Vol.22 "Ferry Tales"

"Note to reader: the use of Microsoft Copilot saves me at least 1 to 2 hours of time composing each volume. All body text content is original, not AI generated. Copilot is used as my 'digital companion' that helps me bring these articles to life." ~ Kevin

On the Morning Ferry: A Serene Start

Setting the scene, it's 7:05 AM on a Monday morning, mid-March 2024. I'm sitting on the MV Tacoma which is a large "Jumbo Mark II Class Ferry", heading across the picturesque Puget Sound towards Seattle, Washington. I'm on my way to Microsoft's headquarters in Redmond, WA to meet with a client at the EBC (Executive Briefing Center).

Morning Commute Dynamics

Morning ferries are usually quiet, people are mostly in their own headspace, feverishly pounding away at their keyboards and personal communication devices. The morning boats are usually office workers and long-distance travelers heading out to destinations unknown.

This is not typically family time, there's very little conversation and most people seemed to be hugging their cups of coffee and energy drinks thinking about the day ahead. Although departing late this morning, the calm and gentle rocking of the boat is exactly what I needed on this day.

The Interruption: Unexpected Encounter

Until suddenly my blissful bubble was popped. Someone sat down behind me, this was not the unusual part, the issue was that a booming voice broke the silence. I turned around briefly, because I just had to take a look, and noticed a person somewhere in their mid 40s, nicely dressed, slight tinge of European accent, with headphones on - deeply engaged in a conversation without realizing how loud their voice was, especially against the background of general quiet.

Eavesdropping: A Revelation Unfolds

Of course I had a choice, I could move. I'm not that territorial and didn't take offense because I've probably been that person myself. Confrontation wasn't necessary. There are plenty of other beautiful places to sit and appreciate my surroundings.

Suddenly, my brain kicked in and I realized what the conversation was about. I couldn't help myself. I didn't think I was eavesdropping because that person's voice was the only one heard, and FWIW, I wasn't the only one that could hear it.

Revelation of Microsoft Copilot Struggles

The content of the conversation also grabbed my attention. I know you're probably thinking I'm making this up, I assuredly and emphatically tell you I am not. It was a conversation about Microsoft Copilot. Being in the Seattle area, and especially where I live, it's common to run into technical people from Amazon, Microsoft, and Google.

I don't know if this person was one of that trio, but clearly was a person in technology. How do I know this? Because the person clearly said, "I'm the VP of Technology, it's not my job to train those people".

A Silent Observer's Reflection

Like I said, truth is stranger than fiction. I was literally thinking about Microsoft Copilot and visualizing the conversation that I would be having that afternoon. And then here comes this person, sitting behind me, complaining to whomever was on the other end of the call about the fact that they are struggling with adoption of Microsoft Copilot. What???

The interesting part of this conversation, besides the content, was that I was in the role of true observer. I did not influence the conversation, although I wanted to, I did not engage in the conversation, although I wanted to, I was simply an observer. I seized this rare moment and listened intently.

This was juicy and delicious, and if I'm being honest, I may have enjoyed it a bit too much, um, nope.

Insight into Copilot Adoption Challenges

The person was describing, in great detail, the struggles that their organization is having with generative AI tools. It was clearly stated that there were a group of users that were given Microsoft Copilot licenses that were 'super engaged (calling them early adopters), almost to the point of being 'annoying' about how great things are, and yet other people didn't quite share that same opinion. In fact, doubt was expressed about how to move forward with more adoption, build a solid use case, justify spend, and prove a return on Investment (ROI).

Another interesting turn was concern about their developers and the use of Copilot for GitHub. Concern was raised that although developers are clearly seen the value of the tools, they are 'afraid of losing their jobs' and no matter how much and how often they are told that they are important, they somehow see some writing on the wall.

Call for Help: The VP's Plea

The call continued this time about learning and development, upscaling, and innovation. This is where the person clearly stated that, "it's not my job to train those people". Then another dark turn, this VP of technology clearly stated that "people don't seem to understand that this is not just a technology issue, and that "who from the organization is going to help me? I can't do this alone!" and " I need help".

There was more, the person clearly stated, "I am afraid that if we don't act, we will lose good people".

Reflections on Common Experiences

The universe was talking to me (through this one-sided conversation), and I was listening. In that moment, while I was slowly and very carefully sipping on my coffee and having very small bites of my toasted bagel and cream cheese, careful not to chew too loudly, I was captivated.

The details of the call, the sentiment, the frustration, the concern, the worry, the 'stuckness', the emotion was palpable. This random encounter echoed what my experiences have been with customers around the world.

In my role, I speak to many customers, many technology sellers, and engage with many partners, for this is the world in which I operate. Although this conversation and the content contained therein was not new to me, it was again confirmation of the common experience and the need for skilled intervention.

