Our newest class for leadership at the whole-service level and for the teams and people needed to create, design, deliver, and operate these services, and what they’re powered by.

If you believe your organisation needs to change how it works to improve outcomes and results, better serve its customers and users, bring coherence to separate functions, minimise wasted effort and tackle the risks and opportunities it faces, this course is for you.

It covers the approach described in the best-selling book The Service Organization, using its concepts and principles to organise for more coherent and successful service design, delivery and leadership of the whole. It reflects what dozens of service organisations have learned from applying and adapting modern approaches to service and product delivery in the service industry and in public services worldwide.

Definition of a Service Org

Understanding services and performance from the outside in and organising work, teams and leadership to anticipate and respond. Moving from working in silos and one-off projects to continuous delivery and improvement, working as more of a whole organisation.

It equips you with relevant case studies, stories and practical examples of how others have evolved some of the hallmarks and defaults of large, complex organisations. It covers the governance, operating models, incentives, dynamics, and the role of leadership at the service level and across the organisation.

Who it’s for

This has been designed for people and teams in leadership, delivery, design, and service change, as well as the technology-powered systems, products, and data that underpin large services. It’s aimed at those working with large, complex, often older companies, government departments, and agencies that are already undergoing or in need of transformation, and where the stakes are further raised by the risks and opportunities of generative AI.

What it covers

The service-oriented model

• The status quo and why make the shift

• The principles and concepts of whole service leadership and delivery

• What it means, what’s different, what changes as a result

• Examples of companies and public sector orgs that have oriented around their services

• Benefits and what this enables that were difficult or impossible before

• Common reasons for objections or resistance, and ways to tackle

• How this relates to target operating models, transformation programmes

• How this relates to the product operating model and product teams

Defining and evaluating services

• Shaping and scoping services end-to-end or as a whole

• Defining service purpose and success

• Whole service performance measurement

• Service evaluation and assessment

• Using AI tools for service definition and measurement

• How this relates to concepts like customer journeys, value streams, and lifecycle management

Teams, work and competencies

• Team types

• Roles and competencies

• Problems to solve and opportunities to go after

• How this relates to discovery, delivery and operations

• Transparency, objectives and empowerment

• Operational transformation for continuous improvement and delivery

• How it relates to other ‘large org’ job roles, such as business design, org change and enterprise architecture

Whole service leadership and direction

• Whole service leadership, skills and competencies

• Models and options for establishing service leadership

• Clarity of vision and direction for a service (and/or of its foundations)

• Ways of working for coherence and emphasis on performance

• Shaping new work and steering existing work

• How newer enabling AI tools impact service leadership and teams

• Critical supporting skills, competencies and capacity

• How it relates to roles such as service owner, product manager, customer journey manager, or director

Structure, culture and governance

• Decision-making types and responsibilities

• Control and influence over the flow of work

• Values, behaviours and incentives - the reality and how this changes

• The role of formal governance

• The role of the board

• How it relates to corporate services and enabling functions (finance, HR, procurement, comms, to name a few)

• How it relates to functions such as a Programme Management Office (PMO), existing sub-committees or working groups

Upcoming dates for public workshops

This workshop runs in person over two days and online as four half-day sessions over two weeks. Tickets for the online course will be on sale soon for the following dates.

June-July 2026

Online half-day sessions on Tues June 30th, Weds July 1st, Tues July 7th, Weds July 8th 2026. Sessions run from 1pm-5pm BST (GMT+1)

Tickets are now available via Eventbrite.

November 2026

Online half-day sessions on Tues Nov 17th, Weds Nov 18th, Tues Nov 24th, Weds Nov 25th 2026. Sessions run from 1pm-5pm GMT. Tickets will be available to purchase shortly via Eventbrite.

Email info@theserviceorg.com to find out more or to reserve a place now for you or your team.