km champion guidelines as

8/10/2019 Km Champion Guidelines As

1/21

Guidelines for Identifying, Motivating and Supporting Knowledge

Champions

1. INT!"#CTI!N

Knowledge champions (otherwise known as KM Champions, KnowledgeActivists, Knowledge Stewards, Knowledge Coordinators, KM Reps) perform an

important role in distributing our KM messages and activities consistentlacross an organisation!

"n the earlier KM literature (see Acknowledgements item # below) KM

Champions were envisaged as senior level activists promoting KM at a strategic

level! $er little guidance e%ists on the role of Knowledge Champions at the

operational or line level! &his paper is written to address that need!

Knowledge Champions at this level look after localised logistics and

communication activit at the department level, and can release the time of a

central KM team to focus on pro'ect planning, sstem management, polic

influencing, resourcing, and centralised support! &he Knowledge Championsprovide localised support in their departments, channel important feedback

from internal KM clients, and in some cases undertake specific KMrelated

duties!

Sometimes the choice of title for the role will indicate the nature of these

specific duties (eg Knowledge Steward suggests a role focused on knowledge

capture and documentation Knowledge Coordinator suggests a role focused onpro'ect management related activities, and so on)!

"n these guidelines we describe the generic attributes and responsibilities for

the Knowledge Champion role, while recognising that the ma have other

more specific KMrelated duties added to their 'ob description!

Knowledge Champions pla an important advocac and change management

role for KM, but the differ from knowledge managers in that the pla a parttime role! &he must meet their normal, fulltime work obligations and

performance re*uirements!

+or this reason it is important not merel to select the right kind of people withthe right kind of attributes, but also to make sure that our performance

management polic and framework does not penalise them or impose undue

pressure on them!

ecause of the fle%ible nature of the Knowledge Champions- activities, their

good will and fle%ibilit is important to ou, but our organisation should not

e%ploit that and consume it without resourcing their effort and e%plicitl

recognising it! &hat road leads to rapid burnout, resentment, and futuredifficulties in recruiting Knowledge Champions!

&his work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution.onCommercial

ShareAlike /!0 1icense Straits Knowledge /223Page 1 of 21


2/21


Champions

$. %&'T KN!%()"G) C&'M*I!NS "!

&here are three main areas where Knowledge Champions can make important

contributions to the consistent implementation of KM in an organisation4

'dvo+a+y5 spreading the KM message Support5 acting as local departmental representatives for KM initiatives

Knowledge ro-ering5 linking their departmental colleagues to

knowledge and information resources outside their immediate conte%t

&pical activities under each categor would be as follows4

'dvo+a+y

communicate KM messages from central KM team6 KM steering committee

encourage knowledge sharing and learning behaviours verball and b

e%ample

lead KM awareness sessions, including KM briefings at departmentinductions 6 orientations

be a reference point for clarification and e%planation of KM matters

gather and communicate feedback from colleagues to central KM team,

collect stories about KM impact from within their department


ShareAlike /!0 1icense Straits Knowledge /223

Page 2 of 21


3/21


Champions

Support

act as KM activit liaison officer between central KM team and department

manager and colleagues

pla a role in KM pro'ects at department level, coordinate and delegate KM

activities, coach colleagues in KMrelated duties provide feedback on usefulness6impact of KM initiatives at department level

provide ideas and suggestions for new initiatives or improvements to KM

services and tools

represent department in KM initiatives planning and review, and6or KM

needs analsis

Knowledge ro-ering

facilitate knowledge sharing sessions, learning and knowledge capture

sessions such as after action reviews

network with other Knowledge Champions and people who have beenidentified as sources of e%perience 6 e%pertise mentor and support new

Knowledge Champions

identif ma'or knowledge and information needs in own department and be

alert to serendipitous discover of resources that will address those needs

respond promptl to re*uests for help from colleagues or other

departments

point colleagues in a helpful direction towards relevant resources or

colleagues when the mention an information or knowledge need

Attitude and resilience (in the face of resistance to change) are ke

re*uirements for a Knowledge Champion to be successful! &he ver nature ofbeing a Knowledge Champion is to facilitate change in others behaviours or

influence others to follow our lead (or that of another)!

