Leadership Lessons

Don't kid yourselves. If you haven't realized that knowledge management is about leadership, you're in the wrong business. It takes leadership to analyze and implement system reforms. It takes leadership to achieve behavioral and cultural change. It takes leadership to get all of this done when your colleagues aren't entirely sure they know what it is you do for a living.

Leadership is a huge topic in the business press and gets scrutinized regularly. Much of what we read is not terribly deep, although occasionally someone publishes an insight that can help broaden our view. Often we are distracted by the razzle dazzle of celebrity CEOs whose personal flair (and adoring press) tend to obscure the basic fact that at the end of the day the core components of leadership remain remarkably consistent over time. -- regardless of personality.

In "Driving Lessons," Knowledge @ Wharton interviews Dr. Dieter Zetsche about lessons learned while with Chrysler. In the article he talks about his experiences running and then selling the company. What emerges is a summary of those core components of leadership:

1. Competence

In Zetsche's experience, "if your people sense you are not prepared or don't have the right stuff to get the job done, you're in trouble. Even if they don't like your personality, they will respect your ability." He then discussed how basic competence is the building block to creating a sense of common purpose that helps colleagues tackle change. "`As a leader, you have to be consistent in implementing the program and making very clear that sitting out is not an option,' said Zetsche. Good leaders make change and common goals part of the corporate culture. `The key for any leader is to make sure everyone on the team is on the same page and understands where he or she is going….'" For knowledge managers, getting everyone on the same page is a huge challenge. Having a reputation for competence will help win both the support of management and the cooperation of your colleagues. And, this support and cooperation are necessary for most KM initiatives.

2. Responsibility

With respect to taking responsibility, Zetsche referred to the famous sign on President Truman's desk: The Buck Stops Here. For Zetsche, "[t]hat remains a simple and powerful statement about the responsibilities of leadership. As a leader, you simply can't pass tough decisions up and down the line and neither can the people in the organization." Finding a business leader who actually walks the walk is a rare thing. It's far too common to work with people who are happy to claim the credit when things go well, but then point fingers when a problem arises. Given the nature of KM, knowledge managers often end up as de facto risk managers, quality control officers, professional trainers, chief cooks and bottle washers. With this comes huge opportunities and commensurate responsibilities. Perhaps one of the biggest challenges is for knowledge workers to have a clear understanding for which buck stops here. We rarely have the wherewithal to be responsible for the entire firm. Once you and your firm are clear about the scope of your responsibilities, then you know which buck stops with you.

3. Authenticity

On the subject of authenticity, Zetsche notes, "`[y]ou have to be the real deal.' Don't pretend to be John Wayne if that description doesn't fit you. `And if you are John Wayne, don't pretend to be Woody Allen. If you try to be someone you are not, the analysts and the media will see right through it.'" And, perhaps more frequently, your colleagues will see right through it. In the context of knowledge management, this means having clarity about who you are and what you are supposed to be doing. It is very hard to get colleagues to do things they would not otherwise do if they aren't sure who you and what you stand for. A lack of authenticity leads to a lack of trust. And trust is critical if you are trying to bring about lasting change.

Leadership and knowledge management are inextricably entwined. While great leaders may be born not made, none of us is incapable of developing competence, responsibility and authenticity. It all starts with a good faith effort in the right direction.

[Disclosures: (1) The Knowledge@Wharton article may require a password, but registration is free. (2) My firm has had the privilege of working with Chrysler for many years. (3) I'm posting this using the mail to blogger functionality -- let's see what happens...]