Let me start by saying that I have a great affection and respect for the industry that I happen to be part of. I like my clients. I like my colleagues. I have a sincere fondness for them.
Let me also be clear that I believe strongly in the framework that I speak about, teach and consult in every day. I honestly believe that it offers value to my clients and to the market in general. I am thrilled to support it and extend it. And I am hoping not only to excel in extending its value to the market, but also to be a part of improving it and finding new opportunities for its application.
However … that being said … I believe we (as an industry of experts and suppliers) are not answering some of the fundamental questions that are being asked in our market.
We have reams of content, shelves of books, big hard drives full of the ‘how’ and ‘what,’ but when you start looking for the stuff that speaks to the ‘why’ … people start raising an eyebrow, twisting their lips and muttering something along the lines of “well, I guess I can put together something.”
A case in point … I spent some time this week with one of my clients that I am honored to support. I mean that seriously. They are an organization that I believe in. I take pride in supporting them. I personally believe that they make a difference in my life and in yours.
They are asking ‘why’ questions. They are asking questions to identify the value behind and the reason for IT Service Management. Obvious questions. Real questions. Honest questions. And I had to go ‘off script’ to answer their question.
I had loads of materials that were prepared for them by the vendor that brought me in to the engagement. Standard stuff. Off-the-shelf stuff. The kind of stuff that is specifically created because we think it addresses the market needs. But, frankly, that standard content (and it is consistent with the content offered by most of the experts in my market) doesn’t really answer those ‘why’ questions very well. That is why I had to go ‘off script.’
My industry – the industry of the IT Service Management consultants, trainers and product providers – is not quite so ready to answer that question. We are poised to answer questions about the mechanics of IT Service Management (the stuff of ‘what’ and ‘how’). But we have to start getting creative when we are faced with ‘why’ questions.
I think we may be too close to it. We know what benefit it offers. We know its value. We see it without really seeing it. We understand it without even thinking about it, much less saying it.
It’s almost like someone saying … “well … clearly, you need to (fill in the blank).” For the person saying that, it may be clear. They know what it is, what they are saying and why they are saying it. But for the person that does not understand the language, or the background behind the statement, or the potential outcome of doing it (or not doing it), or the implications behind making that choice, or the cost-benefit analysis behind the options … or a host of other considerations … the answer is not so clear.
I am one of many people in the market that believe in IT Service Management. I have been doing this for years. I have credibility in this space. I am friends with and colleagues of many of the best recognized people in the IT Service Management market. We know it. We define it. And we can discuss the ‘how’ and ‘what’ of IT Service Management all day. But, honestly, that may be our very problem. We are so used to talking about the ‘how’ and ‘what’ that we can skip to it quickly and comfortably. Unfortunately, what we skip is the ‘why.’
I believe that IT Service Management offers the right answers. It articulates the framework for success. But why to choose it is not necessarily answered by a detailed discussion of what it is.
We speak to - and sell to - those that ‘get it’. And so our great materials about the ‘what’ and the ‘how’ work just fine. But we don’t do a good job of articulating value to those that don’t just ‘get it.’ And – sadly – that is the people that can really benefit from it. Those are the people that we should really be talking to. Those are the people that should really understand what it has to offer.
To do justice to our clients and to the industry that we believe in, we must do a better job of answering the ‘why’ question. We must do a better job of articulating the value and reason behind IT Service Management.
[NOTE – yes, I do recognize that I am implicating myself …. ]
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
When it comes to information, start with the end.
On this tiny crowded plane to the next city in this crazy week of mine, I had to carve out a few minutes. Something came up today that I have seen too many times.
I met with a client today that is struggling with a misconception that I believe is running rampant through many organizations today. It has to do with a fundamental error in approaching the management of information and knowledge.
We have bazillions and bazillions of bits of data. (I know that is not a real number, but it makes my point.) We have more information than we can possibly deal with. It is everywhere. It comes from all directions. It catches up to us through our personal devices that we depend on for productivity and connectivity. Consider all those text messages, news feeds, facebook notifications, task reminders, meeting reminders, emails, voice mails, etc. They make your phone buzz at an almost constant rate. Information screams at us from signs on the road and through the radio. It streams constantly through our televisions – in a thousand channels and in HD. It comes from silly pop-ups on the PC I am using now. It comes from the major business systems we use to manage our day-to-day businesses and those of our clients – through notifications, reports, items in our task list, etc.
Seriously … how many in-boxes or points of personal interface do you have? I think I have approximately 15 in terms of voice mail, emails, personal sites, etc. (As a related side note … I spend more each month on connectivity for myself and my family than my family did on our mortgage when I was in high school.)
It never ends. And it is ever increasing. I remember reading something several years ago (I can’t remember where right now) which claimed that one daily New York Times contained more information today than a person would be exposed to in a lifetime just a few hundred years ago.
When I was a kid, I remember being incredibly frustrated that our family set of encyclopedias didn’t even mention the space program. They were outdated. And I thought, ‘How can I really be expected to learn anything from and use these stupid things!’ I honestly believed that I didn’t have the tools I needed. Today, my kids don’t even know what an encyclopedia is. The internet provides them an unlimited amount of information. It grows every day. And they even get to contribute to it. (The strangeness of the blog, for example, still amazes me.)
The issue for my kids – and the rest of us now - is not having access to enough information. That is a given for most of us today. The information is there. Everywhere. The real issue is knowing what information to actually use. And what information not to use. And how to use it.
Frankly … to get on top of it all … to really make sense of it … to find clarity in the dense dust of the data … we must recognize the real starting point - knowing what are we doing. It all starts with understanding what we are trying to accomplish, and therefore what data, information and knowledge that we need.
Therein lies the fundamental error of many organizations. They start with concerns for the information they have and then try to figure out what to do with it.
The fundamental error is focusing on a fascination with facts and not the need for knowing. Organizations falling into this common error find themselves struggling with massive amounts of information and data that they don’t know what to do with. They don’t know how to use it. They don’t know what to make of it. They don’t know if it is current and valid. They know it’s everywhere. They know it’s important. They know it can help them. But they don’t know how to get their arms around all of it and control it.
There is just too much of it. There are too many sources. There are too many repositories. There is too much fluidity. There is too much resistance from those that currently store it in discreet data sources and use it in their own unique ways.
And they are paralyzed.
So .. what do they do? They have to do something, after all.
The answer may sound counter-intuitive. It may sound overly simplistic. But it is the answer. In fact, it is fundamental to success.
The answer is to start with the end. And work your way backwards.
Start with first understanding what you are trying to accomplish. Start with identifying the need for information based on the purpose of the information. The need for the information – the purpose for having it – is imbedded in the achievement of a task … or a project … or a strategy … or an initiative … or a decision.
Then work your way back to the next logical question: what information do you need to do that?
Then, other appropriate questions logically follow as you broaden the scope of the inquiry to identify a broader solution:
It seems simple, but it’s true. Start with the end.
For organizations that have them, a defined management framework or methodology can provide a context for answering the right questions and starting with the end.
A software development lifecycle (SDLC) will provide a set of parameters for success in developing software successfully, including the requisite activities, processes, deliverables, etc. that require information. A service management framework (for example provided by the IT Infrastructure Library – ITIL) will provide a comprehensive framework for identifying, capturing, storing, transforming and exploiting data, information and knowledge to meet organizational objectives.
My suggestion is to start with the end. Now I just need to get to the end.
The point? Use the organizational strategies, methods, frameworks and processes that already exist and which define the work that needs to be accomplished. Once those are identified, work backwards.
[[ NOTE: This is the approach that is used for successful organizational learning and knowledge management as well. I would like to explore that in a future article about successful approaches to Knowledge Management.]]
I met with a client today that is struggling with a misconception that I believe is running rampant through many organizations today. It has to do with a fundamental error in approaching the management of information and knowledge.
We have bazillions and bazillions of bits of data. (I know that is not a real number, but it makes my point.) We have more information than we can possibly deal with. It is everywhere. It comes from all directions. It catches up to us through our personal devices that we depend on for productivity and connectivity. Consider all those text messages, news feeds, facebook notifications, task reminders, meeting reminders, emails, voice mails, etc. They make your phone buzz at an almost constant rate. Information screams at us from signs on the road and through the radio. It streams constantly through our televisions – in a thousand channels and in HD. It comes from silly pop-ups on the PC I am using now. It comes from the major business systems we use to manage our day-to-day businesses and those of our clients – through notifications, reports, items in our task list, etc.
Seriously … how many in-boxes or points of personal interface do you have? I think I have approximately 15 in terms of voice mail, emails, personal sites, etc. (As a related side note … I spend more each month on connectivity for myself and my family than my family did on our mortgage when I was in high school.)
It never ends. And it is ever increasing. I remember reading something several years ago (I can’t remember where right now) which claimed that one daily New York Times contained more information today than a person would be exposed to in a lifetime just a few hundred years ago.
When I was a kid, I remember being incredibly frustrated that our family set of encyclopedias didn’t even mention the space program. They were outdated. And I thought, ‘How can I really be expected to learn anything from and use these stupid things!’ I honestly believed that I didn’t have the tools I needed. Today, my kids don’t even know what an encyclopedia is. The internet provides them an unlimited amount of information. It grows every day. And they even get to contribute to it. (The strangeness of the blog, for example, still amazes me.)
The issue for my kids – and the rest of us now - is not having access to enough information. That is a given for most of us today. The information is there. Everywhere. The real issue is knowing what information to actually use. And what information not to use. And how to use it.
Frankly … to get on top of it all … to really make sense of it … to find clarity in the dense dust of the data … we must recognize the real starting point - knowing what are we doing. It all starts with understanding what we are trying to accomplish, and therefore what data, information and knowledge that we need.
Therein lies the fundamental error of many organizations. They start with concerns for the information they have and then try to figure out what to do with it.
The fundamental error is focusing on a fascination with facts and not the need for knowing. Organizations falling into this common error find themselves struggling with massive amounts of information and data that they don’t know what to do with. They don’t know how to use it. They don’t know what to make of it. They don’t know if it is current and valid. They know it’s everywhere. They know it’s important. They know it can help them. But they don’t know how to get their arms around all of it and control it.
There is just too much of it. There are too many sources. There are too many repositories. There is too much fluidity. There is too much resistance from those that currently store it in discreet data sources and use it in their own unique ways.
And they are paralyzed.
So .. what do they do? They have to do something, after all.
The answer may sound counter-intuitive. It may sound overly simplistic. But it is the answer. In fact, it is fundamental to success.
The answer is to start with the end. And work your way backwards.
Start with first understanding what you are trying to accomplish. Start with identifying the need for information based on the purpose of the information. The need for the information – the purpose for having it – is imbedded in the achievement of a task … or a project … or a strategy … or an initiative … or a decision.
Then work your way back to the next logical question: what information do you need to do that?
Then, other appropriate questions logically follow as you broaden the scope of the inquiry to identify a broader solution:
- Where can I find it?
- How can I capture it?
- What do I need to do to it make it most usable for people that need it?
It seems simple, but it’s true. Start with the end.
For organizations that have them, a defined management framework or methodology can provide a context for answering the right questions and starting with the end.
- A project management methodology will help define the activities that require information for success in delivering the intended outcomes of projects, along the deliverables that will contain that information and the roles that require it.
My suggestion is to start with the end. Now I just need to get to the end.
The point? Use the organizational strategies, methods, frameworks and processes that already exist and which define the work that needs to be accomplished. Once those are identified, work backwards.
[[ NOTE: This is the approach that is used for successful organizational learning and knowledge management as well. I would like to explore that in a future article about successful approaches to Knowledge Management.]]
