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
https://www.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: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365 
• Copilot: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot 
• Viva Connections: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-viva/connections 
• Viva Engage: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-viva/engage 
• SharePoint Online: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/sharepoint/collaboration 
• GPT-5 (OpenAI): https://openai.com/gpt-5 
• Microsoft MVP YouTube Series - How to Become a Microsoft MVP - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzf0yupPbVkqdRJDPVE4PtTlm6quDhiu7 

✅ Keywords 
copilot, ai mindset, microsoft 365, executive training, change management, viva engage, sharepoint online, gpt-5, intranet, service agent, adoption strategy, business transformation

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Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith