AI in general, and Copilot specifically, is fast and impressive; it feels like the future is here already (and maybe it is?). And that’s exactly why so many organizations rush to enable it. We all want it. Are we ready for it?
Here is an analogy I keep coming back to when I talk about Copilot adoption:
We’ve got a high-tech airplane (Copilot)…
and we haven’t built the airport it’s supposed to take off from. Neither have we decided where to go…
In many workplaces, we bought the jet before we built the runway.
Before we staffed the control tower.
Before we decided where we’re going.
And before we helped the passengers, especially those who are afraid of flying, feel safe enough to board. Some passagers and airport staff are tired of all the new airplanes scattered all over the place. The passengers cannot find the airplane they are supposed to travel with, and the airport staff are not sure which aircraft to take care of, or fill with luggage, first, which luggage should go into which aircraft, or even which airport the aircraft is located on and is supposed to take off from.
This blogpost is a practical, and hopefully enlightening, guide for turning Copilot from “enabled” into “valuable”:
- How to build the airport
- Create the flight plan
- Assign the crew
- Support excited, anxious and jetlagged passengers.
As this blog became quite long (as there are so many bits and pieces that needs to be part of the story), I made a list of content. Just click to go to what is most interesting for you if you like or read through the full thing. 💡😇📚
- The airplane isn’t the problem
- The airport: your Microsoft 365 foundation
- The flight plan: where are we going?
- The crew: who flies, who controls, who maintains?
- The passengers: everyone (and not everyone feels, experiences or want the same)
- The anxious passengers (the fear of flying factor)
- The Jetlagged Passengers:
- When enthusiasm turns into noise
- You don't fix jetlag by flying faster
- ✅ A Checklist for Anxious Passengers
- 🦋 The Change Management Guide:
- Copilot adoption is a trust-building exercise
The airplane isn’t the problem
Copilot works. The technology is powerful.
At the same time, an airplane on its own doesn’t create value or fly anywhere by itself. It needs:
- A runway
- Rules and safety checks
- A trained crew
- A destination
- And passengers who trust that you will bring them safely to their destination
Without that, the airplane just sits there: expensive, impressive… and unused.
Sometimes even worse: it takes off without guardrails.
Copilot doesn’t magically fix chaos.
It amplifies what’s already there, both the good, the bad and the messy.
The airport: your Microsoft 365 foundation
In this analogy, the airport is your Microsoft 365 environment, as well as other technology and systems you might use.
Not just licenses — the work environment people live in every day.
 | If the airport is messy, Copilot doesn’t become a productivity miracle. It becomes a chaos accelerator. |
The flight plan: where are we going?
Even with a perfectly built airport, we still need a flight plan.
Too many organizations turn on Copilot without clarifying:
– What do we want to improve in the way we work?
– Which roles benefit first?
– What use cases matter most?
– What does success look like in 3, 6, and 12 months?
When the destination is unclear, people are left with questions like:
– Should I use Copilot for this?
– Am I allowed to use Copilot for this?
– What if it’s wrong?
– Will I get in trouble if I mess up?
No airline would ever say: “Here’s a plane — fly wherever you want.”
🧭Copilot adoption needs a shared destination and a realistic plan for how you’ll get there.
The crew: who flies, who controls, who maintains?
This is where many Copilot rollouts silently fail: ownership and roles.
Copilot is not “an IT tool.”
It’s a work tool, which means successful adoption requires shared responsibility.
Think of it like an airline:
When these roles are unclear, two things happen:
- Decisions stall
- People either avoid Copilot entirely — or use it quietly without guidance (which is far riskier)
The passengers: everyone (and not everyone feels, experiences or want the same)
Your passengers include:
- Every employee
- External partners and vendors
- Guest users and cross-organization collaboration
Not every passenger needs or wants the same experience.
Click the left < and right > arrow to move through the slideshow:
| Some are excited: | Others are nervous: |
| “Let’s take off!” “Give me advanced prompts!” “Can I automate everything?” | “What happens to my job?” “What if I make a mistake?” “Can Copilot see things it shouldn’t?” “Is this even allowed?” |
And then there’s the group we often forget to design for:
These are not “difficult people.”
