Microsoft Innovation Podcast

Get featured on the show by leaving us a Voice Mail: https://bit.ly/MIPVM Frederick Anaafi shares his journey from Excel trainer to Microsoft MVP, highlighting how AI - especially Microsoft Copilot - is transforming productivity and career paths in Africa and beyond. He offers practical insights on building AI fluency, driving community-led tech adoption, and staying competitive in a rapidly evolving digital economy. 👉 ️ FULL SHOW NOTES https://www.microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/762 🎙️ What you’ll learn How to build a tech career starting with Excel and Power BI Why AI fluency is essential for modern professionals Practical ways to adopt Microsoft Copilot without a subscription How to lead community-driven tech initiatives What it takes to become a Microsoft MVP in emerging markets ✅ Highlights “AI is the electricity of our era.” “If you don’t learn AI, then yes, you will be left out.” “Copilot helps you get results faster and be more efficient.” “Before entering the corporate world, you need to know Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.” “I failed the Excel Expert exam the first time, but I didn’t give up.” “We had close to 200 people attend the first DynamicsCon West Africa.” “AI engineering will be the ish—what people should really go into.” “Trust in Copilot comes from knowing it’s secure and responsible.” “We’re driving Copilot adoption through free virtual training.” “In Ghana, we have fewer than 15 MVPs, but we’re growing.” “The usefulness of Copilot is there—now we need to build trust.” “I see AI transforming every industry we work in.” 🧰 Mentioned Microsoft Excel Expert Certification: learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/exams/mo-211 Tableau: tableau.com Power BI: microsoft.com/en-us/power-platform/products/power-bi Microsoft Copilot: copilot.microsoft.com DynamicsCon West Africa: eventbrite.com/e/dynamicscon-regional-west-africa-tickets-1249579418679 MCT West Africa Summit: mctwestafrica.com Microsoft MVP YouTube Series: How to Become a Microsoft MVP - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzf0yupPbVkqdRJDPVE4PtTlm6quDhiu7 ✅Keywords ai fluency, microsoft copilot, power bi, excel expert, tableau, data analysis, mvp programme, tech community, ai adoption, microsoft 365, dynamics 365, west africa tech Support the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith

Explore how different generations embrace AI, from Gen X's structured prompts to Gen Z's rapid experimentation. Discover ways to transform book insights into personalized habits and manage health and finances with AI. The discussion also emphasizes creating judgment-free spaces for learning and critical thinking. You'll learn about designing effective prompt pipelines, leveraging tools safely, and fostering community conversations. Plus, get tips on setting boundaries for mental well-being while integrating AI into your life!

Emre Ok, an HR tech leader at TeamFlect, dives into the evolving landscape of AI in the workplace. He discusses the importance of context-aware AI in enhancing remote team connections and performance management. Emre emphasizes that AI should complement, not replace, human interaction and offers strategies for leaders to evaluate AI tools critically. He also tackles the challenges of bias in communication and explores how global remote work can blur boundaries, creating both opportunities and challenges for teams.

Get featured on the show by leaving us a Voice Mail: https://bit.ly/MIPVM 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 transformationSupport the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith