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Do we really want change?
The news just broke for me in this lonely hotel room in Colorado Springs. Every station has the same headline: "[insert network] Projection: Barack Obama elected President."
For some, a victory of hope. For others, a loss of faith. But whatever side you are on, we must all admit it is a new time for us. We have arrived at a point in our history where we have never before been. The times ahead of us truly bring us to new ground.
And wasn't that what we were all supposed to be wanting to hear? Weren't we all supposed to be wanting change? Isn't that what we all asked for? We all wanted things to be different, didn't we? Isn't that what brought cheers from both the red and the blue crowds? Both sides promised change. Both sides said things weren't going to be like they were before. So ... I guess we are going to get it. Aren't we?
And that got me thinking .... Did you get as tired of hearing about change as I did? I have to be honest. Maybe I am the only cynic here, but I am not confident that we really want change. And, as a result, I am not so sure we are going to get it.
Change is hard. Change is inconvenient. Change interrupts. Change demands. For change to be effective, it must resonate throughout its entire scope. It must be allowed to have its effect.
We know that. Down deep, we know that. I can't really change my life if I don't change my habits or my attitudes. We can't change our performance if we don't change our practices or our methods. And we certainly can't change our cultural norms and patterns if we aren't willing to change our opinions of ourselves and our beliefs.
Frankly my concern is that we are not ready for any of that. We are happy to talk about it. We are quick to call for it. We are comfortable with promising it. But we are not ready to do what it really takes to make it happen. And I see evidence of that every day as I work in organizations.
Organizations claim to want change just like the red and blue crowds. The banners of these organizations call for greater market share. Higher employee morale. Enhanced quality. Increased customer satisfaction. In reality, however, none of those are really change. They may be the results of change. They may be the benefits of change. They may be purpose of change. But they are not change.
That is where the first indication of the fatal incongruence is revealed. Organizations are quick to create compelling mission or purpose statements for change. Many even contrive wonderful labels for the change initiative, like 'Project Excellence.' Certainly none of that is necessarily wrong. But the label should only be put on something substantive. And that is the nature of the incongruence for many organizations. The purpose statement behind the change is vague. The strategy for achieving it is non-existent. And the solution (often prematurely chosen) is completely misaligned with the fundamental objective stated by the purpose.
So these organizations buy new tools. They redesign their logo. They train alot of people in the methodology de jour. They choose new fonts and colors for their marketing materials. They reengineer their sales message to use new market buzzwords. They reorganize their staff. The result is a lot of fanfare. The result is alot of distraction. The result is alot of new stuff that kind-of, sort-of sounds like it might mean change. But there is no real fundamental change.
And when that becomes evident, we do it all over again.
Have we become afraid of change?
Are we too lazy?
Are we shortsighted?
Have we lost sight of anything that is cogent enough to compel us?
Maybe all of it is true.
That is why we need a bold leadership. One that can articulate a clear and cogent purpose. One that can design a tangible strategy to realize the purpose. One that can engineer solutions that support both the purpose and the strategy. And one that can facilitate the change necessary to see it through.
If we are going to realize our vision ... if we are going to achieve our goal ... if we are really going to get to where we want to be, we must embrace the fundamental reality of change. And we must be willing to address the barriers to change.
Otherwise, forget the initiative. Save the money and the goodwill. Don't get everyone all excited about a new reality, and then fail to provide the bold leadership to see it through.
That is as true for our organizations as it is for our nation.
For some, a victory of hope. For others, a loss of faith. But whatever side you are on, we must all admit it is a new time for us. We have arrived at a point in our history where we have never before been. The times ahead of us truly bring us to new ground.
And wasn't that what we were all supposed to be wanting to hear? Weren't we all supposed to be wanting change? Isn't that what we all asked for? We all wanted things to be different, didn't we? Isn't that what brought cheers from both the red and the blue crowds? Both sides promised change. Both sides said things weren't going to be like they were before. So ... I guess we are going to get it. Aren't we?
