Experts Emphasize Communication and Leadership to Drive IT Change

Leslie Landry and Mike Vikdal stress the importance of integrating people, process, and technology for effective IT service management.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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Experts Leslie Landry and Mike Vikdal emphasize the vital role of clear communication and strong leadership in driving organizational change and embracing emerging technologies like AI in the IT industry. Landry, founder of Aspen Transformation, focuses on improving IT leadership through communication and change management, while Vikdal, president of the Auslyn Group, stresses the need to humanize IT and integrate people, process, and technology for successful IT service management.

Why it matters

As technology rapidly advances, effective communication and people-centric leadership are often overlooked in the IT field. This story highlights how integrating these soft skills with technical expertise is essential for IT organizations to successfully navigate change, align with business objectives, and leverage new technologies like AI to drive organizational success.

The details

Landry, an expert in IT Service Management (ITSM) and the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL), believes clear communication has become a lost art as the IT world has become increasingly reliant on email and technology. She aims to equip leaders and teams with practical learning, frameworks, and communication tools to drive measurable change. Vikdal, with over four decades of IT experience, emphasizes the need to accept and collaborate with emerging technologies like AI, rather than fear them. Both experts agree that translating leadership-level communication to individual contributors is a key challenge in the industry.

  • Landry established her firm, Aspen Transformation, Inc., in 2017.
  • Landry recently relocated her headquarters from Seattle, Washington, to a home office in the Treasure Valley.

The players

Leslie Landry

The founder and CEO of Aspen Transformation, Inc., an expert in both IT Service Management (ITSM) instruction and Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL), with a focus on improving IT leadership through communication and change management.

Mike Vikdal

The president of the Auslyn Group, a consulting and educational services firm he started in 2006, with over four decades of experience in the IT space and a focus on embracing AI and humanizing IT to advance careers and organizational success.

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What they’re saying

“So many have become so reliant on email and technology that they no longer talk directly to people. Too often in the IT world you get people who are not the best communicators. They tend to work in silos.”

— Leslie Landry, Founder and CEO, Aspen Transformation, Inc. (idahobusinessreview.com)

“The digital transformation is taking place right now, but it's not about the technology, it's about the people. This is where I think Leslie does such a phenomenal job educating and guiding organizations to look at it from the side of the people and their feelings and their sentiments about being successful without being afraid of losing their jobs due to AI.”

— Mike Vikdal, President, Auslyn Group (idahobusinessreview.com)

The takeaway

This story highlights the critical need for IT leaders to prioritize effective communication and people-centric leadership alongside technical expertise to successfully navigate organizational change and embrace emerging technologies like AI. By integrating people, process, and technology, IT organizations can better align with business objectives and drive long-term success.