Competent Knowledge Champions don-t grow on trees! +inding the rightperson to lead the knowledge initiatives is not an eas task! Man of those

with the right capabilities, skills and the right attitude are seen as ke people

in the business and are often too bus to be released for 7et another

initiative8! 9ften the most appropriate person is alread a significant plaer inman initiatives and even though the have the right skills and contacts, the

ma not have the time to do full 'ustice to this role!



Page 3 of 21


4/21


Champions

&he ideal set of criteria for a Knowledge Champion is as much about attitudes

and behaviours as it is about skills and e%perience! &he list below indicates

wh such people are difficult hard to find4

Abilit to facilitate a group rather than manage the group

:ositive 7can do8 attitude generating enthusiasm amongst others Abilit to champion the changes amongst their peers

;ood communications and interpersonal skills

Competent at all levels, senior management to new recruit and can

move from high level vision down to ground level tasks

:repared to take a lead when the need arises, but rapidl hand back

ownership to group

:art of the solution, not part of the problem

:roactive rather than reactive

Respected b peers and recognised as a 7go to8 person

Sense of humour, abilit to use relevant metaphors and tell engaging

stories in conte%t


5/21


Champions

/. &!% T! I")NTI0 KN!%()"G) C&'M*I!NS

ecause their role can at different times span 7lighter8 advocac work and

7heavier8 implementation work, and because the have a strong peerinfluencing role, Knowledge Champions need to be well embedded in their

formal and informal work networks 5 ie the need to have the trust andconfidence of their peers as well as their managers!

Critical Success Factors for Knowledge Champion Selection

Successful Knowledge Champions will have the following *ualities4

>ell established in their work group, knowledgeable about the group?s

activities, and respected b their colleagues

@elpful and approachable to their colleagues

Able to communicate effectivel with peers, superiors and subordinates

A more detailed set of Knowledge Champion attributes to support each of thethree dimensions of their work is indicated in the ASK +ramework below4

&wo common mistakes in appointing Knowledge Champions are to appoint4

The New Kid on the lo+-4 >hile newer, ounger recruits ma have moreenerg and ideas than longtime staff, the find it harder to operate effectivel

as Knowledge Champions, because the ma not be familiar with all aspects of

the department?s work, and the ma not be able to positivel influence theirmore e%perienced colleagues!



Page 5 of 21


6/21


Champions

The !verloaded &ero4 Man departments will have staff members who have

all the right *ualities and attributes to be a Knowledge Champion, but these

staff members are customaril allocated all new change initiatives, and becomeoverstretched and sometimes burned out! >hile it might make sense to group

related change initiatives (such as "nnovation, KM, alanced Scorecard,ualit, Risk Management) under one person, the risk of overloading is a

serious one!

Knowledge Champions are best identified and nominated b their department

managers, because the will need the support of these managers in the

definition, discharge and recognition of their KMrelated duties!

Knowledge Champions will be most effective when their KM role is4

formall and e%plicitl integrated with their main 'ob role

a recognised part of the department-s work priorities

embedded in the 'obrelated processes of the organisation (such as 'obdescriptions, performance management, 'ob reviews, rewards and

recognition mechanisms, promotion sstems, training and careerdevelopment opportunities)!

&echni*ues such as social network analsis can also be used to identif

potential Knowledge Champions! "n this case, our social network analsis*uestionnaire will include *uestions that point ou towards likel candidates

based on their attributes! +or e%ample, 7.ame the people in our department

who are helpful in pointing their colleagues towards useful information and

knowledge resources8!

@owever, even if ou use this techni*ue, ou will still need to engage the

department-s managers and get their support if ou are to secure the services

of the candidates ou have identified! Bsing social network analsis might alsosuggest to managers that ou are sidestepping their 'udgment and personal

knowledge of their staff!

ven though Knowledge Champions are best identified locall in eachdepartment, because the also represent an organisationwide initiative, it is

helpful for them to be formall appointed b the KM steering committee or

Chief Knowledge 9fficer, on behalf of the senior management team! &his sends

a strong signal about the importance of their role to the Knowledge Champions

themselves, to their managers who need to support them, and to theircolleagues!

Appendix 1below provides the suggested te%t of an invitation to nominateKnowledge Champions b their department managers!Appendix 2provides

suggested te%t of a Knowledge Champion-s Charter, containing 1etter of

Appointment and &erms of Reference!



