What the World Cup Can Teach You About IT Management

All Parts of a Team are Importantsystems or operational methods. There is reluctance
WC: Having the best defense will not ensure victory.to change - "why fix something that isn't broke?" is
Dominating the midfield means nothing if you can'theard all too often. Successful IT managers are
score. Ten can be brilliant, but if the goalkeeper makesconstantly listening and learning. They help their
rookie-type mistakes, you will not win.organizations "do more with less." They do this is by
IT: You can have the very best applications, but if yourmaking bold moves to retire the "legacy" players, and
service desk is weak, your entire IT operation willintroduce new, fresh, exciting technologies that truly
be perceived as sub-par. You may have investedmake a difference.
considerably to ensure that all user interfaces areLeading Edge Technologies Can Help You Get Further
intuitive, but if response times are bad, the end userWC: FIFA believes in the traditional referee role in a
experience will be judged as poor. Achieving asoccer match, and refuses to rely on technologies to
balanced effort across all IT elements is a challenge,help the referee validate his decisions. We saw clear
but is crucial to success. Using the latest technologygoals that were invalidated simply because the
to reduce costs and increase productivity - forreferee did not have a good view.
example, through the use of a SaaS deploymentIT: In IT, you have to rely on leading edge technologies
model for your IT asset management (ITAM) and ITto perfect and fine tune your game, so you can make
service management (ITSM) systems - will make itthe right decisions. For example, legacy, on-premise
easier to achieve this balance.ITSM and ITAM software is a thing of the past, and
ALL-STARS Can Only Get You So Farnew SaaS solutions are delivering much more value to
WC: Many teams with expensive players, such astoday's businesses. You have to embrace
Ronaldo, Rooney, and Messi, dropped in the earlytechnology - in spite of tradition - to stay
stages, or failed to pass the first winner-take-it-allcompetitive and make the right choices.
stages.Don't Play With a "We Can't Lose" Attitude
IT: In IT, there is the old saying that no one ever gotWC: Some teams arrived in South Africa with an
fired for buying IBM.  But doing so could leave youattitude or entitlement.  Why? Because "on paper"
behind your competitors. The new, aggressive playersthey appeared to be stronger than their early
(i.e. those that provide Web-era SaaS ITSM and ITAMcompetition in the group stage. This complacent,
systems, instead of antiquated legacy on-premisesuperior attitude saw Italy, the reigning champions, sent
solutions) are playing to win.  It is these innovatorshome early. It also contributed to the early exit of
that can help your IT team stay ahead of the game.France and England.
There is No Place for "Untouchables"IT: You have to constantly challenge the team to
WC: Some coaches included players that were pastimprove. The day that IT management believes they
their prime. Perhaps they believed that some of the oldhave overcome all major challenges is the day their
magic would return. Or, they were concerned aboutdownfall begins. There is no room for complacency.
criticism over leaving a long-time star at home. WeStaying abreast of new developments and
witnessed Henry coming off the bench in a futile effortcontinuously challenging the status quo will help ensure
to rescue the French team. Yet, we saw 21 year-oldthat you stay in the game!
Mesut Oezil emerge as a star in the GermanOn-Demand IT Management Software
midfield. Coaches that made bold moves to leave outDiscover how SaaS IT Asset and Service
aging stars and introduce exciting new talent weremanagement software can help you manage your IT
rewarded.assets, organize software licenses and validate license
IT: In many organizations there are "untouchable"compliance standing.