Copyrighted property
Pennsylvania State Agency Used Scott M. Graffius' Intellectual Property
21 October 2024
BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com
If there's an update after this article is published, the information will appear in the Post-Publication Notes section.
Introduction
A whistleblower/tip informed Scott M. Graffius that a Pennsylvania state agency is using his copyrighted property without credit. After Graffius received the details, he confirmed that the report was valid. Based on the indisputable facts, the bad acts involve the ethical issue of plagiarism and the legal issue of copyright infringement. The Pennsylvania state agency's use of Graffius' intellectual property was not ‘fair use’ nor otherwise allowed.
Graffius vigorously maintains, enforces, and protects his copyright and other intellectual property rights. This article serves as a clarion call for the Pennsylvania state agency to face the repercussions of, and take responsibility for, their blatant and damaging violation.
Background
Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 100 subsequent studies, and Scott M. Graffius' first-hand professional experience with, and analysis of, team leadership and performance, Graffius created his ‘Phases of Team Development’ as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development — Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning — inclusive of a graph showing how performance varies by phase, as well as the characteristics and strategies for each phase.
Graffius' intellectual property (IP) is registered with the United States Copyright Office.
Graffius initially developed his ‘Phases of Team Development’ unique material in 2008, and he periodically refreshes it.
For reference, the visual from the edition applicable to this case (v2019) [Exhibit 1] is shown below. It is also available here and other locations. The integrated text applies.
As shown above, Graffius’ copyright ownership details are integrated into and appear on his copyrighted property. Specifically, it reads: “Copyright © 2008-2019 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. For permission requests, contact scott@scottgraffius.com.”
Organizations around the world engage Graffius to deliver compelling talks and workshops. To date, he's presented sessions at 91 conferences and other events across 25 countries, including:
Graffius ‘Phases of Team Development’ IP is central and key to many of those sessions. His rate card and a listing of his engagements are here and here, respectively.
With an authorization/license from Graffius, his ‘Phases of Team Development’ IP is featured and used by businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities around the world. Examples include:
• Adobe,
• American Management Association,
• Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
• Bayer,
• Boston University,
• Broadcom,
• Cisco,
• Deimos Aerospace,
• DevOps Institute,
• Ford Motor Company,
• Hasso Plattner Institute,
• IEEE,
• Johns Hopkins University,
• LeadingEng,
• London South Bank University,
• Manufacturers Alliance,
• Microsoft,
• New Zealand Government,
• Oracle,
• TBS Switzerland,
• Torrens University Australia,
• U.S. National Park Service,
• U.S. Tennis Association,
• UC San Diego,
• UK Sports Institute,
• University of Galway Ireland,
• Virginia Tech,
• Warsaw University,
• Yale University,
• and many others.
Copyrights protect the intellectual property rights of creators, ensuring they receive recognition and compensation for their work, thus incentivizing creativity and innovation. Graffius is vigilant in upholding, protecting, and enforcing his copyrights and other IP rights.
Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Publication Uses Graffius’ Copyrighted Property Without Permission and Without Attribution, Violating Graffius' Intellectual Property Rights
Exhibit 2 is below. It shows pages 1, 54, 55, and 56 of the infringing publication.
As shown above, the infringing document is marked with:
The PDF file is named ‘QM_Handbook_FINAL_20220322.pdf.’
The infringing document is known to reside here and here.
The infringing document may reside at additional locations.
Exhibit 3 is below. It provides a view of characteristics and strategies content from Graffius’ 2019 copyrighted ‘Phases of Team Development’ property, contrasted with infringing corresponding content from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services’ 2022 ‘Quality Management Certification Handbook.’
Again, Graffius’ copyright ownership details and permission request information are integrated into and appear on his intellectual property.
Permission to use Graffius’ copyrighted property was not requested nor approved.
Nevertheless, Graffius’ copyrighted property was used in the infringing publication.
Comparing Graffius' copyrighted 'Phases of Team Development' intellectual property with the infringing document is reveals blatant infringement. As a supplement to the visual above, here are some examples, shown in-line:
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: ”Sticking to safe topics”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “stick to safe topics”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Taking the ‘lead’”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “taking the lead”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Providing clear expectations and consistent instructions”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “providing clear expectations and consistent instructions”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Competition
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “competition”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “High emotions”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “strong emotions”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Normalizing matters”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “normalizing”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Reconciliation”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “reconciliation”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Members are engaged & supportive”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “engaged and supportive of each other”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Relief, lowered anxiety”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “relief/lowered anxiety”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Developing cohesion”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “cohesion”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Recognizing individual and group efforts”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “recognizing individual and group efforts”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Providing learning opportunities and feedback”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “providing learning opportunities and feedback”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Monitoring the ‘energy’ of the group”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “monitoring the energy of the group”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Reconciliation”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “reconciliation”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Demonstrations of interdependence”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “demonstration of interdependence”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Ability to effectively produce as a team”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “ability to effectively produce as a team”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “’Guiding from the side’ (minimal intervention)”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “guiding from the side lines with minimal intervention”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Celebrating”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “celebrating”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Encouraging group decision-making & problem-solving”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “encouraging group decision-making and problem-solving”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Providing opportunities to share learning across teams”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: ”providing opportunities to share learning across teams”
Conclusion
Again, Graffius’ copyright ownership details and permission request information are integrated into and appear on his intellectual property.
Permission to use Graffius’ copyrighted property was not requested nor approved.
Nevertheless, the infringing Pennsylvania Department of Human Services publication used Graffius’ copyrighted property.
A significant volume of Graffius’ copyrighted property was used.
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services infringing publication did not attribute Graffius’ copyrighted property to Graffius. Accordingly, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services wrongly leads others to falsely believe that it is the author and owner of Graffius’ respective intellectual property.
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services blatantly violated Graffius’ intellectual property rights.
Copyright infringement is disgraceful, unprofessional, unethical, immoral, and illegal.
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services’ infringement damaged the marketability and value of Graffius’ intellectual property.
For the aforementioned reasons, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services’ use of Graffius’ copyrighted property was not ‘fair use’ nor otherwise allowed.
So long as the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services’ infringing publication exists anywhere, in any form, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services continues to spread misinformation and violate Graffius’ intellectual property rights.
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services must immediately implement the following three (3) actions regarding their infringing publication—and any other documents or materials containing infringing content:
Copyrights and other intellectual property rights are essential because they safeguard the works of creators, allowing them to benefit from their efforts, which in turn fosters creativity and innovation. Graffius vigorously maintains, enforces, and protects his copyright and other intellectual property rights.
This troubling and consequential case is open.
If there's an update after this article is published, the information will appear in the Post-Publication Notes section.
Read on to learn:
About Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States.
It’s the fifth-most populous state, with over 13 million residents as of the 2020 U.S. census.
About Scott M. Graffius
Scott M. Graffius is a global leader in agile project management, an expert on teamwork tradecraft, an authority on temporal dynamics on social media platforms, a creator, a consultant, a trainer, an award-winning author, and an international public speaker.
See his bio to learn more.
About Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions
Shifting customer needs are common in today's marketplace. Businesses must be adaptive and responsive to change while delivering an exceptional customer experience to be competitive.
There are a variety of frameworks supporting the development of products and services, and most approaches fall into one of two broad categories: traditional or agile. Traditional practices such as waterfall engage sequential development, while agile involves iterative and incremental deliverables. Organizations are increasingly embracing agile to manage projects, and best meet their business needs of rapid response to change, fast delivery speed, and more.
With clear and easy to follow step-by-step instructions, Scott M. Graffius's award-winning Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions helps the reader:
Hailed by Literary Titan as “the book highlights the versatility of Scrum beautifully.”
Winner of 17 first place awards.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is available in paperback and ebook/Kindle in the United States and around the world. Some links by country follow.
About Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change
Thriving in today's marketplace frequently depends on making a transformation to become more agile. Those successful in the transition enjoy faster delivery speed and ROI, higher satisfaction, continuous improvement, and additional benefits.
Based on actual events, Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change provides a quick (60-90 minute) read about a successful agile transformation at a multinational entertainment and media company, told from the author's perspective as an agile coach.
The award-winning book by Scott M. Graffius is available in paperback and ebook/Kindle in the United States and around the world. Some links by country follow.
References/Sources
The following is a list of material on publishing standards and procedures. Some cover the reporting and handling of copyright infringement.
How to Cite This Article
Graffius, Scott M. (2024, October 21). Pennsylvania State Agency Used Scott M. Graffius' Intellectual Property. Available at: https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/pa-state-agency-2024.html. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.29391.09120.
Post-Publication Notes
If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication (21 October 2024), they will appear here.
Update on 25 October 2024
Graffius emailed the details of the violation—as delineated in this article—to multiple people with Pennsylvania's Department of Human Services. That email was titled "Notice to Pennsylvania Department of Human Services on the unauthorized and unattributed use of Scott M. Graffius' intellectual property; copyright infringement, damages."
Update on 26 October 2024
Additionally, Graffius forwarded the email referenced above to Valerie A. Arkoosh. She is the head of Pennsylvania's Department of Human Services.
Update on 28 October 2024
To date, Pennsylvania's Department of Human Services has not addressed nor resolved their violation. Accordingly, it knowingly and willfully continues to spread misinformation and violate Graffius’ intellectual property rights.
Update on 6 November 2024
To date, the agency has failed to remove their infringing publication (or even respond). Accordingly, it knowingly and willfully continues to spread misinformation and violate Graffius’ intellectual property rights.
Any further updates on this consequential matter will appear here.
Update on 7 November 2024
Among other actions, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services must immediately remove their infringing publication from all platforms/channels/distributions. The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services continues to serve their infringing publication at https://palms-awss3-repository.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Shared_Content/Quality+Management/2022+Certification/QM_Handbook_FINAL_20220322.pdf. Graffius included that link along with other details in his initial email to the agency, titled "Notice to Pennsylvania Department of Human Services on the unauthorized and unattributed use of Scott M. Graffius' intellectual property; copyright infringement, damages." Graffius specified the locations known to him; the agency may be serving their infringing publication at additional locations; the agency is responsible for everywhere they published their infringing publication.
By still serving its infringing publication, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services continues to knowingly and willfully spread misinformation and violate Graffius' intellectual property rights.
Any further updates on this consequential matter will appear here.
Update on 14 November 2024
As noted in the article, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services was serving its infringing publication (PDF with file name 'QM_Handbook_FINAL_20220322.pdf') at multiple locations. The two locations known to Graffius were here and here. However, there may be additional locations.
The agency disabled access to their infringing publication at the first location known to Graffius - https://palms-awss3-repository.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Shared_Content/Quality+Management/2022+Certification/QM_Handbook_FINAL_20220322.pdf. Going to that link now displays an error page. A screen shot is below.
The agency replaced their infringing publication with a different publication at the second location known to Graffius - https://www.myodp.org/course/view.php?id=1795.
Again, the Pennsylvania state agency blatantly violated Graffius' copyright, damaging the marketability and value of his intellectual property. Copyright infringement is so serious that it is a Federal crime.
Graffius reserves his rights. If Graffius opts to take legal action against the Pennsylvania state agency for their violation of his copyright, the Federal case will include the greater of statutory damages or actual damages, special charges for willful infringement (which has been clarified by the courts to be either "intentional behavior" or merely "reckless behavior"), and additional costs.
Further updates, if any, will appear here.
๏ฟผ
Content Acknowledgements
This article uses limited excerpts from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services’ content, attributed to the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services and used under fair use for news reporting and analysis. Pennsylvania Department of Human Services’ content (excerpt for what was stolen from others) is the property of the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services.
