Brian Grafsgaard, CSM, CSPO, PMP, PgMP, PfMP

I’m looking forward to being part of the Iowa Technology Summit this year on a panel called “The Era of Reinvention: Leadership in an AI‑Driven World.” AI is changing the way we work and lead faster than ever. Our conversation will focus on what that actually looks like in practice—how leaders adapt, how culture shifts, and how organizations navigate constant change without losing sight of their people or their purpose. For me, leading in this space starts with a simple idea: AI should amplify the human experience, not replace it—and the real work is helping teams navigate change with clarity and purpose. It’s going to be a great conversation with Jacey Heuer, Theresa Swaim, and Crystal Wells. #IowaTechnologySummit #DrivingInnovation Technology Association of Iowa https://lnkd.in/dCm6uDub

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🎥 How Great Leaders Create Space for Innovation In this preview from Episode 24 of Silicon Heartland Sessions, Disha Patel, Digital Technology & Innovation Lead at Amgen Ohio, reflects on how her leadership style has evolved - and why collaboration, trust, and psychological safety are the foundation of innovation. 💬 “I try to ensure that I create a positive, safe environment - one that people feel like they can grow and learn… and where people feel safe to voice diverse opinions.” Disha shares how building inclusive teams with diverse perspectives leads to breakthrough thinking - and why empathy and empowerment are essential traits for today’s tech leaders. 🎧 Full episode drops this Friday! #SiliconHeartlandSessions #SiliconHeartland #Podcast #CloudNirvana #TechLeadership #Innovation #IdeaToAction #Inspiration #ProfessionalDevelopment #AI #CloudComputing #TechCommunity Ben Blanquera Steve Gruetter Aaron Littlejohn Trent Taylor Nathan Case Jonathan Erikson James Gehring 🌥 Joseph Emison Matthew Randle Barton Murphy Robert Zwink Cindy Leavitt Bryan Mundy John Bishop Murali Sundararajan Warner Moore Srini K. Rehgan Bleile (Avon) Dan Manges 🗝Connie Matthews Reynolds 🗝 Chris Berry Todd Kaufman Angelo Mazzocco Doug McCollough Tonjia Coverdale, PhD Michael Farrar, MBA Disha Patel Swathi Jillella Cam Avent Michael Chorey Cloud Nirvana

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Change is never easy — but it’s almost always for the better. With the expected merger between Fifth Third and Comerica, a lot of people are asking what’s next. For me, this kind of change is a reminder of how much opportunity sits on the other side of uncertainty. I’ve spent most of my career in identity, security, and cloud architecture — helping organizations stay resilient as technology and business models evolve. What I’ve learned is that real growth happens when we lean into change, not away from it. This merger brings a lot of possibilities: new teams, new systems, new challenges — and that’s exactly where innovation starts. Whether it’s rethinking how we handle access, modernizing our cloud environments, or finding smarter ways to use AI to automate and protect, these moments push us to build better. I’ve been spending more time lately exploring how AI can simplify what used to take days — from risk analysis to access certifications — and it’s exciting to see those ideas move from theory into practice. Change forces reflection. It makes you ask where you can add the most value, how you can grow, and what new skills will matter tomorrow. For me, this next chapter is about doubling down on what I love most — designing secure, scalable systems, mentoring others, and staying curious about where AI can take us next. Here’s to embracing change — and turning it into opportunity. #Leadership #Change #AI #CyberSecurity #IdentityManagement #CloudArchitecture #Banking

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If you got hit by a bus tomorrow, what would break? Not the systems. The knowledge. The context that lives only in your head. The relationships that depend on you. The decisions only you understand. Most leaders think they're building teams. They're actually building dependencies. The test of leadership isn't how well things run when you're there. It's how well they run when you're not. Document what you know. Delegate what you hoard. Develop who comes next. Your job isn't to be irreplaceable. Your job is to make yourself unnecessary. That's the ultimate success.

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“You can’t manage a big team the way you manage a small one.” What works with 5 people breaks down with 50. Scaling leadership means shifting from control to coordination, from doing to designing systems. It’s not about working harder — it’s about working differently. #Leadership #TeamManagement #ScalingUp #OrganizationalDesign

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I recently had an opportunity to present to a wonderful group on writing user stories and requirements management. One topic I shared was the Gherkin method in writing acceptance criteria as it was hands down the most impactful change I made on a team in the past that resulted in the most overall value both for the development team as well as business stakeholders! Instead of writing user stories in 'if then else' statements or bullet lists, use the Gherkin, Given, When, Then structure that will take all ambiguity out of acceptance criteria and set you up for automated testing! Always include your value statement at the top of the user stories also (As a ___, I need to___, so that___). 💡 Tip: You can have multiple Given and Then statements using 'and', but only ONE When (action) statement! 🎙️ Share - what change have you found that made a huge positive impact on a team? (Context Diagrams & Story Maps were a close second for me!) #BusinessAnalysis

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Delivering better services to Minnesotans starts with modern, efficient systems. That’s why MNIT is driving the adoption of the Modernization Playbook—a framework to transform how we deliver value through Minnesota’s services and programs. Explore the Playbook and see how the State of Minnesota is aligning IT systems and government programs to work better together for the people we serve: https://lnkd.in/gDDSJAyk #govit #mnit #modernization

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Banks are leaving Microsoft 365 potential on the table. Proud to be presenting at the Wisconsin Bankers Association Bank Technology & Security Summit - https://lnkd.in/g7rdKuRz. Too often, it’s just email + file storage. But with Teams, SharePoint, Power Platform, Purview, and Defender, Microsoft 365 can transform compliance, collaboration, and customer experience. Adoption isn’t about turning on tools, it’s about aligning them to business goals, training people, and measuring impact. Strategic adoption = measurable outcomes. 🔗Read more: https://lnkd.in/g-tErymE #Microsoft365 #Adoption #Banking #FinancialServices #Governance #Teams #SharePoint

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We issued a detailed RFP. Comprehensive requirements. Technical matrices. Scoring models. Vendors responded. Then during evaluation, someone admitted: “I did not read that section.” The Reality: Complexity does not equal rigor. Long documents do not equal clarity. If stakeholders cannot evaluate it, they will default to preference. Good procurement simplifies decisions. It does not overwhelm them. #procurement #rfp #leadership #decisionmaking

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I’ve noticed something over the years, and I’m curious how others see it. I don’t think I’ve ever been in an interview where anyone clearly explained which internal services the organization provides. Sometimes external services come up; products, customers. But the internal services? Rarely, if ever. Instead, organizations tend to describe themselves through structure: departments, functions, reporting lines. And that makes me wonder: Why do we so naturally fall back on structure rather than service? And what would it take to shift the focus toward services and outcomes instead? Internal services are what enable the external ones. They shape flow, quality, and resilience; yet they often remain implicit, unnamed, or invisible. So I’m genuinely curious: - Is this just “how it’s always been”? - Is it simply harder to articulate services than structure? - Or do we underestimate how powerful a service view could be? - Or is it enough with organisation structures? How do you see it; and have you ever seen an organization introduce itself through a service lens? #ServiceDesign #ServiceThinking #OperatingModel #BusinessArchitecture 

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