The Thought Leadership Challenge

Fast forward to a few weeks ago where I had the incredible honor of participating (and speaking) at the SoftwareOne 2nd Annual Analyst Relations Summit in Austin, TX where Elliot Robia and I proudly engaged a highly respected analyst community on the topic of 微软 #Copilot, the SoftwareOne robust partnership with Microsoft, and details of delivered client Copilot engagements around the world.

Special thank you to Dr. Jochen Wolf and team for making the event possible.

My biggest takeaway from the event was a challenge to myself to take, yet again, another leap in thought leadership - I was challenged about value and ROI related to #GenAi in a new and interesting way.

Navigating Strategic Considerations - The "Josh Paradox"

I've spent a lot of time thinking about this. Introducing the "Josh Paradox", as inspired by Joshua Greenbaum .

Summarizing, from my interpretation and understanding of our time together, the paradox of AI adoption in business is like buying a map without knowing the destination; companies invest in tools like Copilot, hoping it will lead to treasure.

They face the decision to invest in a technology whose direct impact on ROI remains uncertain. Often, this represents a gamble between the fear of missing out and the challenge of justifying the investment without clear metrics of success.

Ethical Dimensions: The Responsibility in Adoption

And wait there's more, the paradox also has an ethical twist. The ethical paradox of promoting AI adoption can also be framed as a concern about taking advantage of companies. There’s an ethical responsibility to ensure that businesses are not misled about the capabilities and potential ROI of GenAI. GenAI responsibility is real.

Commitment to Change: Guiding Principles

The "Josh Paradox" brought this into focus. Acknowledging this challenge, I'm committed to guide the SoftwareOne Adoption & Change Management team to continue working with these guiding principles top of mind. I do believe there is value and ROI out there, just waiting to be discovered. These are still the early days of GenAI and I'm proud to be part of the story.

Engaging with Ideas: Cosmic Reflections

I'm currently reading the Neil deGrasse Tyson book, "Astrophysics for People in a Hurry". Today's chapter really brought me to think about this topic of the "Josh Paradox" and generative AI.

In the book, Neil said this about Dark Matter (no, I'm not on a first name basis with him - I wish),

"skeptics might declare that seeing is believing, an approach to life that works well in many endeavors including mechanical engineering, fishing, and perhaps dating. It's also good apparently for residents of Missouri, but it doesn't make for good science. Science is not just about seeing, it's about measuring, preferably with something that's not your own eyes, which are inextricably conjoined with the baggage of your brain. That baggage is more often than not, a satchel of preconceived ideas, post conceived notions, and outright bias. Having resisted attempts to detect it directly on earth for 3/4 of a century, dark matter remains in play".

Just because Dark Matter hasn't been objectively visualized and seen, doesn't mean it's not real or doesn't exist.

Navigating the GenAi Challenge: Balancing Art and Science

The "baggage" of the brain" is fully present in this GenAi conversation. I believe that organizations and individuals must focus on both the art and measurable science of the GenAi challenge.

The "Josh Paradox" provides a practical guide that will help me (and my team) help technology travelers navigate the "cosmos" of GenAi Adoption (sorry Neil).

Proof of ROI and value should not deter advancement, nor should advancement and adoption proceed without seeking proof and value and ROI. They are intertwined, interconnected, and entangled like quantum pairs. (Again, Sorry Neil - I'll stop the mixed science metaphors now).

Guiding Organizations: A Path Forward

Along the way, SoftwareOne and my team of Adoption & Change Management specialists, have the expertise, knowledge, experience, and connections to help organizations reach their intended destinations while also focusing on the fundamentals of IT (security, access, licensing, data, etc.) ethically and responsibly.

Offering Assistance: Extending a Helping Hand

In case you were wondering, I handed my business card (yes, I have some) to that ferry traveler. That person really needs help (like so many others).

~Kevin (aka "The Cloud Therapist")

#TechTrends #BetterTogether #TechnologyAdoption #ChangeManagement #AnalystRelations #Copilot #SoftwareOne

"Please write a brief LinkedIn post based on this article to promote this Vol.22 and include hashtags"         

Visual Inspiration

This section is in response to a request from my readers.

The Copilot prompt to create the image above:

“please create a realistic image of a Washington State ferry crossing Puget Sound with mt. rainier in the background"

        

This article is original content, written using the dictation feature Microsoft OneNote. After some minor edits, I used this Copilot prompt to write the section headers of this article:

"please rewrite the article with no changes to text, simply insert logical section headers"        

Please submit topics and questions for future volumes (I'm listening)

A quick note to my readers - thank you for your feedback, support, and encouragement. I strive to bring you relevant thought-provoking content. #grateful that you choose to spend your time with me.

I appreciate your commitment to reading these all the way through. I know they can be quite lengthy. My goal is to bring you unique perspectives and things to mentally chew on.