The Marathon Way
The Marathon Way is how I run every engagement. It has five phases: Assess, Shape, Deliver, Embed and Refine. Together they take a service function from an honest look at where it is today to the point where your own people can keep it improving.
The five phases
1. Assess
What does now look like, and why is that the case? I spend time getting under the hood of your current processes, people, toolsets and culture to understand exactly what's happening and identify the root cause. I analyse the available data, observe current working practices and question functions to build the full picture.
2. Shape
Using the findings from Assess, paired with my experience, I put together a report summarising the current state and a roadmap to the desired one. I present this to senior leadership, with the justification, cost analysis and timeframes needed to support the decision.
3. Deliver
Once Shape is signed off, I start making the changes. That can mean optimising existing toolsets, refining or introducing process, or restructuring functions, depending on what's needed.
4. Embed
Positive change can only happen when people are bought in. That means bringing them along on the journey, so they understand what their contribution means. Training sessions, leader coaching and documentation are all key elements of embedding new behaviour and expectations.
5. Refine
I first help establish stability, then make sure you keep moving along the progression path. Dashboards, reporting packs and KPIs give you a consistent window into performance, so areas that need improvement are identified quickly and any changes are driven by real data.
One approach, adapted to the engagement
The five phases stay the same whichever service you need. The detail inside each one changes to suit the work.
Interim and fractional leadership
The same disciplined approach, adapted for a leadership seat. In Shape I set direction with a roadmap agreed with the board or the senior stakeholders I report into. In Deliver I lead the function day to day and put that roadmap into action.
Interim and fractional ITSM leadershipService desk rescue
Assess is a structured health check of people, process and tooling. The core rescue usually runs for 8 to 12 weeks.
IT service desk and operational team rescueSupplier transitions
The work runs from assessing the current supplier position through to embedding governance your team can run.
IT supplier managementThe approach is aligned to ITIL best practice and sized to your team rather than copied from a textbook.
Built for the long run
The name is deliberate. I'm with you for the long run, and the last two phases are there so the improvement keeps going after the engagement ends. Embed brings your people along with the change. Refine gives you the data to keep improving. The process and capability stay in place long after I've gone.
Greg's leadership has allowed the individual service desk members to flourish, as he encourages a balance of autonomy and collaborative teamwork. Greg's focus on delivering a positive customer experience has been an example to follow, and I have been proud to work alongside him during this time.
Questions about The Marathon Way
Does every engagement go through all five phases?
Yes. A service desk rescue, an interim leadership role and a supplier transition all follow the same five phases. The detail in each phase changes to suit the work.
How long does it take?
It depends on the service. A core service desk rescue usually takes 8 to 12 weeks. Supplier work is project-based, typically 4 to 16 weeks. Interim leadership typically runs for 3 to 12 months, and fractional leadership is ongoing.
Is The Marathon Way based on ITIL?
It's aligned to ITIL best practice, and I'm ITIL 4 certified. I use the framework as a guide and size the process to your team.
See how it would work for you
Tell me what's going on and I'll explain how each phase would apply to your situation.
Book a consultation call