They are people who may:
- have change fatigue
- be worried about looking incompetent
- fear losing control
- not trust AI
- be unsure about data privacy
- fear doing something wrong
Click the left < and right > arrow to move through the slideshow:
🗝️Here’s the key:
This is not resistance. It’s human.
And you don’t reduce fear by explaining how the engine works.
You reduce fear with:
- clarity
- boundaries
- support
- psychological safety
- and visible responsibility
When Change Becomes Too Much
Not all passengers are afraid of flying. Some are simply jetlagged.
They’re not sceptical because they don’t believe in Copilot or AI.
They’re tired because they’ve been through years of constant change:
- New tools
- New platforms
- New ways of working
- New terminology
- New “must‑learn‑now” initiatives
And now, once again, something new.
For these passengers, Copilot doesn’t feel exciting. It feels overwhelming.
When enthusiasm turns into noise
Jetlagged passengers often sound like this:
- “I just learned the last system.”
- “Everything changes before I’ve caught up.”
- “Do I really need to care about this right now?”
- “I just want to do my job.”
| This isn’t resistance. It’s change fatigue. When every message is urgent, revolutionary, and important, people don’t push back, they quietly tune out. |  |
Jetlag isn’t fear.
It’s cognitive overload.
You don’t fix jetlag by flying faster
The instinctive response to disengagement is often:
- more communication
- more updates
- more demos
- more excitement
Still, jetlag doesn’t disappear with speed.
Jetlag fades with:
- slower cadence
- clear prioritization
- permission to pause
- predictability
What this means for Copilot adoption
Designing for jetlagged passengers means:
- Saying “not everything at once” — and meaning it
- Reducing noise, not increasing it
- Focusing on one or two meaningful scenarios, not the full capability set
- Making it explicit that it’s okay to engage later
🩵When people feel respected, not rushed, many will re‑engage on their own terms.
One simple message can make a big difference:
“You don’t need to learn everything now.
We’ll tell you when this becomes relevant for your role.”
That single sentence lowers cognitive load immediately.
✅ A Checklist for Anxious Passengers
Click this to open the checklist ⬇️
1) Psychological Safety — “Am I safe on this flight?”
- ☐ I understand using Copilot is optional, not mandatory
- ☐ I won’t be judged for not using it (yet)
- ☐ I can ask questions without feeling stupid
- ☐ Learning includes mistakes — and that’s okay
2) Clarity — “What is Copilot really?”
- ☐ I understand what Copilot is (and what it isn’t)
- ☐ I know it only uses information I already have access to
- ☐ I know it can be wrong and needs review
3) Boundaries — “What am I allowed to do?”
- ☐ I know what’s safe to use Copilot for
- ☐ I know what not to use it for
- ☐ I know where to check if I’m unsure
4) Control — “Am I still in charge?”
- ☐ I understand I’m responsible for the final output
- ☐ I feel confident editing or rejecting Copilot output
- ☐ I don’t feel pressured or replaced
5) Relevance — “Why should I care?”
- ☐ I’ve seen examples relevant to my role
- ☐ I’m allowed to start small
- ☐ I’m not expected to become advanced overnight
6) Support — “Who helps me?”
- ☐ I know who to ask
- ☐ I know where to find guidance
- ☐ I know what to do if something feels wrong
Rule of thumb:
If many boxes are unchecked, don’t push adoption harder.
Fix clarity, boundaries, and support first.
🦋 The Change Management Guide:
From Fear → Trust → Value
Here’s a simple, realistic framework that combines foundation + governance + human change.
Phase 1: Ground Safety (Before Takeoff)
Goal: Reduce anxiety and build trust
Focus: Humans before features
| DO: | AVOID: |
| – Acknowledge fear (“it’s normal to be unsure”) – Communicate clear principles and boundaries – Define ownership and escalation paths – Make it explicit: adoption is gradual and supported | – Productivity hype – Peer pressure (“everyone else is using it”) – Measuring adoption like a competition |
✅ Success signal: People ask questions openly, even critical ones.
