Published: itSMF Australia - 2003

ServiceTalk - The Journal Of The IT Service Management Forum - December 2002

Achieving A Cultural Revolution (1)

Karen Ferris - IT Service Management Consultant

KMF Advance - Melbourne, Australia

Culture change is widely talked about in IT Service Management circles. We all recognise that a change in culture from a technology focus to that of a customer service focus is an imperative for successful IT Service Management. Yet, it is still one of the biggest (if not the biggest) challenges that IT service managers and IT organisations face. 

As an IT Service Management consultant and trainer of many years, I find it one of the most common questions I get asked - “How do I change my organisation’s culture?” 

If I had the definitive answer or could bottle the solution, I would not be writing this article. I would be spending my millions and lazing on a yacht – in the sun – sipping champagne – without a care in the world!! Alas, I am here writing this article! There is no silver bullet. But I can share some thoughts and experiences. 

What do we mean by culture? 

The Service Support and Service Delivery ITIL publications refer to “service culture” as one in which the entire organisation embraces the concept of service and customer care, where the satisfaction of customer requirements is the number one priority. 

There are often many individuals within an organisation that are customer focused but our challenge is how we make that become the “norm” throughout the organisation. How do we manage the change to achieve that goal? 

“Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still” - Chinese Proverb 

The first thing to accept is that it WILL take time. It will be a long road with many challenges, and frustrations. I have experienced the latter many times and often wondered why everyone else could just not see the benefit of doing it “right”!!!! 

The ship won’t sail until all are on board

We have to recognise that every person is different; each will take different timeframes in which to change and embrace a new culture. It is imperative that those taking the longest are given sufficient time to come on board. They should not be abandoned just because the majority are already there, or this could be your downfall. The sceptics are just waiting for a reason to NOT to come on board. They are waiting for an excuse and as soon as one of your plans does not go smoothly they will jump on the opportunity to spread dissent amongst the ranks. Some of those who were just about climbing onboard may now start to jump ship and it will be even harder to get them back again. 

Most people go through a number of phases during change. 

1. Denial: “It is just another fad and it simply won’t happen” 

2. Resistance: “I haven’t got the time and anyway, we have always done things this way” 

3. Exploration: “OK - maybe I’ll listen, but what is in it for me?” 

4. Commitment: “I believe in this and I am with you” 

If we don’t get everyone to stage 4, the culture change will not happen. 

When someone slips back through the stages to stage 1 or 2, it will be harder the next time to deal with their denial and resistance. They will now have the additional claim of “I told you so – I told you it wouldn’t work!” 

Managing the transition
So how do we get people to stage 4? It is a long-term, unrelenting process. A lapse in the program, non-delivery of promises etc. will cause people to slip back to earlier stages. 

An Australian organisation, CALM Consulting[1], talks about the adoption of LC3 for successfully managing change. 

Lead from the top: provide 

Clarity about the strategy, actively 

Communicate the strategy and 

Coordinate the change across functions. 

Many of the approaches I have employed fall into these categories and therefore I have chosen to use them here. I hope to expand on each of these areas in future issues of Service Talk. 

Leadership 
I do not intend to replicate what we have all probably read before about effective leadership but rather add a few personal experiences. 

In order to make the change, staff have to believe that you are on their side. You have to gain their respect. Try and determine what gripes they have and if there are any quick wins you can implement to demonstrate your commitment. In one organisation this amounted to a small expenditure on equipment that had previously been denied. The word will soon start to spread that perhaps this manager really does have their interests at heart. When that happens, people will start to listen – stage 3. You now have their ear. 

Get to know your staff. By this I don’t mean just your direct reports but all your staff. In a small organisation this may not be so difficult but in a large organisation it can take time and effort. I have always made it an objective to meet with at least those reporting to my team leaders on a formal basis twice a year. (This may coincide with a performance review schedule). This provides an opportunity for staff to share their thoughts and feelings and can uncover all sorts of issues that were being masked either by the team leader, or the reluctance of the team member to share them with the team leader. 

In addition to this, walk the floor. This is where you get a good feel for what is really going on. Let staff know that you are accessible and that your door is open. Their normal means of communication should be through their manager but they should know that if they feel it necessary, they can come directly to you. 

Get to know them and find out what makes them tick. What are their needs and aspirations? This knowledge can enable you to address “What’s in it for me?” (stage 3) in a very powerful way. 

It may sound simple, but whilst conducting consultancy projects, I still get staff telling me that they do not feel that they can approach anyone above their direct line management and many have never spoken to anyone above their manager – formally or informally. This situation will not promote a sense of staff involvement in the change process but one of change by “edict” – that is, the least successful way to manage change. 

Clarity 
Be absolutely clear to staff what the objective of the change is and how it will be brought about. Before this can take place, you have to be absolutely clear about your strategy. There is no room for ambiguity. Therefore, take plenty of time to plan before embarking upon the transition. People are unlikely to follow if the journey and destination are not clear. 

Communication 
Get everyone involved. This will take time and commitment. Get staff to identify those things that will aid the change and those that they believe will get in the way. Use the positives to increase the chance of it happening. Address the negatives in a systematic fashion. Allow staff to vent their feelings (preferably in small groups) and address each one. Make sure that you not only listen, but also “hear” what they are saying. 

Staff participation is key. Involvement in the decision making process can lead to greater commitment to the achievement of the end results. It also facilitates the input of staff knowledge and skills regarding potential issues and problems. They may highlight issues that you had not envisaged. They may also have the solutions. 

Co-ordination 
The change has to be co-ordinated across the organisation. Changing the culture in one department does not mean it will spread. The resistance in another department could be a matter of “It wasn’t invented here”. Therefore the whole process has to be repeated, step-by-step, for each area within the organisation. It is advisable to have a change implementation team comprising of key players from each area, so that the process can be co-ordinated. Lessons learnt can be disseminated so that mistakes are not repeated. 

Final thoughts
In addition to LC3, I believe that there is one other very powerful tool – peer pressure. Do not underestimate it. I have often found this to be a driving force for change far more effective than anything I could do. However, you need to facilitate it. Recognise and reward those embracing the cultural change. Ask customers for feedback, publish and acknowledge it. In this environment team members can often put pressure on others to improve customer service so that they too can achieve recognition. Staff can put the pressure on themselves, as they don’t want to let the team down. 

*** 

Hopefully these thoughts may assist you in making the cultural change. 

P.S. If anyone does find the silver bullet, please let me know!!! 



Karen is an IT Service Management consultant.

Karen can be contacted via KMF Advance at www.kmfadvance.com

[1] www.calmconsulting.com.au