👉 Full Show Notes https://www.microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/758Hosts: Mark Smith, Meg SmithEthical AI starts with transparency, accountability, and clear values. Mark and Meg unpack responsible AI principles, why non-deterministic systems still need reliability, and how ‘human in the loop’ and logging keep people accountable. They share a simple way to judge tools: trust, data use, terms that change, and clarity on training. You’ll see how to set personal and organisational boundaries, choose vendors, and schedule reviews as risks evolve. They also consider a public call to pause superintelligence, and argue for critical thinking over fear.Join the private WhatsApp group for Q&A and community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/E0iyXcUVhpl9um7DuKLYEz🎙️ What you’ll learn- Build an ethics checklist around transparency, fairness, reliability, privacy, inclusiveness, and accountability.- Evaluate tools for training stance, data use, privacy, and changing terms.- Design human-in-the-loop workflows with unique credentials, logging, and audit trails.- Set personal and organisational boundaries for acceptable AI use.- Plan a review cadence to reassess risks, mitigations, and vendor changes.✅Highlights“we're going to be squarely in the land of robotics very soon.”“the intelligence age is so much more than just AI it is the age of intelligence”“if you're an unethical individual, AI is probably going to amplify it.”“there is no ethical AI without transparency.”“people should be accountable for AI systems.”🧰MentionedMicrosoft Responsible AI principles https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/ai/principles-and-approach#ai-principlesIBM AI course https://www.ibm.com/training/learning-pathsTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@nz365guyRoomba https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RoombaZoom TOS https://termly.io/resources/zoom-terms-of-service-controversy/Connect with the hostsMark Smith:  Blog https://www.nz365guy.com LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/nz365guy Meg Smith:  Blog https://www.megsmith.nz LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/megsmithnzSubscribe, rate, and share with someone who wants to be future ready. Drop your questions in the comments or the WhatsApp group, and we may feature them in an upcoming episode.✅Keywords: responsible ai, ethical decision-making, transparency, accountability, fairness, privacy and security, non-deterministic, human in the loop, audit trail, intra id, superintelligence, terms Microsoft 365 Copilot Adoption is a Microsoft Press book for leaders and consultants. It shows how to identify high-value use cases, set guardrails, enable champions, and measure impact, so Copilot sticks. Practical frameworks, checklists, and metrics you can use this month. Get the book: https://bit.ly/CopilotAdoptionSupport the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith

Joe Leo, a Toronto-based leader in supply chain and digital solutions, shares his expertise on scaling automation through the Microsoft Power Platform. He reveals how he transformed tedious manual processes, like cleaning logs and handling countless Excel files, into streamlined canvas apps with real-time insights. Joe discusses deploying a COVID tracking app to 1,000 users in just two weeks and emphasizes the importance of ongoing maintenance for automation tools. He also delves into personal branding strategies in a competitive job market, offering valuable networking tips.

👉 Full Show Noteshttps://www.microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/756 AI is transforming how businesses use data, but most are still stuck with outdated models. In this episode, Brian Perks shares how to unlock high-impact insights by shifting from fragmented data to identity-driven ecosystems. Learn how to optimise your ideal customer profile, reduce waste, and build scalable, AI-powered sales strategies. 🎙️ What you’ll learn How to eliminate low-value data and focus on high-conversion targets Why identity-based data is critical for fraud prevention and sales activation How to optimise your ICP for repeatable, scalable growth What LinkedIn advertising gets wrong—and how to fix it How startups can access enterprise-grade data tools ✅ Highlights “We are making the data available to the platform in its entirety.” “You only want the sales, the marketers, the people that are going to buy your products.” “Companies using 5x5 data have customers that essentially stay forever.” “AI cannot spontaneously generate your email address or mobile number.” “We act as the barometer to let you into the room and see the digital universe.” “LinkedIn has been your professional resume. It is not Facebook for business.” “Most companies don’t run the kind of analytic to understand their soft costs.” “IP-based ABM marketing hits every device on that IP—you’re paying for all of them.” “Small companies no longer have to be in the data business first to build data-enabled products.” “AI models still depend on human journalistic research.” “Publishers are getting scraped 1000 times per visitor under fair use.” “We’re going to need AI shepherds to verify and validate output.” 🧰 Mentioned LinkedIn Sales Navigator: https://business.linkedin.com/sales-solutions/sales-navigator CloudFlare - https://www.cloudflare.com  Claude - https://claude.ai Xandr (Microsoft Advertising): https://www.xandr.com ✅Keywords ai sales, identity data, fraud prevention, data licensing, linkedin advertising, b2b marketing, ideal customer profile, sales activation, publishing models, audience extension, data utility, generative ai Microsoft 365 Copilot Adoption is a Microsoft Press book for leaders and consultants. It shows how to identify high-value use cases, set guardrails, enable champions, and measure impact, so Copilot sticks. Practical frameworks, checklists, and metrics you can use this month. Get the book: https://bit.ly/CopilotAdoptionSupport the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith

