For those of you who read the classic story, Charlie and the Chocolate Factor or watched the film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, then you know all about the Golden Ticket.  For those of you who have not, the Golden Ticket is a rare pass hidden under the wrappers of five ordinary Wonka Chocolate Bar that rewards the winner with a lifetime supply of chocolate.  The story tells the tales of the hunt for the tickets while providing a lesson in character.

So how it is possible that I draw the analogy between the lessons learned during a hunt for chocolate and the New ITIL Transformation (Version 5) Certification?  Here are the lessons that the author, Roald Dahl, sought to teach in his book.  For those of you who have taken Transformation, what do you think?  Am I spot on?

Lesson One:  Virtue and Integrity Triumph Over Vice

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory highlights a system of moral tests that must be passed to win the chocolate.  For me Transformation provides the system needed to implement ITIL in the real world.  Knowing the right way to navigate is what it is all about.  When you have the tools you need to successfully implement ITIL you win all the benefits that come with it.

Lesson Two:  True Wealth lies in Character, Not Materialism

In relation to certifications, value lies in knowing how to use the information you learned in the real world.  In my first job my boss told me, “Marianne, we don’t pay for excuses, we pay for results.  Do the job.”

In the ITIL Certification world,  Transformation is the only Certification that does the job.  Foundation gives you a common language to communicate.  The advanced certifications give you even more specific knowledge, but nothing on bringing what you learned to life.  The true character of ITIL rests in knowing what to do with it.  It does not rest in paying for certifications that can’t be actualized without the information you learn in Transformation.

Lesson Three:  A Warning Against inept Parenting

Don’t laugh too hard at this one.  It is all about discipline.  Stop indulging and do the work.  If you think about it, if Transformation is the only ITIL Certification that gives you the tools to do the work.  If we think of PeopleCert as the Mother Ship, then Transformation is PeopleCert’s disciplinary certification.  Take it.  Learn it.  Implement it.  Do you need to pay for any of the other certifications?  Maybe, maybe not.  Depends on if you need to be certified in the other topics.  Now remember this is coming to you from a training provider, so this does not serve me well, but it is the truth.  Hard work + Transformation = Good Parenting!

Lesson Four:  The Power of Pure Imagination

Finally, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory shows us how much potential lies in all of us.  We are told to be creative, think out of the box and have an open mind.  Wonka chose a child to inherit his legacy because to make sure that the ability to “dream big” and think beyond corporate rigidness was vitally important to success.

In the world of ITIL, Transformation allows you to “Dream Big” and be creative while using the tools you are given to help you build the right path for your organization. Dreaming Big and Being Big is 100% based on creativity, non-conformity, an open mind, and discipline.  If you want to make a difference in your organization, if you want to make a difference in your career, if you want to make a difference in the way you address issues in the workplace, then ITIL Transformation is your Golden Ticket.

Transformation is the only ITIL 5 Certification that provides the guidelines that you need to succeed.  Information is great but does nothing for you if you don’t know how to use it.  Transformation gives you the available to bring ITIL to life in the real world.  If you only take 1 advanced ITIL Course, this is the one our Triple ITIL Master David Billouz recommends.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this piece as much as I have enjoyed writing it.  Really looking forward to your comments!