Michelle Major-Goldsmith is passionate about service management and mentorship, helping IT leaders navigate complexity with confidence. As a key contributor to the upcoming SIAM Bodies of Knowledge refresh, she’s focused on making service integration more practical and impactful. Oh, and she's also an HDI Top 25 Thought Leader.
In this spotlight, Michelle shares her thoughts on resilience, leadership, and the future of ITSM. Keep reading and get to know Michelle.
What’s one book you’d recommend to anyone looking to grow professionally?
Michelle: One book I’d recommend is "The Resilience Project" by Aussie author Hugh van Cuylenburg. In a world that is increasingly complex, uncertain, and fast-paced, resilience is one of the most valuable traits a professional can develop. This book breaks down the importance of mindfulness, empathy, and gratitude (MEG)—three qualities that aren’t just crucial for personal well-being but also for leadership, collaboration, and navigating the challenges of service integration and ITSM. In my career, I’ve seen first-hand how resilient, emotionally intelligent leaders make a lasting impact, not just by solving problems but by supporting others, fostering trust, and creating environments where people thrive. Whether you're leading teams, working through change, or simply trying to be a better professional, this book offers practical insights that can shift your mindset and help you lead with authenticity and purpose.
What drives your passion for shaping the future of service management?
Michelle: Service management is so much more than processes and frameworks, it’s the backbone of organizations that keep the world running. It ensures that essential services are reliable, resilient, and ready to support people when they need them most. In the industries I work with, service management isn’t just about efficiency or cost savings; it’s about safeguarding lives, defending nations, enabling healthcare, and supporting social care. When ITSM is done well, it allows businesses and governments to achieve their missions, often in ways that remain invisible until something goes wrong. I’m deeply committed to shaping the future of service management because I know its potential to create real, tangible change. I feel a responsibility to guide and mentor the next generation, helping them see the bigger picture of what we do. ITSM professionals don’t just manage tickets; they create stability in a world that relies on digital services more than ever. That’s why I dedicate time to mentoring, coaching, and guest lecturing at universities. I write industry publications, deliver webinars, speak at conferences, and contribute to global standards, because the more we elevate service management, the greater its impact on society. Service management is often an unsung hero, but it’s the foundation that enables innovation, security, and progress. My passion is to ensure that we not only recognize its value but continue to evolve and strengthen it for the future.
Your mentorship has made a lasting impact on many professionals. What advice do you give most often to aspiring leaders?
Michelle: The advice I give most often is to lead with authenticity, courage, and a deep understanding of complexity. The world we operate in is more uncertain and interconnected than ever, often referred to as a VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous) environment. Traditional, rigid leadership models no longer work. Instead, we need leaders who embrace adaptability, make decisions with awareness of the bigger picture, and empower those around them to challenge, innovate, and grow. I often draw on Brené Brown’s teachings on vulnerability and courage, because excellent leadership isn’t about having all the answers, it’s about creating the space for others to contribute, ask the hard questions, and bring their own expertise to the table. Too often, aspiring leaders think they need to project certainty, when in reality, the strongest leaders are those who admit when they don’t know something, listen deeply, and have the courage to navigate the unknown. Leadership isn’t about control; it’s about building people who can think critically, challenge assumptions, and thrive in complexity. One of the most rewarding aspects of mentorship for me is helping people move beyond seeking ‘right answers’ and instead developing frameworks for making better decisions in uncertain environments. I encourage leaders to trust their teams, embrace diverse perspectives, and never shy away from difficult conversations, because that’s where growth happens. Above all, I remind aspiring leaders that success isn’t about titles or power. It’s about the impact you have on others and the legacy you leave behind. If you focus on empowering people, fostering trust, and leading with courage, you won’t just build a great career, you’ll shape the future.
What’s one thing you hope the refreshed SIAM Bodies of Knowledge will achieve for the industry?
Michelle: I hope the SIAM Bodies of Knowledge 2025 refresh strengthens SIAM as the go-to approach and operating model for managing complex sourcing models and integrating multiple service providers into a seamless, end-to-end service delivery function. SIAM is critical in today’s world, where organizations rely on diverse ecosystems of suppliers, partners, and technologies. It ensures that, despite this complexity, services are cohesive, reliable, and outcome-driven. This refresh isn’t just about updating theory, that has remained reassuringly relevant. It’s about capturing the real-world expertise of those actively shaping and delivering SIAM today. Our contributors include some of the brightest minds in the industry, from thought leaders and innovators to leading SIAM practitioners who implement, refine, and evolve these models daily. This combination of strategic vision and hands-on experience means that the refreshed BoK will not only stay relevant but provide practical, actionable insights that can be applied in different organizational contexts. The world has changed dramatically since the last refresh, with the rise of AI, data-driven decision-making, evolving sourcing models, and a heightened focus on experience and trust. One of our key aims with this refresh is to maintain a stable, core guidance set with the Foundation and Professional BoKs, while introducing compendiums that allow flexibility to evolve alongside new trends. This layered approach means we can address topics like AI in SIAM, ethical sourcing, sustainability, and experience-driven measurement (XLAs) in greater detail, with practical, experiential guidance. Most importantly, I want this refresh to build a bridge between theory and practice. By incorporating even more SIAM customer-contributed real-world case studies, updated examples, and contributions from a diverse global community, we can ensure the SIAM BoKs remains an indispensable resource for both new and experienced professionals. My hope is that it not only guides organizations in structuring their service integration models but also elevates the perception of SIAM as a strategic enabler of business success. Through this refresh, we’re not just updating a framework, we’re reinforcing the value of SIAM in a world that demands agility, collaboration, and innovation. By bridging theory with practice and harnessing the collective intelligence of our contributors, we can ensure SIAM continues to evolve and add value in an increasingly complex world.
What emerging trends in ITSM or service integration are you most excited about?
Michelle: There are several emerging trends that are shaping the future of IT service management (ITSM) and service integration (SIAM), but the ones I’m most excited about are those that challenge traditional ways of working and push us towards more adaptive, human-centric, and intelligent service ecosystems. One of the biggest shifts is the increasing focus on experience-led service management. The industry is moving beyond rigid SLAs and operational metrics to experience-level agreements (XLAs) and human-centric service design, ensuring that services are measured by the value they deliver rather than just their uptime. This shift forces us to think differently about how we integrate services, making collaboration, trust, and continuous feedback loops central to success. AI and automation are, of course, transforming service management and SIAM. While AI-powered chatbots and self-healing systems are already here, the real excitement lies in AI’s ability to support decision-making, identify patterns in complex multi-supplier environments, and enhance predictive service management. However, with AI comes the need for ethical governance, transparency, and ensuring that automation enhances, not replaces human expertise.