Graffius’ ‘Phases of Team Development’ is copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. Visit ScottGraffius.com.
Copyright
Copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.
Content on this site—including text, images, videos, and data—may not be used for training or input into any artificial intelligence, machine learning, or automatized learning systems, or published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
If there's an update after this article is published, the information will appear in the Post-Publication Notes section.
Introduction
A whistleblower/tip informed Scott M. Graffius that a Pennsylvania state agency is using his copyrighted property without credit. After Graffius received the details, he confirmed that the report was valid. Based on the indisputable facts, the bad acts involve the ethical issue of plagiarism and the legal issue of copyright infringement. The Pennsylvania state agency's use of Graffius' intellectual property was not ‘fair use’ nor otherwise allowed.
Graffius vigorously maintains, enforces, and protects his copyright and other intellectual property rights. This article serves as a clarion call for the Pennsylvania state agency to face the repercussions of, and take responsibility for, their blatant and damaging violation.
Background
Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 100 subsequent studies, and Scott M. Graffius' first-hand professional experience with, and analysis of, team leadership and performance, Graffius created his ‘Phases of Team Development’ as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development — Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning — inclusive of a graph showing how performance varies by phase, as well as the characteristics and strategies for each phase.
Graffius' intellectual property (IP) is registered with the United States Copyright Office.
Graffius initially developed his ‘Phases of Team Development’ unique material in 2008, and he periodically refreshes it.
For reference, the visual from the edition applicable to this case (v2019) [Exhibit 1] is shown below. It is also available here and other locations. The integrated text applies.
As shown above, Graffius’ copyright ownership details are integrated into and appear on his copyrighted property. Specifically, it reads: “Copyright © 2008-2019 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. For permission requests, contact scott@scottgraffius.com.”
Organizations around the world engage Graffius to deliver compelling talks and workshops. To date, he's presented sessions at 91 conferences and other events across 25 countries, including:
- Armenia,
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- Czech Republic,
- Finland,
- France,
- Germany,
- Greece,
- Hong Kong,
- Hungary,
- India,
- Ireland,
- Lithuania,
- Luxembourg,
- Nepal,
- Netherlands,
- New Zealand,
- Norway,
- Romania,
- Sweden,
- Switzerland,
- United Arab Emirates,
- United Kingdom,
- and the United States.
Graffius ‘Phases of Team Development’ IP is central and key to many of those sessions. His rate card and a listing of his engagements are here and here, respectively.
With an authorization/license from Graffius, his ‘Phases of Team Development’ IP is featured and used by businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities around the world. Examples include:
• Adobe,
• American Management Association,
• Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
• Bayer,
• Boston University,
• Broadcom,
• Cisco,
• Deimos Aerospace,
• DevOps Institute,
• Ford Motor Company,
• Hasso Plattner Institute,
• IEEE,
• Johns Hopkins University,
• LeadingEng,
• London South Bank University,
• Manufacturers Alliance,
• Microsoft,
• New Zealand Government,
• Oracle,
• TBS Switzerland,
• Torrens University Australia,
• U.S. National Park Service,
• U.S. Tennis Association,
• UC San Diego,
• UK Sports Institute,
• University of Galway Ireland,
• Virginia Tech,
• Warsaw University,
• Yale University,
• and many others.
Copyrights protect the intellectual property rights of creators, ensuring they receive recognition and compensation for their work, thus incentivizing creativity and innovation. Graffius is vigilant in upholding, protecting, and enforcing his copyrights and other IP rights.
Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Publication Uses Graffius’ Copyrighted Property Without Permission and Without Attribution, Violating Graffius' Intellectual Property Rights
Exhibit 2 is below. It shows pages 1, 54, 55, and 56 of the infringing publication.
As shown above, the infringing document is marked with:
- “Pennsylvania”
- “Department of Human Services”
- “Office of Developmental Programs”
- “Quality Management Certification Handbook”
The PDF file is named ‘QM_Handbook_FINAL_20220322.pdf.’
The infringing document is known to reside here and here.
The infringing document may reside at additional locations.
Exhibit 3 is below. It provides a view of characteristics and strategies content from Graffius’ 2019 copyrighted ‘Phases of Team Development’ property, contrasted with infringing corresponding content from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services’ 2022 ‘Quality Management Certification Handbook.’
Again, Graffius’ copyright ownership details and permission request information are integrated into and appear on his intellectual property.
Permission to use Graffius’ copyrighted property was not requested nor approved.
Nevertheless, Graffius’ copyrighted property was used in the infringing publication.
Comparing Graffius' copyrighted 'Phases of Team Development' intellectual property with the infringing document is reveals blatant infringement. As a supplement to the visual above, here are some examples, shown in-line:
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: ”Sticking to safe topics”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “stick to safe topics”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Taking the ‘lead’”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “taking the lead”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Providing clear expectations and consistent instructions”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “providing clear expectations and consistent instructions”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Competition
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “competition”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “High emotions”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “strong emotions”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Normalizing matters”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “normalizing”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Reconciliation”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “reconciliation”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Members are engaged & supportive”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “engaged and supportive of each other”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Relief, lowered anxiety”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “relief/lowered anxiety”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Developing cohesion”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “cohesion”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Recognizing individual and group efforts”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “recognizing individual and group efforts”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Providing learning opportunities and feedback”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “providing learning opportunities and feedback”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Monitoring the ‘energy’ of the group”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “monitoring the energy of the group”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Reconciliation”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “reconciliation”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Demonstrations of interdependence”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “demonstration of interdependence”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Ability to effectively produce as a team”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “ability to effectively produce as a team”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “’Guiding from the side’ (minimal intervention)”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “guiding from the side lines with minimal intervention”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Celebrating”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “celebrating”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Encouraging group decision-making & problem-solving”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: “encouraging group decision-making and problem-solving”
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 property includes: “Providing opportunities to share learning across teams”
๐ด The infringing 2022 publication includes this: ”providing opportunities to share learning across teams”
Conclusion
Again, Graffius’ copyright ownership details and permission request information are integrated into and appear on his intellectual property.
Permission to use Graffius’ copyrighted property was not requested nor approved.
Nevertheless, the infringing Pennsylvania Department of Human Services publication used Graffius’ copyrighted property.
A significant volume of Graffius’ copyrighted property was used.
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services infringing publication did not attribute Graffius’ copyrighted property to Graffius. Accordingly, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services wrongly leads others to falsely believe that it is the author and owner of Graffius’ respective intellectual property.
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services blatantly violated Graffius’ intellectual property rights.
Copyright infringement is disgraceful, unprofessional, unethical, immoral, and illegal.
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services’ infringement damaged the marketability and value of Graffius’ intellectual property.
For the aforementioned reasons, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services’ use of Graffius’ copyrighted property was not ‘fair use’ nor otherwise allowed.
So long as the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services’ infringing publication exists anywhere, in any form, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services continues to spread misinformation and violate Graffius’ intellectual property rights.
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services must immediately implement the following three (3) actions regarding their infringing publication—and any other documents or materials containing infringing content:
- Remove the Infringing Material. Electronic Versions: Immediately remove the infringing publication from all digital platforms where it is advertised, promoted, sold, or distributed; this includes removing or disabling any online access to it. Physical Copies: If physical copies of the material are in inventory or circulation, stop further distribution; recall any copies already distributed; destroy all physical copies.
- Issue a Retraction. Publish a formal retraction notice acknowledging the infringement and the steps taken to rectify the situation. The notice will present the facts as they are—the notice will not "spin" or "downplay" the infringement.
- Notify Relevant Parties. Recipients: Inform the respective subscribers, purchasers, users, or other recipients of the material about the retraction, ensuring transparency about the issue; again, the notice will present the facts as they are—the notice will not "spin" or "downplay" the infringement. Indexes and Databases: Notify any databases or indexing services that list the material so they can update their records accordingly.
Copyrights and other intellectual property rights are essential because they safeguard the works of creators, allowing them to benefit from their efforts, which in turn fosters creativity and innovation. Graffius vigorously maintains, enforces, and protects his copyright and other intellectual property rights.
This troubling and consequential case is open.
If there's an update after this article is published, the information will appear in the Post-Publication Notes section.
Read on to learn:
- About Pennsylvania,
- About Scott M. Graffius,
- References/Sources,
- How to Cite This Article,
- Post-Publication Notes,
- and more.
About Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States.
It’s the fifth-most populous state, with over 13 million residents as of the 2020 U.S. census.
About Scott M. Graffius
Scott M. Graffius is a global leader in agile project management, an expert on teamwork tradecraft, an authority on temporal dynamics on social media platforms, a creator, a consultant, a trainer, an award-winning author, and an international public speaker.
See his bio to learn more.
About Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions
Shifting customer needs are common in today's marketplace. Businesses must be adaptive and responsive to change while delivering an exceptional customer experience to be competitive.
There are a variety of frameworks supporting the development of products and services, and most approaches fall into one of two broad categories: traditional or agile. Traditional practices such as waterfall engage sequential development, while agile involves iterative and incremental deliverables. Organizations are increasingly embracing agile to manage projects, and best meet their business needs of rapid response to change, fast delivery speed, and more.
With clear and easy to follow step-by-step instructions, Scott M. Graffius's award-winning Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions helps the reader:
- Implement and use the most popular agile frameworkโScrum;
- Deliver products in short cycles with rapid adaptation to change, fast time-to-market, and continuous improvement; and
- Support innovation and drive competitive advantage.
Hailed by Literary Titan as “the book highlights the versatility of Scrum beautifully.”
Winner of 17 first place awards.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is available in paperback and ebook/Kindle in the United States and around the world. Some links by country follow.
- ๐ง๐ท Brazil
- ๐จ๐ฆ Canada
- ๐จ๐ฟ Czech Republic
- ๐ฉ๐ฐ Denmark
- ๐ซ๐ฎ Finland
- ๐ซ๐ท France
- ๐ฉ๐ช Germany
- ๐ฌ๐ท Greece
- ๐ญ๐บ Hungary
- ๐ฎ๐ณ India
- ๐ฎ๐ช Ireland
- ๐ฎ๐ฑ Israel
- ๐ฎ๐น Italy
- ๐ฏ๐ต Japan
- ๐ฑ๐บ Luxembourg
- ๐ฒ๐ฝ Mexico
- ๐ณ๐ฑ Netherlands
- ๐ณ๐ฟ New Zealand
- ๐ณ๐ด Norway
- ๐ช๐ธ Spain
- ๐ธ๐ช Sweden
- ๐จ๐ญ Switzerland
- ๐ฆ๐ช UAE
- ๐ฌ๐ง United Kingdom
- ๐บ๐ธ United States
- ๐ More countries
About Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change
Thriving in today's marketplace frequently depends on making a transformation to become more agile. Those successful in the transition enjoy faster delivery speed and ROI, higher satisfaction, continuous improvement, and additional benefits.
Based on actual events, Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change provides a quick (60-90 minute) read about a successful agile transformation at a multinational entertainment and media company, told from the author's perspective as an agile coach.
The award-winning book by Scott M. Graffius is available in paperback and ebook/Kindle in the United States and around the world. Some links by country follow.
- ๐ฆ๐บ Australia
- ๐ฆ๐น Austria
- ๐ง๐ท Brazil
- ๐จ๐ฆ Canada
- ๐จ๐ฟ Czech Republic
- ๐ฉ๐ฐ Denmark
- ๐ซ๐ฎ Finland
- ๐ซ๐ท France
- ๐ฉ๐ช Germany
- ๐ฌ๐ท Greece
- ๐ฎ๐ณ India
- ๐ฎ๐ช Ireland
- ๐ฏ๐ต Japan
- ๐ฑ๐บ Luxembourg
- ๐ฒ๐ฝ Mexico
- ๐ณ๐ฑ Netherlands
- ๐ณ๐ฟ New Zealand
- ๐ช๐ธ Spain
- ๐ธ๐ช Sweden
- ๐จ๐ญ Switzerland
- ๐ฆ๐ช United Arab Emirates
- ๐ฌ๐ง United Kingdom
- ๐บ๐ธ United States
- ๐ More countries
References/Sources
The following is a list of material on publishing standards and procedures. Some cover the reporting and handling of copyright infringement.
