From Involvement to Commitment

How do we move senior management from awareness to personal commitment?

Have you ever encountered a manager who verbally supports implementing a knowledge management solution but isn't present due to time constraints? It's important to understand that support doesn't necessarily equal commitment. Throughout our activities, we meet managers—some who are supportive but not committed and others who are neither supportive nor committed. We often encounter a gap between what is declared and what is done. Managers declare their support for an idea and acknowledge the need, but when required to take action, they are nowhere to be found because they're busy with other matters. Additionally, the required management support needs to be consistent and long-term; we often witness management support only when specifically requested but not beyond that.

The need for management support in knowledge management, as with any organizational change, is clear; management has the power to contribute to the positive atmosphere around the proposed solution and its implementation, explain and market the rationale behind it, encourage dialogue and partnership among colleagues, and especially lead by example, which has an unparalleled positive impact on solution adoption.

So what do we do?

1. We need to analyze where the manager is positioned on the following axis:

   1. Awareness-->Recognition of need-->Involvement-->Partnership-->Commitment

   2. Is the manager truly aware of the issue?

   3. Could they be aware but don't recognize the need within their organization?

   4. Or perhaps they recognize the need and are willing for it to be promoted but don't see themselves as part of the process?

   5. And if they are part of the process, are they an active and initiating partner?

   6. Have we reached the ideal that the manager feels personally committed to the process and leads it independently?

   7. This is a graduated axis; the first stage is diagnostic—essentially, "know where you stand."

2. We must act to improve the position of the idea we want to promote on the commitment axis. Our task is to move the manager in the desired direction. Here are some tips on how to do this:

   1. Creating awareness: Creating awareness of knowledge management, in particular, or any other management concept, comes from exposure to the subject. The manager can be exposed to the topic through various methods, such as sharing materials, conducting lectures, or even focused discussions. An effective way to create awareness is by presenting success stories from competitors or other departments in the same organization that have already implemented and succeeded. If others are already engaged in it, perhaps there's something to it.

   2. Recognition of need: Often, managers recognize the need on their own once they become aware. If not, we can assist them. Beyond relevant success stories from the manager's field (which also serve us in the awareness creation stage), recognition of need can come through two additional methods:

   3. Connecting knowledge management to specific business needs of the organization and emphasizing the resulting contribution; connecting knowledge management to weak/painful points in the organization to improve them.

   4. Demonstration: A preliminary examination of knowledge management possibilities within the organization, identifying specific needs and possible solution directions. The demonstration often helps recognize the need as the topic transforms from abstract and theoretical to practical and worthwhile.

   5. Involvement: This is the stage where the manager is expected to transform from a passive approver to an active participant working toward the cause. This transition can be achieved, for example, by pointing out specific roles we would like the manager to perform: entering a community once a week, giving positive feedback to content experts and active partners among employees, not approving vendor consulting work without first consulting with internal organizational colleagues; and more.

   6. Partnership: Although employees have seen the manager active during the involvement stage, this is not enough. The goal is for the manager to partner in planning and thinking. Participation in a steering committee and identifying courses of action and ways to deal with dilemmas indicate a partner manager. How do we reach this stage? Again, gradually. If we already have an involved manager, we consult with them. Are they showing willingness? We invite them to a steering committee. Gradually, the involved manager becomes a partner.

   7. Commitment: This is the final stage. As with all previous stages, it's possible that the manager begins to move independently between stages and reaches commitment without our intervention. If this doesn't happen naturally, middle managers can be brought to a commitment by transferring responsibility to them: requesting to include knowledge management as part of the goals for the next year and the resulting work plan, building specific implementation plans with managers where they suggest how to properly implement a solution in their area, and more. Another equally good method emphasizes the manager's involvement and responsibility for existing successes. When we reach the point where the manager feels responsible for implementing the solution and takes it under their wing, then we'll know we have a committed manager who will do everything for its continued success.

      
      

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Want to learn more about KM strategy?

Here are some articles you might find interesting:

• Employee Integration in Mapping Interviews

• Does Your Organization Need Knowledge Management?

• "Whoever Doesn't Move Forward, Moves Backward" - Interview with Moria Levy