Page of 21


7/21


Champions

2. &!% T! M!TI3'T) KN!%()"G) C&'M*I!NS

ven positive, informed, 7KMfriendl8 staff can be intimidated b the

seemingl broad, openended and onerous duties of being a KnowledgeChampion! &he can worr about what is e%pected of them, how this role will

affect their 7normal8 work, whether the will get the support the need fromtheir managers, and recognition from their organisation!

Straits Knowledge regularl uses the facilitation techni*ue known as 9pen

Space &echnolog (www!openspaceworld!org) in the initial stages of

establishing a cadre of Knowledge Champions! "t is a useful techni*ue for

building team spirit between Knowledge Champions, opening up a dialoguebetween Knowledge Champions and the central KM team, but also for eliciting

common *uestions, issues and concerns! @ere are some of the *uestions that

new Knowledge Champions commonl worr about4

@ow important is this role to the organisation at largeD @ow important is this role to our senior managementD

>ill m manager support meD

>ill the central KM team support meD

>ill " be e*uipped with the relevant knowledge and skills to be effective in

this roleD

@ow much empowerment do " reall have to influence processes, roles and

behaviours in m departmentD

>ill " be given the chance to understand the work areas of the other

departmentsD

>hat is the timeframe of this responsibilitD

>h have " been identifiedD

hat are the e%pectations about m role and how will m performance be

assessedD

>ill " be rewarded for taking on this additional responsibilitD >ill " be recognised for taking on this additional responsibilitD

>ill being a KM Champion contribute to m promotion prospects and6or

career pathD

Bnderling most of these *uestions is a desire for clarit and detail, so that

even if the role appears challenging, the uncertaint surrounding it is reduced!



Page ! of 21


8/21


Champions

&he more specific ou can make our Knowledge Champion Charter and &erms

of Reference the better!

>e therefore suggest the following guidelines4

E! edu+e un+ertainty 4y 4eing spe+ifi+5 about criteria for appointment,

timeframe of appointment, amount of time to be allocated per week, knownduties, ke performance indicators, performance management and

recognition mechanisms, support available in terms of resources, tools,training, feedback and help channels!

/! *rovide immediate, regular, visi4le support5 eg regular face to face

sharing opportunities between Knowledge Champions, and betweenKnowledge Champions and central KM team provide training on a regular

basis, including training that is nonKM specific such as pro'ect

management, to provide transferable skills for other roles!

F! Give them a sense of ownership5 eg b allowing them to have aninfluence in how their role is defined, to negotiate priorities and balance of

duties with their managers, to discuss their role with other Knowledge

Champions, to be able to opt in or out of the role!

#! Give them a sense of identity and re+ognise their efforts5 b

communicating regularl with their managers and the senior management

team about the importance of their role b collecting stories of their impactand effort, and publicising them b giving them visibilit in the

organisation eg on the intranet, with Knowledge Champion collateral such

as coffee mugs, tee shirts, etc!

0! eward them for their a+hievements5 through traditional methods inthe performance management process, clear ke performance indicators,

measurable performance targets, regular reviews, peer reviews non

traditional rewards such as additional learning and training opportunities,overseas conferences, special awards!

Although integration into normal performance management mechanisms sends

an important message to Knowledge Champions (and their colleagues) thattheir duties are considered important to the organisation and not 7e%tra

curricular activities8, formal reward mechanisms do need to be treated with

care!

"n a discussion of recognition and motivation strategies on the AC&KM +orum

in earl /223, participants raised the risk of gaming associated with formal

measurement of essentiall intangible activities 5 ie the formal K:" could be

met based on visible behaviours and activit, without achieving the less easilmeasurable impact that is brought about b personal involvement,

commitment, enhanced trust etc! 9n the other hand, positive impact could be

achieved without meeting formal K:"s!



Page " of 21


9/21


Champions

@ence, participants in the AC&KM discussion also recommended a range of

discretionar rewards, likel to be decided at senior management or central KM

team level! Some of their suggestions are listed below4

Action &hings to >atch +or+ormalising in performance

appraisal

>orks better in encouraging people to be a

Knowledge Champion and isn?t a ?reward? when portraed as one, it might backfire! ut

at the ver least, a Knowledge Champion mustbe able to put his6her achievements in this

performance appraisal!

G&he minute a measure becomes a target it

ceases to be a measureG (;oodhart?s 1aw)! &heconse*uence of formal inclusion of knowledge

achievement into performance appraisal andbonus schemes has often produced a form of

knowledge scoring or even knowledge theft claiming credit for the work of someone else

with less political awareness!

