| Inside Knowledge magazine talks to Andréa | | | | cascade process should never be underestimated. |
| Thompson about the change management issues | | | | If the programme has support from the highest |
| surrounding KM. | | | | level then employees are far more likely to take |
| The knowledge that exists within your | | | | it as a credible management initiative driven from |
| organization is your only sustainable source of | | | | the top. If the management team do not present |
| competitive advantage. We believe this makes | | | | a unified front then the programme has little hope |
| knowledge management a strategic imperative. | | | | of succeeding. Sponsors should give visible support |
| But how do you ensure that your KM initiative is | | | | as often as possible in terms of face-to-face |
| effective, that it delivers on its promises and that | | | | team meetings, editorials, quotes and feedback. |
| your organization sees a return on its KM | | | | When working with GSK on the introduction of a |
| investment? | | | | global project management improvement |
| Change communications and engaging employees | | | | programme (Apex), sponsorship was key to |
| is a critical part of this process and in this | | | | success. It was visibly supported at the highest |
| interview we talk to Andréa Thompson, | | | | level and the programme director made it a |
| Managing Director of Marmalade Consulting about | | | | priority to consistently rally advocates by keeping |
| some of the key communications issues | | | | all senior management informed and involved at |
| organizations face in implementing KM. | | | | every step of the process. This was done on a |
| Q. What are the key change-management issues | | | | face-to-face communication level supported by |
| that organisations need to address when looking | | | | appropriate communications tools. This process |
| to develop a KM programme? | | | | ensured they were motivated and enthused in |
| A. The key change-management issues are: | | | | terms of cascading information through to their |
| committed support from the top, the need for | | | | teams. I have rarely seen a better example of |
| companies to put KM at the heart of their | | | | the impact senior-management buy in can make. |
| business strategy, introduce measurement tools | | | | Not only was the programme director fully |
| and recognise the importance of engaging with | | | | committed to making it happen but the director |
| target audiences through a comprehensive and | | | | was also given the resource and budget to do it |
| robust communications plan. | | | | properly. |
| Large companies tend to be composed of | | | | |
| specialist units (commonly known as silos) and | | | | Q. How important is the process of obtaining |
| therefore no one person has a clear | | | | feedback from those the KM programme will |
| understanding of the overall corporate objectives | | | | affect? |
| in terms of what a KM initiative should achieve. | | | | A. In our experience, talking to the people who will |
| Organisations need to bridge the gap between | | | | be affected by the programme is essential. |
| ‘doing’ and ‘acting’. KM is a | | | | Before starting work on any KM programme, |
| culture shift that transforms the way the | | | | employees’ opinions should be gauged to gain |
| company does business. It is about encouraging | | | | a better insight into their needs and expectations |
| cross-functional working and improving individual | | | | and they should be encouraged to contribute |
| performance for the benefit of the employee, the | | | | ideas. In this way they feel involved from the |
| company and ultimately the customer. | | | | outset and they will have an awareness and |
| | | | | anticipation of the programme well before the |
| Q. Do you think organisations looking to implement | | | | launch. Once issues are understood, benefit-led |
| a KM programme have paid enough attention to | | | | messages can be introduced to address them. |
| these issues in the past? | | | | Feeding back the feedback is just as important. It |
| A. Definitely not. We have a work culture that is | | | | is critical to understand any ongoing issues so that |
| information rich but most definitely knowledge | | | | any shortfall or drift can be addressed. We have |
| poor. Companies need to define clear principles for | | | | experienced situations where research with |
| KM rather than hold a mass of data that serves | | | | employees has been carried out but they have |
| little purpose in growing the business. | | | | had no follow- up communication so why should |
| In my experience one of biggest barriers to | | | | they bother next time round? |
| success is the failure of senior management to | | | | |
| understand the value that informed internal | | | | Q. How important is it that KM is integrated with |
| communication can bring. By all means focus on | | | | existing work practices and not made a separate |
| process but don’t forget the emotional | | | | function in its own right? |
| experience. It is your employees whose | | | | KM should never be a separate function but the |
| knowledge you require and they are the ones | | | | management team should be mindful of the |
| that will make it happen – if you cannot | | | | existing processes used by the company. What |
| engage your audience you have little hope of | | | | are the lessons learnt? Are these practices useful |
| improving operating performance and little chance | | | | to our way of working? And, importantly, are |
| of success. | | | | they the future of the organisation? |
| | | | | A. Many existing KM or project-management |
| Q. What can a well thought-out | | | | programmes are introduced on a |
| change-management strategy bring to a KM | | | | project-by-project basis, not in the context of a |
| programme? | | | | wider, properly developed ‘vision’. The |
| A. Success. Stakeholders need to establish a | | | | KM vision should strive towards a good practice |
| common recognition of the change required, | | | | and self-development programme that is linked to |
| agree the benefits of a clearly defined KM | | | | the organisation’s long-term corporate |
| approach, establish a process to support it and | | | | objectives. In which case they must be assessed |
| define what level of support is required to make it | | | | and abandoned if not required. The best of the |
| happen. KM needs to become part of the culture | | | | best should be taken from existing programmes |
