Published: September 23 2008, 05:33 AM | no comments
by Steve Romero

Does the term "governance" evoke a positive or negative response in your organization? If "governance" is viewed as something negative, what can you do to overcome that perception?

In my last blog, I wrote about the negative view of processes and process management shared by many people in our organizations. A couple of days after drafting that blog, I attended an informal presentation by some IT leaders from a healthcare company. They were providing a high-level review of their experiences fostering and implementing service management for their enterprise. In their conversation, they too discussed the negative perceptions that can be associated with particular terms. In this case, the term was "ITIL," as well as the associated term "Service Management."

Many members of this healthcare institution's leadership team shared a negative view of ITIL® and of service management in general. These executives had experienced failed efforts in the past that left them jaded. If there was to be any hope of introducing and establishing service management, these new advocates of ITIL needed to first overcome the negative perception of the term.

How did they do it? The answer in this case was painfully if not ridiculously simple - they changed the term! Instead of calling it "service management," they referred to it as "service excellence." They did so because there was already an executive-sponsored strategic initiative in place of the same name. The name change quickly did the trick and they have since experienced continued success.

I didn't know whether to laugh or to cry when I heard this. It made me think of the countless times I have heard folks say that in their organizations governance is a dirty word. In almost every case, these negative perceptions are based on a complete misunderstanding of IT Governance. Knowing this, my first inclination used to be to educate the naysayers and change their minds. I have personally experienced the time-consuming nature - if not outright futility - of this approach.

I know some may take issue with using this name changing tactic to further their causes. It is not blatantly deceitful, but a few people may think of it as a bit surreptitious.

As for me, I appreciate the brilliance of this simple solution. I am reminded of the words of our wise friend William Shakespeare, "A rose by any other name, is still a rose."

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