:aing for attendance at an outside

course or conference of their choice

"deal KM rewards as the respond like for like,

but the need to be dispensed b managers aspatronage, rather than entitlement to avoid

gaming!

;iving them access to a mentor 6

coach normall onl available tosenior e%ecutives

.ational ?turtle? award for people

who stick their neck out for thegood of the organisation

+unding (partiall 6 full) a pro'ectthat is important to this personwhere the pro'ect is not necessaril

workrelated it could be a causehe supports etc so he6she gets

the opportunit to e%tend the

reward forward to somethingimportant to him6her! &he funding

need not be monetar either but

also in time!

:rofile on intranet "n the long run it ma become a standard

e%pectation of being a Knowledge Champion,

so while initiall it might seem like a reward, inthe middle 6 long term it acts more as an

incentive for others to get more active (whichis good also but not ?rewarding? the Champion)

G:hotoopsG with senior managers .ot 'ust a photo, but being seen as being trul

appreciated b highlevel managers as part ofthose managers? efforts to walk the talk and

remain activel involved in the KM effort



Page # of 21


10/21


Champions

/. S#**!TING KN!%()"G) C&'M*I!NS

As we have seen, a large part of motivating Knowledge Champions involvesproviding support at different levels! "n the ASK framework below, we list the

different kinds of support that are re*uired to help Knowledge Champions bemore effective in the different aspects of their role!

&raining and skills development will often be necessar to help Knowledge

Champions take full advantage of this support, so it-s worth looking in some

detail at the kind of training needs the might have!

'dvo+a+y5 communication, presentation and influencing skills

Support5 transferable training such as pro'ect management, time

management, teamworking and team leadership, and training in coaching

skills where Knowledge Champions are supporting their colleagues through

new KM activities

Knowledge ro-ering5 social networking skills, and facilitation skills to

give them confidence in holding after action reviews and other kinds of

knowledge sharing sessions



Page 1$ of 21


11/21


Champions

At the core of this support is a regular rhthm of events where Knowledge

Champions gather and share common issues, feedback and ideas and

consolidate their sense of collective identit and confidence in their role! &hismight be a monthl, bimonthl or at the ma%imum, *uarterl rhthm!

&he central KM team plas an important part in organising and resourcing

these sessions, and being present at the meetings to share with the KnowledgeChampions, listen to, and record their input! >hile initiall the agenda for such

meetings ma be *uite highl structured b the central KM team, it is desirable

that ownership of the content and structure of the meetings graduall transfers

to the Knowledge Champions themselves!

&his strateg will more likel produce a vibrant and resourceful communit of

practice among the KM Champions! Reducing overdependenc on a central KM

team is more likel to cultivate the abilit of Knowledge Champions toinfluence and shape an operationall relevant KM strateg and implementation!

>e recommend team building activities, stortelling activities, and the use of

9pen Space &echnolog in Knowledge Champion sessions, especiall in thebeginning stages! &hese events can also be used to provide or consolidate

some of the more skills focused training listed above!



Page 11 of 21


12/21


13/21


Champions

Set new ke performance indicators and ad'ust others accordingl (please

discuss with the central KM team)

Release the KM Champion for the initial orientation and subse*uent training

and networking sessions which will be held on a monthl6bimonthl6*uarterl basis

"nclude KM progress as a regular agenda item on departmental meetings :rovide informal mentoring sessions from time to time

>e will be contacting ou shortl to arrange a discussion with ou on our

potential candidates, and the kind of support e%pectations ou should agree

with our nominee!

est wishes

.ame and


14/21


Champions

'**)N"I5 $

Knowledge Champion Charter

%o &e signed and presented &' C()* CK) or K+ Steering Committee

Chairperson ,in that order of preference-* and cc.ed to /epartment +anagerand direct report


15/21


Champions

" would like to thank ou for our support, and look forward to working with

ou to successfull transforming our organisation into a more effective

knowledgebased workplace!

