For many years, service management proponents have insisted that every employee in an organization contribute to meeting the needs of their customers with a service mindset. While this has always been a noble objective, the way it has been achieved is too often centered around a few specific processes and the implementation of tools, without enough attention for the very human skills that were required. When multiple people are involved in business activities, coordination and collaboration are crucial. Usually organizations are hierarchical, so direction is often provided from the top down. Unless the objectives and actions of groups at different levels of the organization are planned and aligned, their desired outcomes are unlikely to be achieved. Even if they are achieved, poor coordination often results in waste, including missteps, restarts and rework.
In ITIL®4: Direct, Plan and Improve guidance, an attempt has been made to identify and focus on the core competencies that leaders and operational employees alike should cultivate and apply throughout their service management careers. The guidance provides an essential source of reference in aligning product and service management with modern business requirements, driving transformation and creating a continual improvement culture.