Organizational Development for Knowledge Management at Water ...

CHAPTER 3
ROLES OF LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT
This chapter discusses the roles of leadership and management in planning for, overcoming
resistance to, and successfully implementing organizational structures that support KM strategies
and initiatives. Organizational structures consist of policies, procedures, rewards and development
processes. The distinction between KM strategies and KM initiatives is significant in that KM
strategies imply that the effort will encompass the entire utility while KM initiatives address specific
subsets of a utility such as a department or a division. KM initiatives are typically easier to
implement because they encompass a smaller group of individuals, usually of a common culture
who are used to sharing information and knowledge. KM strategies generally include several KM
initiatives. Senior leadership (taken to mean the general manager) could have a significant role in
a KM strategy, whereas a KM initiative may emphasize the role of the senior manager in charge of
the department or division.
Leadership roles are described in each of the following categories: Planning, Overcoming
Resistance, and Implementing Organizational Structures.
PLANNING FOR KM STRATEGIES AND INITIATIVES
In planning for KM strategies, senior leadership and his/her direct reports, play a significant
role in a number of areas. These areas include:
• Gaining and maintaining governance group support. This is critical to program success.
These individuals may be interested in observing and following the progress of
the KM strategy and must be kept current.
• Ensuring a credible business case. Another role of senior leadership is to ensure that a
credible business case has been made for the KM strategy and in some cases key individuals
in the utilities external environment are aware of the strategy and the contribution
it will make to the utilities future.
• Ensuring adequate financial resources. Another role of senior leadership during the
planning stage would be to ensure adequate financial resources are made available to
ensure successful implementation of the KM strategy.
The personal interests of senior leadership (the general manager and all direct reports) will
substantially contribute to the Planning stage of the KM strategy. Since the entire utility will likely
be affected by the KM strategy, the senior leadership’s involvement early in the planning stage will
ensure that they have the opportunity to contribute their experience, bring up their concerns,
develop a good understanding of the purpose and intent of the KM strategy and give them a sense
of ownership that will carry over to the implementation phase.
Early in the Planning phase, the senior leader could bring his/her senior management staff
together to ensure that they understand the purpose and organizational benefit of the KM strategy
and that the management staff will provide personal and visible support to the KM team. When
senior leaders take an active interest in the KM strategy, the managers who report to them will
most likely cooperate and support the KM implementation team.
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