Learning Hub for IT administrators
Practical guides, videos, FAQs, and leadership support resources for using Blended Leading inside Microsoft Teams.
FAQ
This FAQ answers the most common questions from IT administrators, security teams, Microsoft 365 administrators, and technical reviewers. It focuses on deployment, security, permissions, governance, and operational support.
General Questions
What is Blended Leading from an IT perspective?
Blended Leading is a Microsoft Teams-based leadership enablement platform that delivers personalized leadership nudges directly within Teams.
From an IT perspective, it consists of:
• A Microsoft Teams application
• A Microsoft Teams Bot
• Microsoft Entra ID authentication
• Microsoft Graph integration • The Blended Leading platform
The solution is primarily administered by HR, while IT is responsible for deployment, access, and governance.
• A Microsoft Teams application
• A Microsoft Teams Bot
• Microsoft Entra ID authentication
• Microsoft Graph integration • The Blended Leading platform
The solution is primarily administered by HR, while IT is responsible for deployment, access, and governance.
How much ongoing IT involvement is required?
In most organizations:
• IT involvement is highest during deployment
• Ongoing administration is minimal
Typical ongoing activities include:
• Application lifecycle management
• Security reviews
• Version updates
• User access governance
Daily operation is usually managed by HR administrators.
Can Blended Leading be deployed gradually?
Yes.
Recommended rollout options include:
• Pilot groups
• Specific departments
• Leadership populations
• Organization-wide deployment
Most customers begin with a pilot phase before broader rollout.
Security & Permissions
Which Microsoft Graph permissions are required?
Blended Leading requires:
User.Read
This permission is used only to:
• Authenticate users
• Verify identity
• Confirm tenant membership
No additional Microsoft Graph permissions are required for standard deployment.
Why is User.Read required?
Without User.Read, the platform cannot:
• Identify the signed-in user
• Associate the user with the correct tenant
• Support authentication and provisioning
The permission is used exclusively for identity-related purposes.
Does Blended Leading access Teams messages?
No.
The platform does not request permissions to access:
• Teams chats
• Private messages
• Channel conversations
• Teams activity
Does Blended Leading access email?
No.
The platform does not request permissions to access:
• Email content
• Mailboxes
• Attachments
Does Blended Leading access calendars?
No.
Calendar information is not accessed, collected, or processed.
Does Blended Leading access files?
No.
The platform does not access:
• SharePoint files
• OneDrive files
• Teams documents
unless such files are explicitly uploaded into Blended Leading by authorized users.
Does Blended Leading monitor employee activity?
No.
Blended Leading is a leadership development solution — not an employee monitoring system.
The platform does not:
• Track productivity
• Monitor behavior
• Analyze communications
• Observe daily activity
Authentication & Identity
How are users authenticated?
Authentication is performed through:
• Microsoft Entra ID
• Single Sign-On (SSO)
Users sign in using their existing Microsoft 365 accounts.
No separate credentials are required.
Does Blended Leading store passwords?
No.
Passwords remain within Microsoft Entra ID.
Blended Leading never stores user passwords.
Is the solution Single Tenant or Multi Tenant?
Customer deployments are configured on a tenant-specific basis.
Authentication is restricted to the organization's Microsoft 365 tenant.
This supports:
• Strong governance
• Organizational isolation
• Controlled access
What happens if we rotate the Client Secret?
Client Secret rotation is supported.
After generating a new secret:
1. Update internal records
2. Provide the new secret securely to the Blended Leading team
3. Validate authentication
This ensures uninterrupted service.
Deployment & Operations
Why do we need a Bot Registration?
The Bot Registration enables communication between:
• Microsoft Teams
• Microsoft Entra ID
• The Blended Leading platform
Without the Bot:
• Users cannot interact with the application
• Nudges cannot be delivered
• Authentication cannot be completed
How long does deployment typically take?
For an experienced Microsoft 365 administrator:
• Initial setup often takes less than one hour
Additional time may be required for:
• Security review
• Internal approval processes
• Pilot planning
Can we deploy only to selected users?
Yes.
Access can be restricted through:
• Security groups
• Teams policies
• Pilot assignments
This is the recommended deployment approach.
Can we remove access later?
Yes.
Administrators can:
• Remove user assignments
• Restrict Teams policies
• Unpublish the application
• Remove permissions
at any time.
Can the application be uninstalled completely?
Yes.
A tenant administrator can:
• Remove the Teams application
• Remove user access
• Revoke permissions
• Remove tenant consent
at any time.
Data & Compliance
Who owns the data?
The customer organization remains the data owner.
Under GDPR terminology:
• Customer = Data Controller
• Blended Leading = Data Processor
The organization controls:
• Data governance
• Data retention
• Access policies
Is Blended Leading GDPR compliant?
Blended Leading has been designed to support GDPR requirements, including:
• Data minimization
• Transparency
• User control
• Secure processing
• Purpose limitation
Organizations should always conduct their own compliance review according to internal policies.
Where is the data hosted?
Hosting and deployment details are provided during implementation and may vary depending on contractual and infrastructure arrangements.
For current hosting information, contact the Blended Leading implementation team.
Can HR see individual user activity?
No.
HR administrators can access:
• Aggregated metrics
• Organizational insights
• Anonymous reporting
They cannot access:
• Individual nudges
• Individual ratings
• Individual action statuses
• Individual usage behavior
Updates & Support
How are application updates delivered?
The Blended Leading team provides an updated Teams application package.
Administrators upload the package through the Teams Admin Center using standard Microsoft Teams application management procedures.
Will updates affect users?
Most updates are designed to be seamless.
Depending on the update:
• New functionality may become available
• Minor interface changes may occur
Major updates are communicated in advance.
What information should we provide when contacting support?
To accelerate resolution, include:
• Tenant ID
• Application (Client) ID
• Description of the issue
• Screenshots (if available)
• Troubleshooting steps already performed
When should we contact Blended Leading Support?
Contact support when:
• Deployment issues cannot be resolved locally
• Authentication fails unexpectedly
• Bot communication is interrupted
• Platform functionality appears unavailable
• Technical guidance is required
Quick Security Review Summary
For security and compliance teams:
Authentication
Microsoft Entra ID Single Sign-On
Permissions User.Read only No email access No calendar access No Teams message access No file access
Privacy No monitoring No surveillance No productivity tracking
Governance Tenant-specific deployment Customer-controlled access Role-based administration
Reporting Aggregated insights only No individual evaluation
In Summary
Blended Leading is designed to be:
- Easy to deploy
- Secure to operate
- Simple to govern
- Low-maintenance for IT teams
The platform integrates naturally into Microsoft 365 while following strict principles around privacy, security, and least-privilege access.
