I recently attended a Toronto Chapter event where a panel of knowledge managers presented on KM – and discussed what it takes as a manager to successfully steer a KM project. I think many of their key points don’t apply just to KM but to successful management of any type of project – and especially information projects – and that their definition of what it takes to be a good knowledge manager are EXACTLY the skills it takes to be a good manager – period. What do you think?
Challenges to success:
- Cultural change (and resistance thereto)
- Communication amongst the different departments (or lack thereof)
- Operating without an independent budget (as is often the case) means continually begging and pleading for resources
Suggestions to ensure success:
- Insert yourself into people’s team meetings
- Set up joint meetings (with an agenda!)
- Make sure you tell people what it is you bring to the table
- Be aware of where your resources are going to come from
- Leverage projects which reflect more than one goal
- Make the plan and ask for the money
- Tie your plans to specific business problems
- Don’t blow the business problem out of proportion – do you need a document management system or do you just need policies and procedures for documents
What do you need to be a good KM manager?
- A curiosity about people’s needs
- An understanding of technology
- An ability to forge relationships
- You need to be a good sales person – who can ask probing questions and listen to what clients say and then find the solution
- Marketing skills
- Networking skills
- The ability to keep a database in your mind of who’s working on what and making those connections
- Project management skills – including being able to manage scope
- Business analysis skills
- Business process management skills