Summary of Guardians of M365 Governance Ep.21
In Episode 21 of the Guardians of M365 Governance monthly webcast, Ragnar Heil (@ragnarh), Joy Apple (@JoyOfSharePoint), and I welcomed back Richard Harbridge (LinkedIn) from ShareGate to examine findings from ShareGate’s latest Microsoft 365 benchmark report. A clear theme emerges: migration is no longer a one-off project but an ongoing discipline. With mergers, tenant consolidations, and the steady move away from on-premises systems, organizations are rethinking governance as a continuous process of aligning data, permissions, and compliance in an ever-changing environment. The lure of Copilot has only accelerated this push, making governance the foundation for scalable and secure AI adoption.
The discussion highlights a persistent paradox: security is cited both as the top reason to adopt Microsoft 365 and as the reason some organizations cling to on-prem. That tension reflects broader uncertainty about trust, control, and compliance in the cloud. At the same time, challenges such as shadow AI, fragmented sharing practices, and sprawling data structures show why consolidation and governance are critical. Copilot can only deliver real value if the data it draws from is accurate, accessible, and organized. Migrations, while often treated as a hurdle to clear, provide invaluable insight into data ownership and structure that should form the backbone of governance efforts going forward.
Richard also emphasizes that successful Copilot deployments depend on three levers: consolidating and connecting data, adopting a team-based rollout model that scales from safety to efficiency to impact, and aligning AI with high-value business scenarios. Yet, the report reveals that only a small fraction of organizations invest in purpose-built governance tools, leaving most to rely on scripts or out-of-the-box settings. The conversation closes on a cultural note: governance isn’t just about technology and risk—it’s about building trust, encouraging open collaboration, and even finding ways to make the process rewarding for the people responsible for sustaining it.
If you missed the live stream, you can watch the recording here:
If you’re interested, you can also get early access to ShareGate’s new governance tools: Microsoft 365 visibility, governance & security in one place
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