Lours sincerel

.ame and


16/21


Champions

Terms of eferen+e for a Knowledge Champion

&hese terms of reference cover4

E! Attributes of Knowledge Champions

/! Activities of Knowledge ChampionsF! Accountabilit of Knowledge Champions

#! Responsibilities of Knowledge Champions

E! Attributes of Successful Knowledge Champions

/! Activities of Knowledge Champions

'dvo+a+y5 spreading the KM message

Support5 acting as local departmental representatives for KM initiatives

Knowledge ro-ering5 linking their departmental colleagues to

knowledge and information resources outside their immediate conte%t



Page 1 of 21


17/21


Champions

&pical activities under each categor would be as follows4

'dvo+a+y

communicate KM messages from central KM team6 KM steering committee

encourage knowledge sharing and learning behaviours verball and be%ample

lead KM awareness sessions, including KM briefings at department

inductions 6 orientations

be a reference point for clarification and e%planation of KM matters

gather and communicate feedback from colleagues to central KM team,

collect stories about KM impact from within their department

Support

act as KM activit liaison officer between central KM team and department

manager and colleagues pla a role in KM pro'ects at department level, coordinate and delegate KM

activities, coach colleagues in KMrelated duties

provide feedback on usefulness6impact of KM initiatives at department level

provide ideas and suggestions for new initiatives or improvements to KM

services and tools

represent department in KM initiatives planning and review, and6or KM

needs analsis

Knowledge ro-ering

facilitate knowledge sharing sessions, learning and knowledge capturesessions such as after action reviews

network with other Knowledge Champions and people who have been

identified as sources of e%perience 6 e%pertise mentor and support new

Knowledge Champions

identif ma'or knowledge and information needs in own department and be

alert to serendipitous discover of resources that will address those needs

respond promptl to re*uests for help from colleagues or other

departments

point colleagues in a helpful direction towards relevant resources or

colleagues when the mention an information or knowledge need



Page 1! of 21


18/21


Champions

F! Accountabilit of Knowledge Champions

&he Knowledge Champion is accountable for the following behaviours and

activities, and will be appraised on these behaviours and activities in his6herannual performance review4

demonstrating and communicating a positive, constructive and helpfulattitude towards knowledge sharing and learning behaviours

communicating specific KM messages and the content of KM initiatives to

colleagues in the department

collecting feedback and stories about KM needs, impact of KM initiatives,

and ideas for KM improvements or innovations, and communicating themto the central KM team

participating in sharing, networking and training sessions with other

Knowledge Champions

coaching and guiding department colleagues in KMrelated activities

forwarding re*uests for information or knowledge help from department

colleagues, and responding to information or knowledge re*uests thatcome from the central KM team or from other Knowledge Champions

undertaking other specific KMrelated duties as defined and agreed with

central KM team and department manager

#! Responsibilities of Knowledge Champions

)n taing up appointment

at nomination, agree role, responsibilities, ke performance indicators and

time commitment with department manager, direct report and central KM

team attend the Knowledge Champion orientation workshop

take responsibilit to full understand the overall ob'ectives and outcomes

of KM initiatives within the organisation and to ask for clarification from

the department manager and central KM team should the need arise

hile in Knowledge Champion role

attend and participate activel in at least O0P of Knowledge Champion

events organised b central KM team

activel promote a strong teamspirit among Knowledge Champions

be alert to the information and knowledge needs of department colleagues

and activel seek opportunities to address them understand the content and detail of specific KM initiatives and where

re*uired assist in communicating with, coaching and training department

colleagues

proactivel seek relevant training opportunities

proactivel contribute KMrelated ideas and feedback to central KM team

and department manager, from self and colleagues

conscientiousl e%ecute assigned tasks and duties



Page 1" of 21


19/21


Champions

proactivel alert the department manager and KM team to important

issues and assist in their resolution

liaise directl with other Knowledge Champions as well as central KM team

and keep them informed of progress in our department

give feedback suggestions on the *ualit and e%tent of support for

Knowledge Champions

)n leaing the Knowledge Champion role

assist in the identification of a successor Knowledge Champion

provide necessar induction and orientation support to new Knowledge

Champion on departmentspecific KM histor and activities

where possible offer informal mentoring support to new Knowledge

Champions in their first couple of months



Page 1# of 21


20/21


Champions

'CKN!%()"G)M)NTS

&his document was researched and written b :atrick 1ambe and dgar &an of

Straits Knowledge! &he input comes from several sources, which we gratefullacknowledge4

E! Client organisationsworking with4Straits Knowledge Iorganisations in Singapore and MalasiaJ

(www!straitsknowledge!com)

Anecdote :t 1td Iorganisations in AustraliaJ (www!anecdote!com!au)

/! 'CT



Page 2$ of 21


21/21


Champions

km champion guidelines as

Documents