- Alter, Alexandra (2019, September 22). It’s a Fact: Mistakes are Embarrassing the Publishing Industry. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/22/business/publishing-books-errors.html.
- American Psychological Association (2019, November). Correction Notices. Available at: https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/research-publication/correction-notices.
- Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) (2018, November 15). ACM Publications Policy on the Withdrawal, Correction, Retraction, and Removal of Works from ACM Publications and ACM DL. Available at: https://www.acm.org/publications/policies/retraction-policy.
- Cambridge University Press (n.d.). Publishing Ethics. Available at: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/flow/information/journal-policies/publishing-ethics.
- Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) (n.d.). Post-Publication Discussions and Corrections. Available at: https://publicationethics.org/postpublication.
- Elsevier (n.d.). Policy and Best practice: Errata & Corrigenda. Available at: https://www.elsevier.com/editor/perk/policy-and-best-practice-errata-and-corrigenda.
- Emerald Publishing (n.d.). Article Withdrawal & Correction. Available at: https://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/publish-with-us/author-policies/article-withdrawal-correction.
- Faust, Jessica (2007, October 3). Typos and Errors After Publication. Available at: https://bookendsliterary.com/typos-and-errors-after-publication.
- Graffius, Scott M. (2024, March 22). The Protocol for Reporting an Error to an Author or Publisher. Available at: https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/error-reporting.html. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.18830.98883.
- Graffius, Scott M. (2021, November 10). An Error Was Introduced Into the Seventh Edition of 'A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK)'. Available at: https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/pmbok7.html.
- Idunn (n.d.). Publishing and Research Ethics Policy. Available at: https://www.idunn.no/info/publiseringsetikk.
- IEEE (n.d.). Publishing Ethics: Guidelines and Policies: Post-Publication Policies. Available at: https://books.ieeeauthorcenter.ieee.org/book-publishing-at-ieee/publishing-ethics/guidelines-and-policies/post-publication-policies.
- Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) (n.d.). Guidelines for Ethical Behavior in Publishing. Available at: https://pubsonline.informs.org/page/opre/guidelines-for-ethical-behavior-in-publishing.
- IntechOpen (n.d.). Retraction and Correction Policy. Available at: https://www.intechopen.com/page/retraction-and-correction-policy.
- Marasoviฤ, Tea; Utrobiฤiฤ, Ana; and Maruลiฤ, Ana (2018, March 31). Transparency of Retracting and Replacing Articles. The Lancet, 391 (10127): 1244-1245.
- Nature (n.d.). Editorial and Publishing Policies. Available at: https://www.nature.com/srep/journal-policies/editorial-policies.
- O’Reilly Media (n.d.). Errata for Java in a Nutshell. Available at: https://www.oreilly.com/catalog/errata.csp?isbn=0636920030775.
- Palgrave Macmillan (n.d.). Corrections and Retractions. Available at: https://www.palgrave.com/gp/editorial-policies/corrections-and-retractions.
- Pearson Education / InformIT (n.d.). Contact Us: Submit Errata. Available at: https://www.informit.com/about/contact_us/index.aspx?ContactUs_Topics_Partners_id=9d39709c-c911-4c96-ac2c-2c5a22d68ba9.
- Project Management Institute (PMI) (n.d.). PMI Standards Program Comment Form. Available at: https://www.pmi.org/-/media/pmi/documents/public/pdf/pmbok-standards/pmi-standards-program-comment-form.pdf.
- Project Management Institute (PMI) (n.d.). Standards Errata Sheets. Available at: https://www.pmi.org/pmbok-guide-standards/foundational/pmbok/errata-sheets.
- Public Library of Science (PLOS) (n.d.). Corrections, Expressions of Concern, and Retractions. Available at: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/s/corrections-and-retractions.
- SAE International (n.d.). ARINC Standard – Errata Report Template. Available at: https://wcm14.sae.org/site/binaries/content/assets/itc/content/arinc/errata-form.docx [note: selecting the link will download the file].
- Sage Publications (n.d.). Sage Corrections and Retractions Policy. Available at: https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/sage-corrections-and-retractions-policy.
- Science Publishing Group (n.d.). Ethical Guidelines. Available at: https://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/information/ethical-guidelines.
- Springer (n.d.). Editorial Policies: Corrections and Retractions. Available at: https://www.springer.com/gp/editorial-policies/corrections-and-retractions.
- Taylor & Francis (n.d.). Publishing Ethics for Journal Editors: FAQs. Available at: https://editorresources.taylorandfrancis.com/publishing-ethics-for-editors/publishing-ethics-faqs.
- Ubiquity Press (n.d.). Correction and Retraction Policy. Available at: https://ubiquitypress.com/site/corrections.
- Warner, Brooke (2019, April 26). How to Publish a Perfect Book. Available at: https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/authors/pw-select/article/79902-how-to-publish-a-perfect-book.html.
- Wiley (n.d.). Best Practice Guidelines on Research Integrity and Publishing Ethics. Available at: https://authorservices.wiley.com/ethics-guidelines/index.html.
- Wiley Author Services (n.d.). Wiley's Policy for Handling Retractions, Withdrawals, and Expressions of Concern. Available at: https://authorservices.wiley.com/ethics-guidelines/retractions-and-expressions-of-concern.html.
- World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) (n.d.). Managing Intellectual Property in the Book Publishing Industry. Available at: https://www.wipo.int/edocs/pubdocs/en/copyright/868/wipo_pub_868.pdf.
How to Cite This Article
Graffius, Scott M. (2024, October 21). Pennsylvania State Agency Used Scott M. Graffius' Intellectual Property. Available at: https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/pa-state-agency-2024.html. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.29391.09120.
Post-Publication Notes
If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication (21 October 2024), they will appear here.
Update on 25 October 2024
Graffius emailed the details of the violation—as delineated in this article—to multiple people with Pennsylvania's Department of Human Services. That email was titled "Notice to Pennsylvania Department of Human Services on the unauthorized and unattributed use of Scott M. Graffius' intellectual property; copyright infringement, damages."
Update on 26 October 2024
Additionally, Graffius forwarded the email referenced above to Valerie A. Arkoosh. She is the head of Pennsylvania's Department of Human Services.
Update on 28 October 2024
To date, Pennsylvania's Department of Human Services has not addressed nor resolved their violation. Accordingly, it knowingly and willfully continues to spread misinformation and violate Graffius’ intellectual property rights.
Update on 6 November 2024
To date, the agency has failed to remove their infringing publication (or even respond). Accordingly, it knowingly and willfully continues to spread misinformation and violate Graffius’ intellectual property rights.
Any further updates on this consequential matter will appear here.
Update on 7 November 2024
Among other actions, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services must immediately remove their infringing publication from all platforms/channels/distributions. The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services continues to serve their infringing publication at https://palms-awss3-repository.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Shared_Content/Quality+Management/2022+Certification/QM_Handbook_FINAL_20220322.pdf. Graffius included that link along with other details in his initial email to the agency, titled "Notice to Pennsylvania Department of Human Services on the unauthorized and unattributed use of Scott M. Graffius' intellectual property; copyright infringement, damages." Graffius specified the locations known to him; the agency may be serving their infringing publication at additional locations; the agency is responsible for everywhere they published their infringing publication.
By still serving its infringing publication, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services continues to knowingly and willfully spread misinformation and violate Graffius' intellectual property rights.
Any further updates on this consequential matter will appear here.
Update on 14 November 2024
As noted in the article, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services was serving its infringing publication (PDF with file name 'QM_Handbook_FINAL_20220322.pdf') at multiple locations. The two locations known to Graffius were here and here. However, there may be additional locations.
The agency disabled access to their infringing publication at the first location known to Graffius - https://palms-awss3-repository.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Shared_Content/Quality+Management/2022+Certification/QM_Handbook_FINAL_20220322.pdf. Going to that link now displays an error page. A screen shot is below.
The agency replaced their infringing publication with a different publication at the second location known to Graffius - https://www.myodp.org/course/view.php?id=1795.
Again, the Pennsylvania state agency blatantly violated Graffius' copyright, damaging the marketability and value of his intellectual property. Copyright infringement is so serious that it is a Federal crime.
Graffius reserves his rights. If Graffius opts to take legal action against the Pennsylvania state agency for their violation of his copyright, the Federal case will include the greater of statutory damages or actual damages, special charges for willful infringement (which has been clarified by the courts to be either "intentional behavior" or merely "reckless behavior"), and additional costs.
Further updates, if any, will appear here.
๏ฟผ
Content Acknowledgements
This article uses limited excerpts from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services’ content, attributed to the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services and used under fair use for news reporting and analysis. Pennsylvania Department of Human Services’ content (excerpt for what was stolen from others) is the property of the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services.
Graffius’ ‘Phases of Team Development’ is copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. Visit ScottGraffius.com.
Copyright
Copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.
Content on this site—including text, images, videos, and data—may not be used for training or input into any artificial intelligence, machine learning, or automatized learning systems, or published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Toastmasters Used Scott M. Graffius' Copyrighted Property Word-for-Word in Their Publication Without Authorization or Attribution
23 October 2023
BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com
Introduction
Toastmasters used—without authorization or attribution—Scott M. Graffius’ copyrighted property in their publication. Based on the indisputable facts, Toastmasters’ bad acts involve the ethical issue of plagiarism and the legal issue of copyright infringement.
Graffius maintains, enforces, and protects his copyright and other intellectual property rights. This article serves as a clarion call for Toastmasters to face the repercussions of, and take responsibility for, their blatant and damaging violation.
Background
Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman, Ph.D., and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 100 subsequent studies, and Scott M. Graffius’ first-hand professional experience with, and analysis of, team leadership and performance, Graffius created his ‘Phases of Team Development.’ It’s a unique perspective on the five phases of team development—Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning—and it’s inclusive of the characteristics/features/traits and strategies for each phase.
Graffius’ ‘Phases of Team Development’ intellectual property is registered with the United States Copyright Office.
Graffius initially developed his intellectual property in 2008, and he periodically refreshes it. For reference, an authorized example of his copyrighted property applicable in this case (2021 edition) is here: https://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.22040.42246 . It is shown below as well (as Exhibit 1).
As shown above, Graffius’ copyright ownership details are integrated into and appear on his copyrighted property. Specifically, it reads: “Copyright © 2008-2021 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. For permission requests, contact scott@scottgraffius.com.”
Conference organizers, businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities around the world engage Graffius to deliver compelling talks and workshops. Examples are here.
Graffius’ ‘Phases of Team Development’ intellectual property is central and key to many of those sessions. Details including his rate card, a listing of his engagements, and more are here.
With an authorization/license from Graffius, many organizations around the world have featured and used his copyrighted ‘Phases of Team Development’ work. Select examples include Yale University, Adobe, IEEE, Microsoft, UK Sports Institute, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, American Management Association, and many others.
Copyrights protect the intellectual property rights of creators, ensuring they receive recognition and compensation for their work, thus incentivizing creativity and innovation. Graffius is vigilant in upholding, protecting, and enforcing his copyrights and other IP rights.