Phase 2: Taxiing (Early Exposure)
Goal: Build familiarity without pressure
Focus: Confidence through clarity
| DO: | AVOID: |
| – Provide role-based scenarios and safe starter tasks – Share copy-paste prompts and small exercises – Reinforce that review and judgement are expected | – Overloading people with advanced use cases – Assuming curiosity equals readiness |
✅ Success signal: People experiment in low-risk tasks.
Phase 3: Takeoff (Supported Adoption)
Goal: Deliver value with guardrails
Focus: Supported practice
| DO: | AVOID: |
| – Celebrate good judgement, not just good output – Normalize verifying, editing, and improving responses – Share real stories (including lessons learned) | – Rewarding speed over quality – Shaming slower adopters |
✅ Success signal: Teams talk openly about how they use Copilot, responsibly.
Phase 4: Cruising Altitude (Sustainable Value)
Goal: Make Copilot a normal work tool
Focus: Outcomes + continuous improvement
| DO: | AVOID: |
| – Update guidance based on real usage patterns – Keep training practical and fresh – Let champions evolve into mentors – Measure impact where it makes sense (time saved, quality improved, risk reduced) | – Declaring success right after rollout – Stopping communication |
✅ Success signal: Copilot becomes part of “how we work”, not a novelty.
A leadership message that actually helps
If leaders want one sentence that supports adoption without dismissing sceptics, here’s a good one:
“Not everyone has to love flying (using Copilot).
Our responsibility is to make sure everyone feels safe, supported, and respected on the journey.”
That’s how you lower shoulders in the room.
Copilot adoption is a trust-building exercise
Copilot doesn’t just change what we do.
It changes how safe people feel while working.
| So yes, build the airport: – Structure – Governance – Security – Information quality |  | AND build the human runway: – Clarity – Boundaries – Psychological safety – Real support |
Because a jet doesn’t take off successfully unless the people on board trust:
- Someone knows where we’re going
- AND
- Someone knows how to get us there safely
This blog was inspired by several conversations about Copilot adoption, a LinkedIn dialogue with Caroline Kallin and the words from Karuana Gatimu’s blog: (3) Take Aways from Davos 2026 – by Karuana Gatimu:
“~ Trust in and through your organization is a catalyst to meaningful results with AI.
~ Each of us must go from AI consumer, to AI builder to AI inventor – sooner rather than later.
~ Deep culture change is required to truly be a Frontier Firm on the way to creating an AI native organization”~ Karuana Gatimu
Do YOU want to make this practical in your organization?
If you’re planning a rollout, start with these three actions:
- Define 5–10 “safe starter” use cases per role
- Publish a simple “Allowed / Not allowed / When unsure” guide (Tip: Use Engage for communication and a Competency and Guides portal in SharePoint (Communication sites) for this).
- Create visible support: champions, office hours, and escalation paths. (Tip: Formalize the role of Champions – you need them for the long run!!!)
That’s how you build confidence, value and TRUST, without forcing enthusiasm.
Happy me on an airport that just worked (Hey Kristiansand Airport 👏🤩✈️)! They have created a lovely and quiet study area where there were power sockets on each bench (even several), comfy sofa benches, chairs and roomy tables. It was just really nice to sit there and work, even if there were a few hours until my plane left.
And below, a video from one of my travels, trusting the pilot to get us safely home. I kept trusting the pilots, even if we were flying close to the mountain ridge, in between many high mountains and a bit jumpy weather. When you know the pilots are highly skilled – only the best pilots are allowed to fly this route – your degree of trust increases. And, you trust that the pilots want to go home as well…We’re on this journey together!
Just remember, investing in your employees’ skills and competencies is not a cost, it is an investment!
Resources for further studies and learning:
Microsoft 365 Copilot – Microsoft Adoption
Microsoft 365 Copilot help and learning
Microsoft Teams help & learning
Ultimate Guide: Microsoft 365 Data Storage Locations
Microsoft Purview Records Management: A Practical Guide For AI-Ready Governance