Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Service Management. Just Get Started.


In the clouds by Kevin Dooley

IT needs Change 

Enterprise IT management isn't working.
We struggle with availability.
We can't keep up with business demands.
And it's costing way too much.

IT experts claim that there is a better way -
best  practices such as the IT Infrastructure
Library (ITIL) claim to offer a solution.

But let's face it - Change is hard.

Avoid the Insanity Trap

Usually when I ask IT executives whether they've had a recent outage the answer is "Yes". When I follow up and probe as to whether it was human induced, whether the individual is known to them, and whether they still work in the same capacity the answer is still ... "Yes".
OK, so I'm not suggesting we fire anyone who makes a mistake - otherwise I wouldn't be able to write this blog on my own computer. But reminding ourselves of Einstein's insights we must recognize that doing the same thing over again and expecting a different outcome is not be realistic.

Service Management is really about mind management


Yes change is hard. But certainly is possible if we know how. Service Management is really about implementing a culture change in IT - shifting from a focus on tasks such as managing servers to a focus on business outcomes.

As such teams responds to similar tactics as behavioral change. Much like going to the gym or giving up smoking it's not easy. But change we must, if we are to build the capability and credibility of IT.
Starting with one good habit takes a lot of work before it becomes automatic, but it's more likely to succeed than trying to do too much at once. And we can use gaming concepts to significantly increase the odds of winning the hearts and minds of our colleagues.
                                                          

We've all tried to drive a change in the past but certainly aren't the only strategies available. If you've successfully driven IT cultural change please share what worked for you (and what didn't) in the comments.


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2 comments:

  1. Our IT group seems really stuck in the past. Why is it so hard to change - it almost seems that they noone wants to. Help

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  2. The fire fighting mentality that IT has been under since the beginning is partly to blame. Teams find it difficult to look beyond today's fires and look forward to, anticipate, or even plan for future change. Changing the IT/business relationships that have been forged in the early years of technology is not easy. The business has seen IT as a roadblock and cloud aps now make it very easy for the business to source and manage their own applications, with or without IT. If IT is to lead the business they need to regain their trust and rebuild that relationship. www.bmc.com/itsm

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