| and ‘the way we do things’. | | | | and incorporated into the new working practices. |
| | | | | The KM programme of the United Health Group, a |
| Q. What techniques can organisations use to help | | | | private health-insurance company in the US, |
| increase acceptance of changing working | | | | combined five good-practice methodologies |
| practices? | | | | together in the same system. Taking the best |
| A. There is no prescriptive method and no | | | | from the best and pulling it together to make one |
| perfect way to communicate change. However, | | | | common good-practice toolbox that would be |
| whatever the method, communication has a | | | | introduced as a mandatory way of working for |
| critical role to play in gaining the acceptance and | | | | internal employees and also external consultants. |
| participation of employees. There are many | | | | |
| frustrations regarding methods of communication. | | | | Q. What are the most common pitfalls relating to |
| Inevitably you can’t please all the people all | | | | change management that organisations need to |
| the time, but there are some fundamentals that | | | | avoid when attempting to implement KM? |
| can be addressed. One overriding factor is that | | | | A. One of the most common pitfalls is to hand |
| communication is vital for a successful change | | | | over the project to IT. KM should be viewed as a |
| programme. | | | | key asset because it is a lot more than |
| Many different channels can be used from a | | | | technology. Stop viewing it as a process tool and |
| simple CEO memo through to full-scale staged | | | | begin to think of it as a culture change, which |
| event and getting the balance of communication | | | | should be driven and supported from the top until |
| channels right is extremely important. The most | | | | it becomes second nature. |
| important aspect is to segment the audience and | | | | An IT system is an enabling tool that facilitates |
| target messages and channels appropriately and | | | | support. The purpose of KM, however, is to |
| consistently over a specified time period. | | | | encourage faster and smarter working, built on |
| The overall lesson for communication is that the | | | | the sharing of good-practice information and |
| ‘closer’ you can get to the individual the | | | | knowledge that will benefit the individual, and |
| more effective communications will be – | | | | ultimately the company. Individuals need to |
| hence the importance of the cascade process and | | | | recognise how it benefits them before they will |
| face-to-face delivery. | | | | support it. It is worth bearing in mind that the |
| People need to be listened to during times of | | | | most powerful persuasion tool is self-interest. |
| change more so than usual. One-to-one meetings | | | | |
| with managers should be seen as a critical part of | | | | Q. What are the likely consequences for |
| the process. In difficult times, spokespeople are | | | | organisations that continue to neglect the |
| listened to more than ever, so it is essential that | | | | change-management aspects of knowledge |
| all messages are co-ordinated and that the | | | | management? |
| company speaks with one voice. A leader’s | | | | A. In large organisations, in particular those who |
| behavioural can make the different between | | | | are less asset focused, KM is fundamental to |
| success and failure. | | | | growth and profitability. If companies do not |
| For example – the knowledge steward: We | | | | recognise the importance of change management |
| worked with Innogy One, the engineering division | | | | in this area but continue to introduce systems on |
| of Innogy (now RWE Energy), on the branding | | | | a project-by-project basis with no consideration |
| and communication of a knowledge-management | | | | to the wider company strategy, then effort will |
| initiative. There was a small, dedicated team to | | | | continue to be duplicated and the opportunity to |
| ensure the successful implementation of the | | | | capture intellectual capital will be lost. |
| programme and knowledge stewards were | | | | |
| introduced into the process. The knowledge | | | | Q. Are there any other issues that you feel |
| steward was someone who was not only | | | | deserve closer attention? |
| supportive of the KM principle but was also | | | | A. Having a well-conceived programme is one |
| experienced in the business and, importantly, a | | | | challenge; making people aware of it and want to |
| good networker. | | | | use it is yet another. |
| This ensures that positive messages are being | | | | Engaging the internal audience through |
| relayed to the team in which they operate and | | | | customer-focused communications can contribute |
| also other departments across the division. This | | | | enormously in this process. In the outside world |
| works successfully on two levels: it begins to | | | | people will only buy something they think is worth |
| break down the silos in which so many companies | | | | buying, the same principles apply to our internal |
| operate and it brings together dedicated | | | | customer. |
| champions from each department on a regular | | | | In my experience, employees successfully adopt |
| basis to share experiences and ideas. In effect, | | | | this type of programme when it is well branded |
| they become the communication lynch pins | | | | and promoted. The Apex initiative for |
| through which everything is funnelled, creating | | | | GlaxoSmithKline is one such example. Apex |
| consistency and commitment. | | | | (Advancing Project Expertise) is a well-planned |
| Another important aspect, and one that has | | | | system but to help its success we applied the |
| worked for GSK and the United Health Group, is | | | | rules of branding. The programme has a name, an |
| measurement. It should be a key part of the | | | | identity; a visual appeal and targeted |
| process to provide simple feedback loops ensuring | | | | communications that were key to helping achieve |
| people’s concerns are listened to and | | | | heightened awareness and outstanding success. |
| addressed. | | | | A strong brand can encourage employees, it can |
| | | | | provide a framework, common link, direction and |
| Q. How important is senior-management buy-in in | | | | cohesion, and a shared sense of purpose and |
| encouraging the adoption of new working | | | | unified attitude. It is a very powerful tool in the |
| practices? | | | | persuasion process. |
| A. The importance of strong leadership and the | | | | |