Evaluation January 27th: ABC of ICT™ Fundamentals for consultants and trainers 12 Consultants and ITSM Trainers attended our ABC of ICT™ fundamentals training, being amongst the early adopters. They wanted to see if this provided them with additional opportunities for offering ABC products and services to their customers and to learn more about ABC of ICT. Some of them were looking for a first step on how to work with ABC. Most were seasoned practitioners in dealing with ABC related issues and wanted to see if this could add value. The objectives were to gain insight and to share knowledge and experiences. The fundamentals training focused on the background and need for the ABC of ICT, concrete practical exercises for identifying ABC issues in their own customer environments and discussions into real life tips and examples for dealing with ABC. The discussions also raised the pitfalls of taking ABC of ICT too lightly and assuming that everybody is able to solve these types of issues.
At the end of the day, what did the participants say about the training? Daan Jan Kleen – Getronics Consulting: “ Practically Wonderful.” Marten Frank – PinkRocade Healthcare: “ Very instructive, insightful. Lots of enthusiasm.” Rene Visser – Pink Elephant Educational Services: “Gives insight in the possibilities of ABC Workshops.” Robbert Jan van Lippenvelde – BHVB: “Good basics to expand on.” Ingrid Manasse – Manasse Training and Coaching: “ Fascinating, inspiring. Exchanging ideas and experiences was fun.” Paul van Nobelen – Suerte.nl: “ Good start.” Rob Jans - Robictil: “More than expected.” Dennis Bladergroen – Greenleaf Management and Consultancy: “ Useful practice.” Robert den Broeder – Trigono: “Nice start.” Erik Sluijter – Getronics Consulting: “IT is discovering people.” Koen van Vliet – Avighna bv.: “I would like to use this more to address the “complacency” in companies. “
We asked the participants if they would recommend this training to their customers and colleagues. The responses were positive. As reasons to recommend this training they mentioned: -
It teaches how to cope with resistance in change processes ABC is a part of management of change, which is important for Service Managers Allows organization to identify their ‘worst practices’ Powerful, reflective, provoking open communication Only ABC makes ITIL work Amusing and action oriented training that makes people think It will help me deal with the resistance I face in implementing ISO 20.000 Very useful in any customer – user relation
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What are the target groups for the training? We also asked the group to think of target groups for which this Fundamental training would add value. They mentioned: -
Starting and midcareer consultants, and process managers needing to actually use and deploy ITSM management frameworks. The training exercises can be used with all operational IT staff to capture issues, as well senior IT managers and indeed business customers and business managers. It helps them address both IT as well as business behavioral issues in the use and management of IT.
Zooming in on Management Commitment: What practical advice was gained? During the training we performed an exercise using the ABC of ICT card set to identify the most common types of resistance encountered when attempting to deploy ITSM frameworks such as ITIL. The top chosen card so far as a result of worldwide workshops revealed ‘No management commitment’ as the number 1 issue. This was also reflected in the team exercises. We therefore asked the teams to share insights and experiences as to how to address this issue. The group saw commitment as the willingness to ‘behave’ accordingly. To gain this you must ensure the right ‘attitude’ by the manager to show the appropriate behavior. This needs attention, as one of the team mentioned the phrase: “How many people would yell “let’s go” when they see a dark hole!?!?” Some ideas mentioned on how to show management the “light” and get committed: • •
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Agree on ‘what’s in it for me?’ for the manager and convince them of the ‘sense of urgency’what will be the consequences if I do not ‘demonstrate commitment’. Check with them: “Are you in?” Confirm the objectives with managers, agree the ‘rules of the game’ – what is expected from the managers and what will be the consequences if they do not ‘demonstrate’ commitment. Directly confront managers with saying yes and doing no. Let the employees describe ‘desired behavior’ from managers that will demonstrate ‘management commitment’ and what the consequences will be if they do not. Discuss this with managers in advance. Compliment, praise and market managers that show commitment. Make it clear and understood what the consequences will be and what the pre-conditions are for ensuring success. Demonstrate and celebrate quick wins and let the managers enjoy the credits and success. Ask yourself: How can I make those managers that need to be commited, be succesful as a result of this change initiative. Show successes using a small group on an issue that needs solving. Let it spread like oil, creating more willingness and commitment to pick up new and challenging initiatives.
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Actions from participants: One of the key aims of the ABC of ICT fundamentals training is to help change people’s attitude and stimulate new behavior. As such we ask participants to create an individual action plan. ‘What actions are you now going to take, using the knowledge and insights gained?’ All were eager to work (more) with ABC interventions and could see direct practical use of what they had discovered during the day. The actions they saw for themselves: • • • • • • • • • • • •
Spread awareness using cases and examples to create a sense of urgency and NEED for dealing with ABC. Reflect with my current customer on their destructive attitude and behavior. Bring existing levels of frustration out into the open. Look for ways to use it in my next assignment. Address complacency in organizations. Study further and add this to my method of process implementation. Take the exam in Q2 Continue to promote ABC in my ITIL training as important, versatile and a practical enabler. Have an ABC workshop session in two of my teams Add to our ITIL foundation training. Add to the proposition of our training company. Use workshops with organizations to find out their needs. Searching for ways to apply ABC in our offerings Address ABC in ITIL training and become accredited. Address ABC more explicitly. Write an article about Resistance and management commitment and share with the readers tips from consultants on how to solve this issue.
Of course the real test will be whether or not they really did change their behavior and initiate the actions they agreed to. Either we will confirm the number 2 ABC of ICT ‘resistance’ worst practice ‘saying yes but doing no’, or we will have helped make a difference, enabling Consultants and trainers help their customers successfully address ABC issues. We will be following up with all attendees in a number of weeks……watch this space.
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