Best AI Champion: early-stage CAMPAIGNER or former SKEPTIC?

#NimbleVlog Season 05 Episode 05 — ORCHANGO’s president & co-founder Edmond Mellina contrasts early-stage AI CAMPAIGNER Joe and former AI SKEPTIC turned AI CAMPAIGNER Julie. Both are respected leaders – in their business unit and beyond. Yet, when it comes to AI, one is far more influential…

Transcript

Reading time: about 2 minutes

Two leaders. Same business unit. Same influence. Only one can truly move your AI SKEPTICS…

Change leadership is critical in AI transformation. So, if you’re playing a central role in your company’s AI journey, you need business leaders who act as true AI Champions — what we call CAMPAIGNERS in our Six Change Personas™ framework.

CAMPAIGNERS are active on two fronts.

• First, the technical — data, governance, guardrails, embedding AI in operations, etc.
• Second, the human dimension — role‑modelling the use of AI and, most importantly, influencing others to move up the Resistance‑Adoption ladder.

But here’s the twist: not all CAMPAIGNERS are equally influential. Take Joe and Julie, two leaders in the same business unit…

Joe has loved AI from day one. He was experimenting with ChatGPT long before your IT department rolled out Copilot. Joe has always been a CAMPAIGNER.

Julie started as a genuine SKEPTIC. She had real concerns about the risks of AI — for the organization and its people.

But as the company switched from aimlessly experimenting with AI to being strategic about it, Julie saw most of these concerns being addressed. As a result, she moved up the ladder — first becoming a HELPER, and now actively bringing others onboard.

Both Joe and Julie are respected leaders – in their business unit and beyond. Yet, when it comes to AI, Julie is far more influential.

Why? Because leaders and employees who worry about AI — the SKEPTICS, the FOOT DRAGGERS, the TORPEDOES — they see Joe as someone who “drank the Kool‑Aid.” He has no credibility with them.

But Julie, she used to be one of them. They relate to her. They are curious about her evolution. And they will listen to her.

So, if you’re playing a central role in your organization’s AI transformation, absolutely work with Joe… but bet on Julie.

Stay tuned for the next episode of our #NimbleVlog.

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