Toastmasters Used Scott M. Graffius' Copyrighted Property Word-for-Word in Their Publication Without Authorization or Attribution, Violating Graffius’ Intellectual Property Rights
Toastmasters infringing 2022 publication is marked with:
- “Toastmasters International”
- “Area Director Handbook”
- “2022”
- “Guide to a successful year as Area Director”
- “District 101”
Exhibit 2 is below. It shows pages 2, 19, 20, and 21 from the infringing 2022 publication.
Further details follow.
Again, Graffius’ copyright ownership details and permission request information are integrated into and appear on his intellectual property.
Toastmasters did not request nor receive permission to use Graffius’ copyrighted property.
Nevertheless, Toastmasters used Graffius’ 4 January 2021 copyrighted property in their 2022 publication.
Comparing Graffius' copyrighted 4 January 2021 'Phases of Team Development' intellectual property what Toastmasters has in its 2022 publication is reveals Toastmasters’ blatant infringement.
Exhibit 3 is below. It shows Toastmasters extensive—including word-for-word—use of Graffius’ copyrighted property on the characteristics and strategies for the Forming stage of team development.
Exhibit 4 is below. It shows Toastmasters extensive—including word-for-word—use of Graffius’ copyrighted property on the characteristics and strategies for the Storming stage of team development.
Exhibit 5 is below. It shows Toastmasters extensive—including word-for-word—use of Graffius’ copyrighted property on the characteristics and strategies for the Norming stage of team development.
Exhibit 6 is below. It shows Toastmasters extensive—including word-for-word—use of Graffius’ copyrighted property on the characteristics and strategies for the Performing stage of team development.
Exhibit 7 is below. It shows Toastmasters extensive—including word-for-word—use of Graffius’ copyrighted property on the characteristics and strategies for the Adjourning stage of team development.
Further, Toastmasters did not attribute their use of Graffius’ copyrighted property to Graffius. Accordingly, Toastmasters is wrongly leading others to falsely believe that they (or others) are the author and owner of Graffius’ respective copyrighted property.
Conclusion
Again, Graffius’ copyright ownership details and permission request information are integrated into and appear on his intellectual property.
Toastmasters did not request nor receive permission to use Graffius’ copyrighted property.
Nevertheless, Toastmasters used Graffius’ 4 January 2021 copyrighted property in their 2022 infringing publication.
Toastmasters used a significant volume of Graffius’ copyrighted property.
Toastmasters’ infringement included extensive word-for-word use of Graffius’ copyrighted property.
Toastmasters did not attribute their use of Graffius’ copyrighted property to Graffius. Accordingly, Toastmasters is wrongly leading others to falsely believe that they (or others) are the author and owner of Graffius’ respective copyrighted content.
Toastmasters damaged the marketability and value of Graffius’ copyrighted property.
For the aforementioned reasons, Toastmasters’ use of Graffius’ copyrighted property was not ‘fair use’ nor otherwise allowed.
Additionally, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), 17 U.S. Code § 1202, addresses the integrity of copyright management information. It specifies that that removal of copyright information from another’s intellectual property is a crime. That’s for all cases, including educational/non-commercial use. As shown by comparing Graffius' copyrighted property (Exhibit 1) and with page 19 of Toastmasters infringing publication (shown in Exhibit 2), Toastmasters cropped-out or otherwise removed Graffius’ copyright information. That alone makes Toastmasters' actions not ‘fair use’ and a crime.
Toastmasters’ actions in this matter are a disgraceful breach of professional ethics, moral standards, and Graffius’ intellectual property rights.
So long as the infringing publication exists in any form, Toastmasters knowingly and willfully continues to spread misinformation and violate Graffius’ intellectual property rights.
Toastmasters must immediately implement the following three (3) actions:
Graffius maintains, enforces, and protects his copyright and other intellectual property rights. He reserves his rights in this damaging, disturbing, and consequential matter.
This article serves as a clarion call for Toastmasters to face the repercussions of, and take responsibility for, their blatant and damaging violation.
This case is open.
About Scott M. Graffius
Scott M. Graffius is a global leader in agile project management, an expert on teamwork tradecraft, an authority on temporal dynamics on social media platforms, a creator, a consultant, a trainer, an award-winning author, and an international public speaker.
See his bio to learn more.
About Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions
Shifting customer needs are common in today's marketplace. Businesses must be adaptive and responsive to change while delivering an exceptional customer experience to be competitive.
There are a variety of frameworks supporting the development of products and services, and most approaches fall into one of two broad categories: traditional or agile. Traditional practices such as waterfall engage sequential development, while agile involves iterative and incremental deliverables. Organizations are increasingly embracing agile to manage projects, and best meet their business needs of rapid response to change, fast delivery speed, and more.
With clear and easy to follow step-by-step instructions, Scott M. Graffius's award-winning Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions helps the reader:
Hailed by Literary Titan as “the book highlights the versatility of Scrum beautifully.”
Winner of 17 first place awards.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is available in paperback and ebook/Kindle in the United States and around the world. Some links by country follow.
About Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change
Thriving in today's marketplace frequently depends on making a transformation to become more agile. Those successful in the transition enjoy faster delivery speed and ROI, higher satisfaction, continuous improvement, and additional benefits.
Based on actual events, Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change provides a quick (60-90 minute) read about a successful agile transformation at a multinational entertainment and media company, told from the author's perspective as an agile coach.
The award-winning book by Scott M. Graffius is available in paperback and ebook/Kindle in the United States and around the world. Some links by country follow.
How to Cite This Article
Graffius, Scott M. (2023, October 23). Toastmasters Used Scott M. Graffius' Copyrighted Property Word-for-Word in Their Publication Without Authorization or Attribution. Available at: https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/ti-23.html. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.18914.34240.
Post-Publication Notes
If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear here.
Content Acknowledgements
This article uses limited excerpts from Toastmasters International content, attributed to Toastmasters International and used under fair use for news reporting and analysis.
Toastmasters International name, mark, and content (except for what was stolen from others) are the property of Toastmasters International.
Graffius’ ‘Phases of Team Development’ is copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.
Copyright
Copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.
Content on this site—including text, images, videos, and data—may not be used for training or input into any artificial intelligence, machine learning, or automatized learning systems, or published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Introduction
Toastmasters used—without authorization or attribution—Scott M. Graffius’ copyrighted property in their publication. Based on the indisputable facts, Toastmasters’ bad acts involve the ethical issue of plagiarism and the legal issue of copyright infringement.
Graffius maintains, enforces, and protects his copyright and other intellectual property rights. This article serves as a clarion call for Toastmasters to face the repercussions of, and take responsibility for, their blatant and damaging violation.
Background
Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman, Ph.D., and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 100 subsequent studies, and Scott M. Graffius’ first-hand professional experience with, and analysis of, team leadership and performance, Graffius created his ‘Phases of Team Development.’ It’s a unique perspective on the five phases of team development—Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning—and it’s inclusive of the characteristics/features/traits and strategies for each phase.
Graffius’ ‘Phases of Team Development’ intellectual property is registered with the United States Copyright Office.
Graffius initially developed his intellectual property in 2008, and he periodically refreshes it. For reference, an authorized example of his copyrighted property applicable in this case (2021 edition) is here: https://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.22040.42246 . It is shown below as well (as Exhibit 1).
As shown above, Graffius’ copyright ownership details are integrated into and appear on his copyrighted property. Specifically, it reads: “Copyright © 2008-2021 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. For permission requests, contact scott@scottgraffius.com.”
Conference organizers, businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities around the world engage Graffius to deliver compelling talks and workshops. Examples are here.
Graffius’ ‘Phases of Team Development’ intellectual property is central and key to many of those sessions. Details including his rate card, a listing of his engagements, and more are here.
With an authorization/license from Graffius, many organizations around the world have featured and used his copyrighted ‘Phases of Team Development’ work. Select examples include Yale University, Adobe, IEEE, Microsoft, UK Sports Institute, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, American Management Association, and many others.
Copyrights protect the intellectual property rights of creators, ensuring they receive recognition and compensation for their work, thus incentivizing creativity and innovation. Graffius is vigilant in upholding, protecting, and enforcing his copyrights and other IP rights.
Toastmasters Used Scott M. Graffius' Copyrighted Property Word-for-Word in Their Publication Without Authorization or Attribution, Violating Graffius’ Intellectual Property Rights
Toastmasters infringing 2022 publication is marked with:
- “Toastmasters International”
- “Area Director Handbook”
- “2022”
- “Guide to a successful year as Area Director”
- “District 101”
Exhibit 2 is below. It shows pages 2, 19, 20, and 21 from the infringing 2022 publication.
Further details follow.
Again, Graffius’ copyright ownership details and permission request information are integrated into and appear on his intellectual property.
Toastmasters did not request nor receive permission to use Graffius’ copyrighted property.
Nevertheless, Toastmasters used Graffius’ 4 January 2021 copyrighted property in their 2022 publication.
Comparing Graffius' copyrighted 4 January 2021 'Phases of Team Development' intellectual property what Toastmasters has in its 2022 publication is reveals Toastmasters’ blatant infringement.
Exhibit 3 is below. It shows Toastmasters extensive—including word-for-word—use of Graffius’ copyrighted property on the characteristics and strategies for the Forming stage of team development.
Exhibit 4 is below. It shows Toastmasters extensive—including word-for-word—use of Graffius’ copyrighted property on the characteristics and strategies for the Storming stage of team development.
Exhibit 5 is below. It shows Toastmasters extensive—including word-for-word—use of Graffius’ copyrighted property on the characteristics and strategies for the Norming stage of team development.
Exhibit 6 is below. It shows Toastmasters extensive—including word-for-word—use of Graffius’ copyrighted property on the characteristics and strategies for the Performing stage of team development.
Exhibit 7 is below. It shows Toastmasters extensive—including word-for-word—use of Graffius’ copyrighted property on the characteristics and strategies for the Adjourning stage of team development.
Further, Toastmasters did not attribute their use of Graffius’ copyrighted property to Graffius. Accordingly, Toastmasters is wrongly leading others to falsely believe that they (or others) are the author and owner of Graffius’ respective copyrighted property.
Conclusion
Again, Graffius’ copyright ownership details and permission request information are integrated into and appear on his intellectual property.
Toastmasters did not request nor receive permission to use Graffius’ copyrighted property.
Nevertheless, Toastmasters used Graffius’ 4 January 2021 copyrighted property in their 2022 infringing publication.
Toastmasters used a significant volume of Graffius’ copyrighted property.
Toastmasters’ infringement included extensive word-for-word use of Graffius’ copyrighted property.
Toastmasters did not attribute their use of Graffius’ copyrighted property to Graffius. Accordingly, Toastmasters is wrongly leading others to falsely believe that they (or others) are the author and owner of Graffius’ respective copyrighted content.
Toastmasters damaged the marketability and value of Graffius’ copyrighted property.
For the aforementioned reasons, Toastmasters’ use of Graffius’ copyrighted property was not ‘fair use’ nor otherwise allowed.
Additionally, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), 17 U.S. Code § 1202, addresses the integrity of copyright management information. It specifies that that removal of copyright information from another’s intellectual property is a crime. That’s for all cases, including educational/non-commercial use. As shown by comparing Graffius' copyrighted property (Exhibit 1) and with page 19 of Toastmasters infringing publication (shown in Exhibit 2), Toastmasters cropped-out or otherwise removed Graffius’ copyright information. That alone makes Toastmasters' actions not ‘fair use’ and a crime.
Toastmasters’ actions in this matter are a disgraceful breach of professional ethics, moral standards, and Graffius’ intellectual property rights.