And that got me thinking .... Did you get as tired of hearing about change as I did? I have to be honest. Maybe I am the only cynic here, but I am not confident that we really want change. And, as a result, I am not so sure we are going to get it.
Change is hard. Change is inconvenient. Change interrupts. Change demands. For change to be effective, it must resonate throughout its entire scope. It must be allowed to have its effect.
We know that. Down deep, we know that. I can't really change my life if I don't change my habits or my attitudes. We can't change our performance if we don't change our practices or our methods. And we certainly can't change our cultural norms and patterns if we aren't willing to change our opinions of ourselves and our beliefs.
Frankly my concern is that we are not ready for any of that. We are happy to talk about it. We are quick to call for it. We are comfortable with promising it. But we are not ready to do what it really takes to make it happen. And I see evidence of that every day as I work in organizations.
Organizations claim to want change just like the red and blue crowds. The banners of these organizations call for greater market share. Higher employee morale. Enhanced quality. Increased customer satisfaction. In reality, however, none of those are really change. They may be the results of change. They may be the benefits of change. They may be purpose of change. But they are not change.
That is where the first indication of the fatal incongruence is revealed. Organizations are quick to create compelling mission or purpose statements for change. Many even contrive wonderful labels for the change initiative, like 'Project Excellence.' Certainly none of that is necessarily wrong. But the label should only be put on something substantive. And that is the nature of the incongruence for many organizations. The purpose statement behind the change is vague. The strategy for achieving it is non-existent. And the solution (often prematurely chosen) is completely misaligned with the fundamental objective stated by the purpose.
So these organizations buy new tools. They redesign their logo. They train alot of people in the methodology de jour. They choose new fonts and colors for their marketing materials. They reengineer their sales message to use new market buzzwords. They reorganize their staff. The result is a lot of fanfare. The result is alot of distraction. The result is alot of new stuff that kind-of, sort-of sounds like it might mean change. But there is no real fundamental change.
And when that becomes evident, we do it all over again.
Have we become afraid of change?
Are we too lazy?
Are we shortsighted?
Have we lost sight of anything that is cogent enough to compel us?
Maybe all of it is true.
That is why we need a bold leadership. One that can articulate a clear and cogent purpose. One that can design a tangible strategy to realize the purpose. One that can engineer solutions that support both the purpose and the strategy. And one that can facilitate the change necessary to see it through.
If we are going to realize our vision ... if we are going to achieve our goal ... if we are really going to get to where we want to be, we must embrace the fundamental reality of change. And we must be willing to address the barriers to change.
Otherwise, forget the initiative. Save the money and the goodwill. Don't get everyone all excited about a new reality, and then fail to provide the bold leadership to see it through.
That is as true for our organizations as it is for our nation.
Monday, November 3, 2008
a hope ...
I have never been a confident author. Frankly, I have always struggled with formulating words and putting anything into print. It feels too ... complete ... final ... done.
I know that sounds strange for someone who makes a living out of speaking, writing, teaching and consulting. But, it's true. For me, there is always something more to refine. Something more to explore. Something more to add. And ... well ... you get the point.
However, a couple of my dear friends have recently reminded me of something very important.
I have always had a passion for dialogue. I have always been an initiator of dialogue. And I have always had great faith in conversations that matter.
My purpose - and my hope - for this blog, therefore, is the dialogue itself. To help get it going. To help move it along in some way. And to enjoy it immensely.
I very much hope you will join me in it.
I know that sounds strange for someone who makes a living out of speaking, writing, teaching and consulting. But, it's true. For me, there is always something more to refine. Something more to explore. Something more to add. And ... well ... you get the point.
However, a couple of my dear friends have recently reminded me of something very important.
I have always had a passion for dialogue. I have always been an initiator of dialogue. And I have always had great faith in conversations that matter.
My purpose - and my hope - for this blog, therefore, is the dialogue itself. To help get it going. To help move it along in some way. And to enjoy it immensely.
I very much hope you will join me in it.
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