Rooting AI in the Organization
The main cause of failed AI adoption is not technology but people and culture. How you overcome resistance, anxiety, and "the freedom not to use it" is the heart of it.
The Nature of Resistance
- Anxiety: fear of having work taken / lower evaluation
- Sense of burden: relearning cost, too busy to touch it
- Distrust: fear of using an error-prone tool for work
- Indifference: no trouble with the current way
Moves to Root It
- Small success experiences: feel the effect from nearby chores (minutes, summaries)
- Psychological safety: create a place where "using and failing is OK"
- Evaluation alignment: design so AI use isn't disadvantageous in reviews
- Flag-bearers: appoint field advocates (next chapter)
What Not to Do
Top-down orders only / hand out tools and abandon / pressure people to "use it." The royal road is to reduce fear and let people win small. This chapter covers education, advocacy structure, and role division in turn.