So long as the infringing publication exists in any form, Toastmasters knowingly and willfully continues to spread misinformation and violate Graffius’ intellectual property rights.
Toastmasters must immediately implement the following three (3) actions:
- Remove the Infringing Material. Electronic Versions: Immediately remove the infringing material from all digital platforms where it is advertised, promoted, sold, or distributed; this includes removing or disabling any online access to it. Physical Copies: If physical copies of the material are in inventory or circulation, stop further distribution; recall any copies already distributed; destroy (recycle) physical copies.
- Issue a Retraction. Publish a formal retraction notice acknowledging the infringement and the steps taken to rectify the situation. The notice will present the facts as they are—the notice will not "spin" or "downplay" the infringement.
- Notify Relevant Parties. Subscribers and Purchasers and other Recipients: Inform the respective subscribers, purchasers, or recipients of the material about the retraction, ensuring transparency about the issue; again, the notice will present the facts as they are—the notice will not "spin" or "downplay" the infringement. Indexes and Databases: Notify any databases or indexing services that list the material so they can update their records accordingly.
Graffius maintains, enforces, and protects his copyright and other intellectual property rights. He reserves his rights in this damaging, disturbing, and consequential matter.
This article serves as a clarion call for Toastmasters to face the repercussions of, and take responsibility for, their blatant and damaging violation.
This case is open.
About Scott M. Graffius
Scott M. Graffius is a global leader in agile project management, an expert on teamwork tradecraft, an authority on temporal dynamics on social media platforms, a creator, a consultant, a trainer, an award-winning author, and an international public speaker.
See his bio to learn more.
About Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions
Shifting customer needs are common in today's marketplace. Businesses must be adaptive and responsive to change while delivering an exceptional customer experience to be competitive.
There are a variety of frameworks supporting the development of products and services, and most approaches fall into one of two broad categories: traditional or agile. Traditional practices such as waterfall engage sequential development, while agile involves iterative and incremental deliverables. Organizations are increasingly embracing agile to manage projects, and best meet their business needs of rapid response to change, fast delivery speed, and more.
With clear and easy to follow step-by-step instructions, Scott M. Graffius's award-winning Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions helps the reader:
- Implement and use the most popular agile frameworkโScrum;
- Deliver products in short cycles with rapid adaptation to change, fast time-to-market, and continuous improvement; and
- Support innovation and drive competitive advantage.
Hailed by Literary Titan as “the book highlights the versatility of Scrum beautifully.”
Winner of 17 first place awards.
Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions is available in paperback and ebook/Kindle in the United States and around the world. Some links by country follow.
- ๐ง๐ท Brazil
- ๐จ๐ฆ Canada
- ๐จ๐ฟ Czech Republic
- ๐ฉ๐ฐ Denmark
- ๐ซ๐ฎ Finland
- ๐ซ๐ท France
- ๐ฉ๐ช Germany
- ๐ฌ๐ท Greece
- ๐ญ๐บ Hungary
- ๐ฎ๐ณ India
- ๐ฎ๐ช Ireland
- ๐ฎ๐ฑ Israel
- ๐ฎ๐น Italy
- ๐ฏ๐ต Japan
- ๐ฑ๐บ Luxembourg
- ๐ฒ๐ฝ Mexico
- ๐ณ๐ฑ Netherlands
- ๐ณ๐ฟ New Zealand
- ๐ณ๐ด Norway
- ๐ช๐ธ Spain
- ๐ธ๐ช Sweden
- ๐จ๐ญ Switzerland
- ๐ฆ๐ช UAE
- ๐ฌ๐ง United Kingdom
- ๐บ๐ธ United States
- ๐ More countries
About Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change
Thriving in today's marketplace frequently depends on making a transformation to become more agile. Those successful in the transition enjoy faster delivery speed and ROI, higher satisfaction, continuous improvement, and additional benefits.
Based on actual events, Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change provides a quick (60-90 minute) read about a successful agile transformation at a multinational entertainment and media company, told from the author's perspective as an agile coach.
The award-winning book by Scott M. Graffius is available in paperback and ebook/Kindle in the United States and around the world. Some links by country follow.
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How to Cite This Article
Graffius, Scott M. (2023, October 23). Toastmasters Used Scott M. Graffius' Copyrighted Property Word-for-Word in Their Publication Without Authorization or Attribution. Available at: https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/ti-23.html. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.18914.34240.
Post-Publication Notes
If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear here.
Content Acknowledgements
This article uses limited excerpts from Toastmasters International content, attributed to Toastmasters International and used under fair use for news reporting and analysis.
Toastmasters International name, mark, and content (except for what was stolen from others) are the property of Toastmasters International.
Graffius’ ‘Phases of Team Development’ is copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.
Copyright
Copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.
Content on this site—including text, images, videos, and data—may not be used for training or input into any artificial intelligence, machine learning, or automatized learning systems, or published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
IPA / ADAL Publication Plagiarized Another’s Copyrighted Work and Violated Intellectual Property Rights
25 June 2026
BY SCOTT M. GRAFFIUS | ScottGraffius.com
Recommended Citation
Graffius, S. M. (2026, June 25). IPA / ADAL Publication Plagiarized Another’s Copyrighted Work and Violated Intellectual Property Rights. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/ipa-adal-plagiarized-and-violated-intellectual-property.html
About This Article
If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear in the Post-Publication Notes section at the end of this piece.
The Institute of Public Administration (IPA) is one of Saudi Arabia's oldest and most influential government institutions. Established by Royal Decree in 1961, it serves as the Kingdom's principal institution for developing the capabilities of public-sector employees, conducting administrative research, and advising government entities. Today, its work is closely aligned with Saudi Vision 2030 and includes leadership development through the IPA's Academy for Developing Administrative Leaders (ADAL), executive education, consulting, research, and organizational transformation. Integrity and ethics are explicit themes.
The IPA/ADAL emphasizes integrity and ethical leadership. However, IPA/ADAL’s 2024 publication, "Leading Talent and Developing Teams - Session 2 - Teams Life Cycle," plagiarized Scott M. Graffius' copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" property and violated his intellectual property rights. IPA/ADAL's conduct contradicts its own principles. Their violation is disgraceful, unprofessional, unethical, immoral, and unlawful.
This case is not yet resolved.
Intellectual property rights grant creators exclusivity, attribution, and control over their use. Graffius's copyright is protected under international law in this case. He presents details of the violation to uphold his intellectual property rights, hold IPA/ADAL accountable, and deter future violations.
Graffius is an expert on teamwork tradecraft. Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 150 subsequent studies, and Graffius' first-hand professional experience with and analysis of team leadership and performance, Graffius created his "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development. First introduced in 2008 and periodically updated, his novel work provides a diagnostic and strategic guide for navigating team dynamics. It provides actionable insights for leaders across industries to advance the effectiveness of teams.
Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, universities, publications, media outlets, and others around the world have featured and used Graffius' "Phases of Team Development." Select examples include:
Its adoption highlights its utility and value as an indispensable resource for elevating team performance and driving organizational excellence. In 2026, Graffius added human-AI teamwork—including the "exotic team dynamics" which emerge when advanced AI collaborates as a teammate—to his "Phases of Team Development" material.
Organizations engage Graffius to develop and deliver compelling, unforgettable talks and workshops. To date, he's presented sessions at 98 conferences and other events across 25 countries, including:
Graffius’ "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property is key to many of those sessions. His rate card and a listing of his engagements are here and here, respectively.
Scott M. Graffius first introduced his intellectual property in 2008, and he periodically updates it. The 2019 edition was the version plagiarized and exploited in violation of his intellectual property rights. Details follow.
A visual from Graffius' copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" is below. It is also shown at https://x.com/ScottGraffius/status/1126788452295401474?s=20, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8kubFUC79k&t=2789s, and other locations. Focus on the text within it.
As shown, Graffius’ copyright ownership details and permission request information are integrated into and appear on his 2019 "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property. It reads: "Copyright © 2008-2019 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. For permission requests, contact scott@scottgraffius.com."
There was no request to use Graffius' copyrighted property nor did Graffius provide permission.
Nevertheless, IPA/ADAL’s 2024 publication, "Leading Talent and Developing Teams - Session 2 - Teams Life Cycle," plagiarized Scott M. Graffius' copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" property and violated his intellectual property rights.
Excerpts from IPA/ADAL’s 2024 infringing publication are shown below.
The infringing publication is marked with:
Comparing Graffius' copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" with the IPA/ADAL's 2024 publication reveals IPA/ADAL's blatant plagiarism and violation of intellectual property rights. The infringing publication used Graffius’ copyrighted property on the characteristics and strategies for the phases of team development. Here are some examples:
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Forming:
"Questioning"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Forming:
"Questioning"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Forming:
"Socializing"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Forming:
"Socializing"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Forming:
"Displaying eagerness"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Forming:
"Display eagerness"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Forming:
"Focusing on group identity & purpose"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Forming:
"Focusing on group identity & purpose"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Forming:
"Taking the ‘lead’"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Forming:
"Taking the ‘lead’"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Forming:
"Providing clear expectations and consistent instructions"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Forming:
"Providing clear expectations & consistent instructions"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Storming:
"Resistance"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Storming:
"Resistance"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Storming:
"Lack of participation"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Storming:
"Lack of participation"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Storming:
"Conflict"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Storming:
"Conflict"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Storming:
"Competition"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Storming:
"Competition"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Storming:
"High emotions"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Storming:
"High emotions"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Storming:
"Normalizing matters"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Storming:
"Normalizing matters"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Storming:
"Encouraging leadership"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Storming:
"Encouraging leadership"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Norming:
"Reconciliation"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Norming:
"Reconciliation"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Norming:
"Relief, lowered anxiety"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Norming:
"Relief, lowered anxiety"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Norming:
"Members are engaged & supportive"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Norming:
"Members are engaged & supportive"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Norming:
"Recognizing individual and group efforts"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Norming:
"Recognizing individual & group efforts"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Norming:
"Providing learning opportunities and feedback"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Norming:
"Providing learning opportunities & feedback"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Performing:
"Demonstrations of interdependence"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Performing:
"Demonstrations of interdependence"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Performing:
"Healthy system"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Performing:
"Healthy system"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Performing:
"Ability to effectively produce as a team"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Performing:
"Ability to effectively produce as a team"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Performing:
"Celebrating"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Performing:
"Celebrating"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Performing:
"’Guide from the side’ (minimal intervention)"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Performing:
"’guide from the side’ (minimal intervention)"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Adjourning:
"Shift to process orientation"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Adjourning:
"Shift to process orientation"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Adjourning:
"Sadness"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Adjourning:
"Sadness"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Adjourning:
"Recognizing change"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Adjourning:
"Recognizing change"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Adjourning:
"Providing an opportunity for summative team evaluations"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Adjourning:
"Providing an opportunity for summative team evaluations"
In further evidence of apparent knowing and willful violation, in addition to word-for-word copying, the authors seemed to attempt to conceal the deceit by slightly altering certain words. For example, “Displaying eagerness” was changed to “Display eagerness.” In full context, IPA/ADAL's use was still plagiarism and infringement.
IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 publication used a material amount, including the heart of, Graffius’ 2019 copyrighted property.
IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 publication failed to acknowledge Graffius' ownership of his content. It did not quote, cite, or otherwise credit Graffius. By doing so, its authors/owners misled others into falsely believing that the authors/owners of the IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 publication are the owners of Graffius' respective intellectual property.
IPA/ADAL's infringing publication has damaged the marketability and value of Graffius’ intellectual property.
IPA/ADAL's infringing publication's use of Graffius’ copyrighted property was not "fair use" nor "fair dealing" nor otherwise allowed.
IPA/ADAL's infringing publication violated Graffius' intellectual property rights.
The infringement is disgraceful, unprofessional, unethical, immoral, and unlawful.
Evidence was preserved.
Scott M. Graffius’ copyright ownership details and permission request information are integrated into and appear on his 2019 "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property. It reads: "Copyright © 2008-2019 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. For permission requests, contact scott@scottgraffius.com."
There was no request to use Graffius' copyrighted property nor did Graffius provide permission.
Nevertheless, IPA/ADAL’s 2024 publication, "Leading Talent and Developing Teams - Session 2 - Teams Life Cycle," plagiarized Scott M. Graffius' copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" property and violated his intellectual property rights.
IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 publication used a material amount, including the heart of, Graffius’ 2019 copyrighted property.
IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 publication failed to acknowledge Graffius' ownership of his content. It did not quote, cite, or otherwise credit Graffius. By doing so, its authors/owners misled others into falsely believing that the authors/owners of the IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 publication are the owners of Graffius' respective intellectual property.
IPA/ADAL's infringing publication has damaged the marketability and value of Graffius’ intellectual property.
IPA/ADAL's infringing publication's use of Graffius’ copyrighted property was not "fair use" nor "fair dealing" nor otherwise allowed.
IPA/ADAL's infringing publication violated Graffius' intellectual property rights.
The infringement is disgraceful, unprofessional, unethical, immoral, and unlawful.
The infringing publication is marked with:
In advance of this article, the following parties were notified via email about the violation and the demand for resolution. Some details are redacted.
The Institute of Public Administration (IPA) and the IPA's The Academy for Developing Administrative Leaders (ADAL)
National University of Singapore (NAS) and Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKY)
Additionally, the following were subsequently notified via email.
Saudi Government - Saudi Vision 2030 - Saudi CEDA
Secretariat-General, Board of Directors, Institute of Public Administration (IPA)
President, National University of Singapore (NUS)
Scott M. Graffius resides in the United States and The Institute of Public Administration/The Academy of Developing Administrative Leaders and National University of Singapore/Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy are in or based in Saudi Arabia and Singapore, respectively.
However, Saudi Arabia and the United States have copyright treaties: UCC Geneva July 13, 1994; UCC Paris July 13, 1994; Berne (Paris) Mar. 11, 2004; WTO Dec. 11, 2005; VIP Feb. 21, 2019; Phonograms July 4, 2023.
And Saudi Arabia has strong copyright laws. Singapore and the United States also have copyright treaties: Bilateral May 18, 1987; WTO Jan. 1, 1995; Berne (Paris) Dec. 21, 1998; FTA Jan. 1, 200432; WCT Apr. 17, 2005; WPPT Apr. 17, 2005; SAT Apr. 27, 2005; VIP Sept. 30, 2016. And Singapore has robust copyright laws.
Accordingly, copyright laws apply to this case.
This case is not yet resolved.
The IPA/ADAL emphasizes integrity and ethical leadership. However, IPA/ADAL’s 2024 publication, "Leading Talent and Developing Teams - Session 2 - Teams Life Cycle," plagiarized Scott M. Graffius' copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" property and violated his intellectual property rights. IPA/ADAL's conduct contradicts its own principles. Their violation is disgraceful, unprofessional, unethical, immoral, and unlawful.
This case is not yet resolved.
Intellectual property rights grant creators exclusivity, attribution, and control over their use. These protections are fundamental to innovation. Graffius presented the details of the violation to uphold his intellectual property rights, hold IPA/ADAL accountable, and deter future violations.
If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear in the Post-Publication Notes section at the end of this piece.
Graffius has generated over $2.51 billion in business value for Fortune 500 companies and other organizations around the world. Put that track record to work for you. For speaking engagements, use the request form; for other inquiries, email him.
Scott M. Graffius is a strategic transformation leader who drives AI, Agile, and broader business and technology initiatives to deliver measurable value across projects, programs, portfolios, and PMOs. He is an expert in the teamwork tradecraft of both human and human-AI teams, including the “exotic team dynamics” that emerge. He is also an authority on the temporal patterns of social media, including the half-life of audience engagement.
He’s a practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and keynote speaker who’s taken the stage at 98 conferences and other events across 25 countries.
He’s delivered over $2.51 billion in value for Fortune 500 companies and other leaders in technology, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, and beyond.
Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities use Graffius and feature his work. Examples include Adobe, Bayer, Boston University, Ford, Gartner, Harvard Medical School, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, MSN, National Academy of Sciences, Oracle, Pinterest Inc., Project Management Institute, UC San Diego, Verizon, Yale University, and others.
The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.
Experience
Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.
Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.
He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.
Award-Winning Author
Graffius has authored three books.
International Public Speaker
Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. Graffius has conducted 98 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.
With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.
The speaker engagement request form is here.
Thought Leadership and Influence
Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:
Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:
He was also a subject matter expert reviewer of content for the PMI’s Congress. Beyond the PMI, Graffius also served as a member of the review team for two of the Scrum Alliance’s Global Scrum Gatherings.
Acclaimed Authority on Teamwork Tradecraft
Graffius is a renowned authority on teamwork tradecraft. Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 150 subsequent studies, and Graffius' first-hand professional experience with, and analysis of, team leadership and performance, Graffius created his "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development. First introduced in 2008 and periodically updated, his work provides a diagnostic and strategic guide for navigating team dynamics. It provides actionable insights for leaders across industries to develop high-performance teams. Its adoption by esteemed organizations such as Yale University, IEEE, Cisco, Microsoft, Ford, Oracle, Broadcom, the U.S. National Park Service, and the Journal of Neurosurgery, among others, highlights its utility and value, solidifying its status as an indispensable resource for elevating team performance and driving organizational excellence. In 2026, Graffius added human-AI teamwork—including the "exotic team dynamics" which emerge when advanced AI collaborates as a teammate—to his "Phases of Team Development."
The 2026 edition of Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property is here.
Expert on Temporal Dynamics on Social Media Platforms
Graffius is also an authority on temporal dynamics on social media platforms. His "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research—first published in 2018 and updated annually—delivers a precise quantitative analysis of post longevity across digital platforms, utilizing advanced statistical techniques to determine mean half-life with precision. It establishes a solid empirical base, effectively highlighting the ephemeral nature of content within social media ecosystems. Referenced and applied by leading entities—such as Fast Company, GoDaddy, Journal of Hand Surgery (European Volume), Ministère de la Culture (French Ministry of Culture), Pinterest Inc., PNAS, and Telecommunications Policy, among others—his research exemplifies methodological rigor and sustained significance in the field of digital informatics.
The 2026 edition of Graffius "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research is here.
Education and Professional Certifications
Graffius has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus in Human Factors. He holds eight professional certifications:
He is an active member of the Scrum Alliance, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
Advancing AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management
Scott M. Graffius continues to advance the fields of AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management through his leadership, research, writing, and real-world impact. Businesses and other organizations leverage Graffius’ insights to drive their success.
Discover Scott’s Books
Connect with and follow Scott on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, and ResearchGate.
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“Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum” Lands on the Amazon Best Sellers List!
Scott M. Graffius Recognized as a Top Thought Leader in Digital Disruption by Thinkers360
“Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum” by Scott M. Graffius Crashes the Book Scene with Satirical Firepower
NCKU in Taiwan Integrates Graffius' 'Phases of Team Development' into Its Curriculum
The Art and Science of Aligning Initiatives with Strategic Objectives
RGPV University Adds Scott M. Graffius’ "Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions" to Its Syllabus
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Dropbox Company (Nira) Taps into Scott M. Graffius’ Expertise in Strategic Planning
Reporting Errors in a Publication: A Case Study on ‘Frontiers in Public Health’
NESEA Conference Session on Innovation Highlights Scott M. Graffius' 'Phases of Team Development'
U.S. Soccer Scores with Scott M. Graffius' Intellectual Property on Teamwork
U.S. Department of Commerce Partner (IEDC) Features Scott M. Graffius’ Intellectual Property
How Long Do Your Posts Live? AI Critiques Scott M. Graffius’ Research on the Half-Life of Social Media
Agile's Journey Through the Decades
Scott M. Graffius' Role in Advancing Project Management Institute (PMI) Standards Excellence
Most Valuable IT Certifications: Update for 2025
The PMI + Agile Alliance Merger: A Recipe for Success?
When Agile, AI, and Strategic Thinking Converge
Scott M. Graffius’ Phases of Team Development: 2025 Update
Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts: Update for 2025
Verizon Features Scott M. Graffius
Do Not Read This Article! An Exploration of the Streisand Effect and Other Phenomena
Scott M. Graffius' 'Phases of Team Development' was Spotlighted in Journal of Neurosurgery
Pinterest Japan Uses Graffius’ Research on Temporal Dynamics on Social Media Platforms
Hochschule Coburg (Coburg University) Germany Uses Scott M. Graffius’ Phases of Team Development IP in Coursework on Agile Development
Wild World of Team Dynamics [Updated Two-Minute Video]
EU Europass Teacher Academy Features Scott M. Graffius’ ‘Phases of Team Development’ in Leadership Training
Side-by-Side Comparison of Retrospectives and Hot Washes
Constructor University 2024 Advanced Software Technology Handbook References Scott M. Graffius' Work on Team Dynamics
Strategies for Medical Team Success Featured Scott M. Graffius’ ‘Phases of Team Development’ Intellectual Property
SBG Neumark — Europe’s Largest Distribution Transformer Plant — Powers Up with Scott M. Graffius’ Intellectual Property
Scott M. Graffius’ Intellectual Property was Employed by the NHS — the Largest Single-Payer Healthcare System in Europe
Luxury Unwrapped: The Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide for Every Budget
Singapore Institute of Technology Features Work of Scott M. Graffius
Tufts University Features Scott M. Graffius 'Phases of Team Development' Intellectual Property
'Cat Herders': Retelling the Massive Success Story
Pennsylvania State Agency Used Scott M. Graffius' Intellectual Property
Copyright Infringement in a Book Published by AuthorHouse / Author Solutions / The Najafi Companies: Publisher Fails to Respond or Take Required Action
Pinterest Inc. References Scott M. Graffius’ Research
Bournemouth University Used Scott M. Graffius’ Intellectual Property
‘Comparative Methodological Guidelines: Handbook for Educators’ Violates Scott M. Graffius’ Copyright
Japan Backlog User Group Event Featured Scott M. Graffius’ ‘Phases of Team Development’
TurningWest's 'Trial'
Radio Silence from the American Association of Neurological Surgeons on Report of Blatant Plagiarism in Their ‘Journal of Neurosurgery’ Publication
Supplement to Graffius' 'Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts' Research: Typical Engagement Distribution Pattern for Social Media Posts
How Algorithms Shape the User Experience on Social Media Platforms
Thinkers360 Named Scott M. Graffius a Top Thought Leader on Agile
More articles are listed here.
Graffius, S. M. (2026, June 25). IPA / ADAL Publication Plagiarized Another’s Copyrighted Work and Violated Intellectual Property Rights. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/ipa-adal-plagiarized-and-violated-intellectual-property.html
DOI coming soon.
IPA/ADAL’s infringing 2024 publication, "Leading Talent and Developing Teams - Session 2 - Teams Life Cycle," is marked with several organizations: the Institute of Public Administration (IPA), IPA's The Academy for Developing Administrative Leaders (ADAL), Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKY), and National University of Singapore (NUS). The infringing 2024 publication uses Scott M. Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 work, “Phases of Team Development.” Names and marks are the property of their respective owners. “Leading Talent and Developing Teams - Session 2 - Teams Life Cycle," except for material plagiarized from Graffius’ copyrighted work and used in violation of his intellectual property rights, is the property of its authors/owners. Graffius' article on this case includes limited excerpts from “Leading Talent and Developing Teams - Session 2 - Teams Life Cycle," attributed and used under the fair use doctrine for purposes of news reporting, commentary, and analysis. Graffius’ “Phases of Team Development” is copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.
