From Theatre to Tech: Building AI Mindsets That Stick

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Tanja Wiehoff shares her journey from musical theatre to Microsoft 365 consulting, revealing how she helps organisations adopt Copilot and build an AI-first mindset. She outlines practical strategies for executive training, change management, and fostering AI fluency across teams.

👉 Full Show notes
microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/759

🎙️ What you’ll learn
• How to guide organisations through Copilot adoption
• Ways to build an AI mindset across different roles
• Why executive buy-in is critical for AI success
• How to run effective Copilot workshops and labs
• What makes AI fun and engaging for everyday users
✅ Highlights
• “You have to build up an AI mindset with all the employees.”
• “Executives have to be a role model when it comes to AI usage.”
• “It doesn’t make any sense to train them and then leave them alone.”
• “Copilot isn’t always faster—it’s better quality and more creative.”
• “We enable users before they even get a Copilot licence.”
• “It’s not always about ROI—sometimes it’s just better work.”
• “I use Copilot nearly every hour.”
• “You need ongoing training and a knowledge platform.”
• “Fun use cases matter—even if they don’t save money.”
• “There’s no blueprint—it depends on company culture.”
• “Executive sessions must be fast-paced and interactive.”
• “The service agent even suggests when to publish the survey.”
🧰 Mentioned
• Microsoft 365: microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365
• Copilot: microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot
• Viva Connections: microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-viva/connections
• Viva Engage: microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-viva/engage
• SharePoint Online: microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/sharepoint/c…
• GPT-5 (OpenAI): openai.com/gpt-5
• Microsoft MVP YouTube Series - How to Become a Microsoft MVP (youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzf0yupPbVkqdRJDPVE…) - youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzf0yupPbVkqdRJDPVE…
✅ Keywords
copilot, ai mindset, microsoft 365, executive training, change management, viva engage, sharepoint online, gpt-5, intranet, service agent, adoption strategy, business transformation
If you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin (linkedin.com/in/nz365guy).

Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith