itSMF 2017 June Bulletin Bulletin -June 2017 | Seite 6

Rethinking the traditional approach to leadership
and decision making
The WA branch of itSMF Australia have recently enjoyed a fabulous seminar focused on
Leadership and Decision Making. This was provided by the acclaimed scientist and
academic Professor Dave Snowden, Chief Scientific Officer at Cognitive Edge. Dave was also
a key note speaker at last year’s itSMFA Annual Conference.
In a shift from a purely service management focused
session, Dave engaged the group with a session
focused on leadership and decision making in an
increasingly unpredictable, complex, and chaotic
world. A world where some of our ‘best practice’
frameworks are ill equipped to support decision
making. Such is this incredible mind, Dave took us on
various journeys talking about culture, human
behaviour and analysis, regaling us with stories and
anecdotes to elaborate his points.
Focusing primarily on leadership and decision
making, Dave gave some insight into appreciating
and understanding the complexity involved in
understanding context within the business
environment and using alternative approaches to
6 itSMF Bulletin—June 2017
enable more effective, successful decision-making,
leadership practices and engagement with employees
and customers alike. Dave inspired me to consider
this area further.
Many best practice approaches are based upon
case-based reasoning. This is the process of solving
new problems based on the solutions of similar past
problems. You may have seen this in practice; the
Service Desk analyst who restores service to an IT
issue using a solution she’s tried before. A Judge who
advocates a particular outcome in a trial based on
legal precedent. An organisation which uses a
previous business position or pattern of action to form