If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear here.
Copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.
Content on this site—including text, images, videos, and data—may not be used for training or input into any artificial intelligence, machine learning, or automatized learning systems, or published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.
Recommended Citation
Graffius, S. M. (2026, June 25). IPA / ADAL Publication Plagiarized Another’s Copyrighted Work and Violated Intellectual Property Rights. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/ipa-adal-plagiarized-and-violated-intellectual-property.html
About This Article
If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear in the Post-Publication Notes section at the end of this piece.
Introduction
The Institute of Public Administration (IPA) is one of Saudi Arabia's oldest and most influential government institutions. Established by Royal Decree in 1961, it serves as the Kingdom's principal institution for developing the capabilities of public-sector employees, conducting administrative research, and advising government entities. Today, its work is closely aligned with Saudi Vision 2030 and includes leadership development through the IPA's Academy for Developing Administrative Leaders (ADAL), executive education, consulting, research, and organizational transformation. Integrity and ethics are explicit themes.
The IPA/ADAL emphasizes integrity and ethical leadership. However, IPA/ADAL’s 2024 publication, "Leading Talent and Developing Teams - Session 2 - Teams Life Cycle," plagiarized Scott M. Graffius' copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" property and violated his intellectual property rights. IPA/ADAL's conduct contradicts its own principles. Their violation is disgraceful, unprofessional, unethical, immoral, and unlawful.
This case is not yet resolved.
Intellectual property rights grant creators exclusivity, attribution, and control over their use. Graffius's copyright is protected under international law in this case. He presents details of the violation to uphold his intellectual property rights, hold IPA/ADAL accountable, and deter future violations.
Scott M. Graffius' Copyrighted "Phases of Team Development"
Graffius is an expert on teamwork tradecraft. Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 150 subsequent studies, and Graffius' first-hand professional experience with and analysis of team leadership and performance, Graffius created his "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development. First introduced in 2008 and periodically updated, his novel work provides a diagnostic and strategic guide for navigating team dynamics. It provides actionable insights for leaders across industries to advance the effectiveness of teams.
Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, universities, publications, media outlets, and others around the world have featured and used Graffius' "Phases of Team Development." Select examples include:
- Adobe,
- American Management Association,
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
- Bayer,
- Boston University,
- Broadcom,
- Cisco,
- DevOps Institute,
- Government of Finland,
- Hasso-Plattner-Institut für Digital Engineering GmbH,
- IEEE,
- Johns Hopkins University,
- Journal of Neurosurgery,
- Microsoft,
- Ohio State University,
- Oracle,
- Technical University of Munich,
- Torrens University,
- Tufts University,
- UK Sports Institute,
- United States National Park Service,
- United States Tennis Association,
- University of California at San Diego (UCSD),
- University of Waterloo,
- Warsaw University of Technology,
- Yale University, and
- many others.
Its adoption highlights its utility and value as an indispensable resource for elevating team performance and driving organizational excellence. In 2026, Graffius added human-AI teamwork—including the "exotic team dynamics" which emerge when advanced AI collaborates as a teammate—to his "Phases of Team Development" material.
Organizations engage Graffius to develop and deliver compelling, unforgettable talks and workshops. To date, he's presented sessions at 98 conferences and other events across 25 countries, including:
- Armenia,
- Australia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- Czech Republic,
- Finland,
- France,
- Germany,
- Greece,
- Hong Kong,
- Hungary,
- India,
- Ireland,
- Lithuania,
- Luxembourg,
- Nepal,
- Netherlands,
- New Zealand,
- Norway,
- Romania,
- Sweden,
- Switzerland,
- United Arab Emirates,
- United Kingdom,
- and the United States.
Graffius’ "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property is key to many of those sessions. His rate card and a listing of his engagements are here and here, respectively.
IPA/ADAL 2024 Publication Plagiarized Scott M. Graffius 2019 Copyrighted Work and Violated His Intellectual Property Rights
Scott M. Graffius first introduced his intellectual property in 2008, and he periodically updates it. The 2019 edition was the version plagiarized and exploited in violation of his intellectual property rights. Details follow.
A visual from Graffius' copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" is below. It is also shown at https://x.com/ScottGraffius/status/1126788452295401474?s=20, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8kubFUC79k&t=2789s, and other locations. Focus on the text within it.
As shown, Graffius’ copyright ownership details and permission request information are integrated into and appear on his 2019 "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property. It reads: "Copyright © 2008-2019 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. For permission requests, contact scott@scottgraffius.com."
There was no request to use Graffius' copyrighted property nor did Graffius provide permission.
Nevertheless, IPA/ADAL’s 2024 publication, "Leading Talent and Developing Teams - Session 2 - Teams Life Cycle," plagiarized Scott M. Graffius' copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" property and violated his intellectual property rights.
Excerpts from IPA/ADAL’s 2024 infringing publication are shown below.
The infringing publication is marked with:
- The Institute of Public Administration (IPA)
- IPA's The Academy for Developing Administrative Leaders (ADAL)
- Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKY)
- National University of Singapore (NAS)
Comparing Graffius' copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" with the IPA/ADAL's 2024 publication reveals IPA/ADAL's blatant plagiarism and violation of intellectual property rights. The infringing publication used Graffius’ copyrighted property on the characteristics and strategies for the phases of team development. Here are some examples:
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Forming:
"Questioning"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Forming:
"Questioning"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Forming:
"Socializing"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Forming:
"Socializing"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Forming:
"Displaying eagerness"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Forming:
"Display eagerness"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Forming:
"Focusing on group identity & purpose"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Forming:
"Focusing on group identity & purpose"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Forming:
"Taking the ‘lead’"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Forming:
"Taking the ‘lead’"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Forming:
"Providing clear expectations and consistent instructions"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Forming:
"Providing clear expectations & consistent instructions"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Storming:
"Resistance"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Storming:
"Resistance"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Storming:
"Lack of participation"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Storming:
"Lack of participation"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Storming:
"Conflict"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Storming:
"Conflict"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Storming:
"Competition"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Storming:
"Competition"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Storming:
"High emotions"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Storming:
"High emotions"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Storming:
"Normalizing matters"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Storming:
"Normalizing matters"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Storming:
"Encouraging leadership"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Storming:
"Encouraging leadership"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Norming:
"Reconciliation"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Norming:
"Reconciliation"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Norming:
"Relief, lowered anxiety"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Norming:
"Relief, lowered anxiety"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Norming:
"Members are engaged & supportive"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Norming:
"Members are engaged & supportive"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Norming:
"Recognizing individual and group efforts"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Norming:
"Recognizing individual & group efforts"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Norming:
"Providing learning opportunities and feedback"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Norming:
"Providing learning opportunities & feedback"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Performing:
"Demonstrations of interdependence"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Performing:
"Demonstrations of interdependence"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Performing:
"Healthy system"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Performing:
"Healthy system"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Performing:
"Ability to effectively produce as a team"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Performing:
"Ability to effectively produce as a team"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Performing:
"Celebrating"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Performing:
"Celebrating"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Performing:
"’Guide from the side’ (minimal intervention)"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Performing:
"’guide from the side’ (minimal intervention)"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Adjourning:
"Shift to process orientation"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Adjourning:
"Shift to process orientation"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Adjourning:
"Sadness"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Adjourning:
"Sadness"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Adjourning:
"Recognizing change"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Adjourning:
"Recognizing change"
๐ข Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" specifies this for Adjourning:
"Providing an opportunity for summative team evaluations"
๐ด IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 "Leading Talent and Developing …." has this for Adjourning:
"Providing an opportunity for summative team evaluations"
In further evidence of apparent knowing and willful violation, in addition to word-for-word copying, the authors seemed to attempt to conceal the deceit by slightly altering certain words. For example, “Displaying eagerness” was changed to “Display eagerness.” In full context, IPA/ADAL's use was still plagiarism and infringement.
IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 publication used a material amount, including the heart of, Graffius’ 2019 copyrighted property.
IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 publication failed to acknowledge Graffius' ownership of his content. It did not quote, cite, or otherwise credit Graffius. By doing so, its authors/owners misled others into falsely believing that the authors/owners of the IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 publication are the owners of Graffius' respective intellectual property.
IPA/ADAL's infringing publication has damaged the marketability and value of Graffius’ intellectual property.
IPA/ADAL's infringing publication's use of Graffius’ copyrighted property was not "fair use" nor "fair dealing" nor otherwise allowed.
IPA/ADAL's infringing publication violated Graffius' intellectual property rights.
The infringement is disgraceful, unprofessional, unethical, immoral, and unlawful.
Evidence was preserved.
Notes on the Violation
Scott M. Graffius’ copyright ownership details and permission request information are integrated into and appear on his 2019 "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property. It reads: "Copyright © 2008-2019 Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved. For permission requests, contact scott@scottgraffius.com."
There was no request to use Graffius' copyrighted property nor did Graffius provide permission.
Nevertheless, IPA/ADAL’s 2024 publication, "Leading Talent and Developing Teams - Session 2 - Teams Life Cycle," plagiarized Scott M. Graffius' copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" property and violated his intellectual property rights.
IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 publication used a material amount, including the heart of, Graffius’ 2019 copyrighted property.
IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 publication failed to acknowledge Graffius' ownership of his content. It did not quote, cite, or otherwise credit Graffius. By doing so, its authors/owners misled others into falsely believing that the authors/owners of the IPA/ADAL's infringing 2024 publication are the owners of Graffius' respective intellectual property.
IPA/ADAL's infringing publication has damaged the marketability and value of Graffius’ intellectual property.
IPA/ADAL's infringing publication's use of Graffius’ copyrighted property was not "fair use" nor "fair dealing" nor otherwise allowed.
IPA/ADAL's infringing publication violated Graffius' intellectual property rights.
The infringement is disgraceful, unprofessional, unethical, immoral, and unlawful.
Demand, Including Notice
The infringing publication is marked with:
- The Institute of Public Administration (IPA)
- IPA's The Academy for Developing Administrative Leaders (ADAL)
- Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKY)
- National University of Singapore (NAS)
In advance of this article, the following parties were notified via email about the violation and the demand for resolution. Some details are redacted.
The Institute of Public Administration (IPA) and the IPA's The Academy for Developing Administrative Leaders (ADAL)
- alqudahโโ @ipa.edu.sa
- alshehriโโ@ipa.edu.sa
- alyouseโโ@ipa.edu.sa
- anziโโ@ipa.edu.sa
- banafeโโ@ipa.edu.sa
- bassaโโ@ipa.edu.sa
- contaโโ@ipa.edu.sa
- customeโโ@ipa.edu.sa
- elayaโโ@ipa.edu.sa
- ismaiโโ@ipa.edu.sa
- journโโ@ipa.edu.sa
- legโโ@ipa.edu.sa
- majrashโโ@ipa.edu.sa
- sajjaโโ@ipa.edu.sa
- suppoโโ@innovgov-ipa.com
- tami.monoโโ@ipa.edu.sa
National University of Singapore (NAS) and Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKY)
- globโโ@nus.edu.sg
- ips.updaโโ@nus.edu.sg
- legโโ@nus.edu.sg
- lkysfโโ@nus.edu.sg
- lkysppexecโโ@nus.edu.sg
- nus.comโโ@nus.edu.sg
- whistleblโโ@nus.edu.sg
Additionally, the following were subsequently notified via email.
