KMGN) course "From Strategy to Impact", Pavel Kraus led a session on Business Aligned Knowledge Management.

One basic assumption: KM that is not aligned with the business will not work. Alignment is essential.

But alignment alone is not enough. Managers must be convinced of the impact.
Pavel walked us through the KM Storytelling Canvas, a method he developed together with Manfred Bornemann, designed to help KM professionals build a convincing narrative for executives.

A particularly important idea is that the story we present to managers should follow the opposite logic of how KM professionals usually think.
KMers tend to start from the knowledge problem and solution. Executives should see it differently: start with the high-risk business impact (known threats), then reveal the underlying knowledge gap, and only then present the KM solution.

As a bonus, Pavel also shared examples of business-oriented KPIs that resonate with executives.

Because in the end, executives rarely approve KM projects aimed at improving knowledge sharing.
They approve projects that reduce risk, increase performance, and strengthen the business.

✨ And when we learn to tell that story well, KM stops asking for attention.
It starts earning it ✨