Service
Management Island is not a prequel to “Pirates of the Caribbean”, it can
be more of a reference to a place where practitioners find themselves when they
feel out of contact with their key stakeholders. You may have found that some
best practices are being adhered to solely because senior management has deemed
that they are required for compliance, and still others (while valuable) are
left in the weeds. Normally this might occur in the initial stages of CSI
(Continual Service Improvements). However, what happens when your organization
restructures in a way where you seem to slip in a backwards direction?
History
Recently
in my organization there was change within IT leadership where our highest
promoters of the IT Service Management program left due to a re-structuring
(layoffs etc.). The challenge that I was left with was that the champions who
brought the program to the forefront were gone and I have been left on the “island”
alone. Since the only previous method of communication with the mainland
(business) before was though these champions, when they left so did the dialog
conduit.
When to
go and Weather
The weather
can be rough, and starting to get things moving in a way to get you “out
there” may take a few attempts. I have found the best way to start is to
let your audience know what is working well. There is always something positive
that your best practices are accomplishing right now. Leverage those and then
decide which areas that you can focus on next for the improvements. Once you
have a couple of simple ones determine how you will take action on them.
Getting
There and Around
Someone
once said that “getting there is half the fun”, well in this case
getting away from this island living is the direction which will produce the
most positive environment. The challenge is “how to do that?” You need
to look at this activity as “brand marketing”, which is something that IT
doesn’t always do particularly well, no time like the present time to improve
that skill. Firstly ensure that the IT department are aligned with the
activities you are undertaking. Are you going for some ‘quick wins’? If so, how
will they improve the life in your IT department? The key to this is put
yourself in the shoes of the target audience. Figure out what the outcomes are
and you can tailor your marketing around that.
Practical
Information
Communication
and actions will allow you to build on the discussions you have begun with your
stakeholders. Try different avenues for communication. While senior leadership
is generally chosen for these discussion points don’t forget the key word in
Service Management – Service.
Ultimately you are there to provide service to your
customers. There are good points of dialog that can be had with the people who
utilize the service every day. Create touch-points from them as well to ensure
that you are on track to leaving Service Management Island for good.
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