Saudi Government - Saudi Vision 2030 - Saudi CEDA
- FSโโ@ceda.cm.gov.sa
- HCโโ@ceda.cm.gov.sa
Secretariat-General, Board of Directors, Institute of Public Administration (IPA)
- amanโโ@ipa.edu.sa
President, National University of Singapore (NUS)
- uprsโโ@nus.edu.sg
Copyright Applicability
Scott M. Graffius resides in the United States and The Institute of Public Administration/The Academy of Developing Administrative Leaders and National University of Singapore/Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy are in or based in Saudi Arabia and Singapore, respectively.
However, Saudi Arabia and the United States have copyright treaties: UCC Geneva July 13, 1994; UCC Paris July 13, 1994; Berne (Paris) Mar. 11, 2004; WTO Dec. 11, 2005; VIP Feb. 21, 2019; Phonograms July 4, 2023.
And Saudi Arabia has strong copyright laws. Singapore and the United States also have copyright treaties: Bilateral May 18, 1987; WTO Jan. 1, 1995; Berne (Paris) Dec. 21, 1998; FTA Jan. 1, 200432; WCT Apr. 17, 2005; WPPT Apr. 17, 2005; SAT Apr. 27, 2005; VIP Sept. 30, 2016. And Singapore has robust copyright laws.
Accordingly, copyright laws apply to this case.
Status
This case is not yet resolved.
Conclusion
The IPA/ADAL emphasizes integrity and ethical leadership. However, IPA/ADAL’s 2024 publication, "Leading Talent and Developing Teams - Session 2 - Teams Life Cycle," plagiarized Scott M. Graffius' copyrighted 2019 "Phases of Team Development" property and violated his intellectual property rights. IPA/ADAL's conduct contradicts its own principles. Their violation is disgraceful, unprofessional, unethical, immoral, and unlawful.
This case is not yet resolved.
Intellectual property rights grant creators exclusivity, attribution, and control over their use. These protections are fundamental to innovation. Graffius presented the details of the violation to uphold his intellectual property rights, hold IPA/ADAL accountable, and deter future violations.
If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear in the Post-Publication Notes section at the end of this piece.
Graffius has generated over $2.51 billion in business value for Fortune 500 companies and other organizations around the world. Put that track record to work for you. For speaking engagements, use the request form; for other inquiries, email him.
About Scott M. Graffius
Scott M. Graffius is a strategic transformation leader who drives AI, Agile, and broader business and technology initiatives to deliver measurable value across projects, programs, portfolios, and PMOs. He is an expert in the teamwork tradecraft of both human and human-AI teams, including the “exotic team dynamics” that emerge. He is also an authority on the temporal patterns of social media, including the half-life of audience engagement.
He’s a practitioner, researcher, thought leader, award-winning author, and keynote speaker who’s taken the stage at 98 conferences and other events across 25 countries.
He’s delivered over $2.51 billion in value for Fortune 500 companies and other leaders in technology, entertainment, financial services, healthcare, and beyond.
Businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities use Graffius and feature his work. Examples include Adobe, Bayer, Boston University, Ford, Gartner, Harvard Medical School, IEEE, Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft, MSN, National Academy of Sciences, Oracle, Pinterest Inc., Project Management Institute, UC San Diego, Verizon, Yale University, and others.
The following sections provide additional information on his experience, contributions, and influence.
Experience
Graffius heads the professional services firm Exceptional PPM and PMO Solutions, along with its subsidiary Exceptional Agility. These consultancies offer strategic and tactical advisory, training, embedded expertise, and consulting services to the public, private, and government sectors. They help organizations enhance their capabilities and results in agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership, supporting innovation and driving competitive advantage. The consultancies confidently back services with a Delighted Client Guarantee™.
Graffius is a former VP of project management with a publicly traded provider of diverse consumer products and services over the Internet. Before that, he ran and supervised the delivery of projects and programs in public and private organizations with businesses ranging from e-commerce to advanced technology products and services, retail, manufacturing, entertainment, and more.
He has experience with consumer, business, reseller, government, and international markets.
Award-Winning Author
Graffius has authored three books.
- Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions, his first book, earned 17 awards.
- Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change, his second book, was named one of the best Scrum books of all time by BookAuthority.
- Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum, his third book and his first work of fiction, was released in April 2025. The book trailer is on YouTube.
International Public Speaker
Organizations worldwide engage Graffius to present on tech (including AI), Agile, project management, program management, portfolio management, and PMO leadership. He crafts and delivers unique and compelling talks and workshops. Graffius has conducted 98 sessions across 25 countries. Select examples of events include Agile Trends Gov, BSides (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Conf42 Quantum Computing, DevDays Europe, DevOps Institute, DevOpsDays (Geneva), Frug’Agile, IEEE, Microsoft, Scottish Summit, Scrum Alliance RSG (Nepal), Techstars, and W Love Games International Video Game Development Conference (Helsinki), and more.
With an average rating of 4.81 (on a scale of 1-5), sessions are highly valued.
The speaker engagement request form is here.
Thought Leadership and Influence
Prominent businesses, professional associations, government agencies, and universities have showcased Graffius and his contributions—spanning his books, talks, workshops, and beyond. Select examples include:
- Adobe,
- American Management Association,
- Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,
- Bayer,
- BMC Software,
- Boston University,
- Broadcom,
- Cisco,
- Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Germany,
- Computer Weekly,
- Constructor University - Germany,
- Data Governance Success,
- Deimos Aerospace,
- DevOps Institute,
- Dropbox,
- EU's European Commission,
- Ford Motor Company,
- Gartner,
- GoDaddy,
- Harvard Medical School,
- Hasso Plattner Institute - Germany,
- IEEE,
- Innovation Project Management,
- Johns Hopkins University,
- Journal of Neurosurgery,
- Lam Research (Semiconductors),
- Leadership Worthy,
- Life Sciences Trainers and Educators Network,
- London South Bank University,
- Microsoft,
- MSN,
- NASSCOM,
- National Academy of Sciences,
- New Zealand Government,
- Oracle,
- Pinterest Inc.,
- Project Management Institute,
- Mary Raum (Professor of National Security Affairs, United States Naval War College),
- SANS Institute,
- SBG Neumark - Germany,
- Singapore Institute of Technology,
- Torrens University - Australia,
- TBS Switzerland,
- Tufts University,
- UC San Diego,
- UK Sports Institute,
- University of Galway - Ireland,
- US Department of Energy,
- US National Park Service,
- US Soccer,
- US Tennis Association,
- Verizon,
- Wrike,
- Yale University,
- and many others.
Graffius has played a key role in the Project Management Institute (PMI) in developing professional standards. He was a member of multiple teams that authored, reviewed, and produced:
- The Standard for Artificial Intelligence in Portfolio, Program, and Project Management
- Agile Practice Guide – Second Edition
- A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Eighth Edition
- A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) – Sixth Edition
- The Standard for Program Management – Fourth Edition
- Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures – Second Edition
- The Practice Standard for Project Estimating – Second Edition
He was also a subject matter expert reviewer of content for the PMI’s Congress. Beyond the PMI, Graffius also served as a member of the review team for two of the Scrum Alliance’s Global Scrum Gatherings.
Acclaimed Authority on Teamwork Tradecraft
Graffius is a renowned authority on teamwork tradecraft. Informed by the research of Bruce W. Tuckman and Mary Ann C. Jensen, over 150 subsequent studies, and Graffius' first-hand professional experience with, and analysis of, team leadership and performance, Graffius created his "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property as a unique perspective and visual conveying the five phases of team development. First introduced in 2008 and periodically updated, his work provides a diagnostic and strategic guide for navigating team dynamics. It provides actionable insights for leaders across industries to develop high-performance teams. Its adoption by esteemed organizations such as Yale University, IEEE, Cisco, Microsoft, Ford, Oracle, Broadcom, the U.S. National Park Service, and the Journal of Neurosurgery, among others, highlights its utility and value, solidifying its status as an indispensable resource for elevating team performance and driving organizational excellence. In 2026, Graffius added human-AI teamwork—including the "exotic team dynamics" which emerge when advanced AI collaborates as a teammate—to his "Phases of Team Development."
The 2026 edition of Graffius' "Phases of Team Development" intellectual property is here.
Expert on Temporal Dynamics on Social Media Platforms
Graffius is also an authority on temporal dynamics on social media platforms. His "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research—first published in 2018 and updated annually—delivers a precise quantitative analysis of post longevity across digital platforms, utilizing advanced statistical techniques to determine mean half-life with precision. It establishes a solid empirical base, effectively highlighting the ephemeral nature of content within social media ecosystems. Referenced and applied by leading entities—such as Fast Company, GoDaddy, Journal of Hand Surgery (European Volume), Ministère de la Culture (French Ministry of Culture), Pinterest Inc., PNAS, and Telecommunications Policy, among others—his research exemplifies methodological rigor and sustained significance in the field of digital informatics.
The 2026 edition of Graffius "Lifespan (Half-Life) of Social Media Posts" research is here.
Education and Professional Certifications
Graffius has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus in Human Factors. He holds eight professional certifications:
- Certified SAFe 6 Agilist (SA),
- Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster (CSP-SM),
- Certified Scrum Professional - Product Owner (CSP-PO),
- Certified ScrumMaster (CSM),
- Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO),
- Project Management Professional (PMP),
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (LSSGB), and
- IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL).
He is an active member of the Scrum Alliance, the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
Advancing AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management
Scott M. Graffius continues to advance the fields of AI, Agile, and Project/PMO Management through his leadership, research, writing, and real-world impact. Businesses and other organizations leverage Graffius’ insights to drive their success.
Discover Scott’s Books
- Agile Scrum: Your Quick Start Guide with Step-by-Step Instructions — Deliver Products in Short Cycles with Rapid Adaptation to Change, Fast Time-to-Market, and Continuous Improvement
- Agile Transformation: A Brief Story of How an Entertainment Company Developed New Capabilities and Unlocked Business Agility to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Change
- Agile Protocol: The Transformation Ultimatum
Connect with and follow Scott on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, and ResearchGate.
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How to Cite This Article
Graffius, S. M. (2026, June 25). IPA / ADAL Publication Plagiarized Another’s Copyrighted Work and Violated Intellectual Property Rights. ScottGraffius.com. https://scottgraffius.com/blog/files/ipa-adal-plagiarized-and-violated-intellectual-property.html
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
DOI coming soon.
Content Acknowledgements
IPA/ADAL’s infringing 2024 publication, "Leading Talent and Developing Teams - Session 2 - Teams Life Cycle," is marked with several organizations: the Institute of Public Administration (IPA), IPA's The Academy for Developing Administrative Leaders (ADAL), Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKY), and National University of Singapore (NUS). The infringing 2024 publication uses Scott M. Graffius’ copyrighted 2019 work, “Phases of Team Development.” Names and marks are the property of their respective owners. “Leading Talent and Developing Teams - Session 2 - Teams Life Cycle," except for material plagiarized from Graffius’ copyrighted work and used in violation of his intellectual property rights, is the property of its authors/owners. Graffius' article on this case includes limited excerpts from “Leading Talent and Developing Teams - Session 2 - Teams Life Cycle," attributed and used under the fair use doctrine for purposes of news reporting, commentary, and analysis. Graffius’ “Phases of Team Development” is copyright © Scott M. Graffius. All rights reserved.
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Post-Publication Notes
If there are any supplements or updates to this article after the date of publication, they will appear here.
Copyright
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Content on this site—including text, images, videos, and data—may not be used for training or input into any artificial intelligence, machine learning, or automatized learning systems, or published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the express written permission of Scott M. Graffius.