In this episode, Amanda Sterner, an employee experience and productivity expert, shares her insights on how Microsoft Loop and Copilot are transforming collaboration. She reveals how Loop's appealing design enhances personal workflows and discusses the challenges with offline access. The conversation highlights how Copilot simplifies complex tools, fostering confidence in users unfamiliar with Microsoft 365. Amanda also emphasizes the importance of Champions programs in driving digital adoption and the necessity of active participation for success.

Hosts: Mark Smith, Meg Smith👉 Full Show Notes https://www.microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/754How to use AI to structure thinking, surface blind spots, and move through complex problems. Meg and Mark show practical patterns: building mental models, running thinking-hat challenges to cut confirmation bias, using AI as a thought partner, debugging code and page issues, automating inbox and workflows, role-playing hard conversations, and rapid research. They share personal wins from branding decisions to rescuing a bee swarm. The episode closes by flagging next week’s focus on ethical decision making and safety.Join the private WhatsApp group for Q&A and community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/E0iyXcUVhpl9um7DuKLYEz🎙️ What you’ll learnUse AI to build and test mental models that expose blind spots.Run thinking-hat challenges to counter confirmation bias.Treat AI as a thought partner to frame better questions and choices.Diagnose code and page layout issues fast, then move to fixes.Design inbox and workflow automations with Copilot and Power Automate.✅Highlights“How can we use AI to help us solve problems.”“AI is not gonna take our jobs, but greedy capitalist will.”“We are living in this world that is trying to polarize us all the time.”“I like the concept of mental models.”“I’m going to ask my dumbest question.”“I’m waking up and within three minutes of inbox, it’s empty again.”“I’ve got AI. I don’t need to call anybody.”🧰MentionedEdward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Thinking_HatsZenler https://www.newzenler.com/invite/aeLVdHRecipetineats https://www.recipetineats.com/Connect with the hostsMark Smith:  Blog https://www.nz365guy.comLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/nz365guyMeg Smith:  Blog https://www.megsmith.nzLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/megsmithnzSupport the showSubscribe, rate, and share with someone who wants to be future ready. Drop your questions in the comments or the WhatsApp group, and we may feature them in an upcoming episode.✅Keywords:  ai, mental models, problem solving, strategic thinking, copilot, power automate, code reviewing, confirmation bias, six thinking hats, ethical decision making, chatgpt, beekeeping Microsoft 365 Copilot Adoption is a Microsoft Press book for leaders and consultants. It shows how to identify high-value use cases, set guardrails, enable champions, and measure impact, so Copilot sticks. Practical frameworks, checklists, and metrics you can use this month. Get the book: https://bit.ly/CopilotAdoptionSupport the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith

Get featured on the show by leaving us a Voice Mail: https://bit.ly/MIPVM 👉 Full Show Notes https://www.microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/753  AI adoption starts with data readiness. Yatindra Ranpura shares a practical framework for deploying Copilot successfully, including how to clean legacy systems, measure adoption, and align with regulations like GDPR and the EU AI Act. Learn how to avoid common pitfalls and build a resilient, scalable AI strategy. 🎙️ What you’ll learn How to prepare your data for Copilot and AI tools A 3-step framework for successful AI adoption Ways to identify and remove ROT (redundant, obsolete, trivial) data How to align AI rollouts with GDPR and the EU AI Act Techniques for measuring sentiment and adoption across teams ✅ Highlights “Data quality is a super important topic.” “Establishing the correct guardrails of any Copilot release is fundamental.” “If you don’t need it, you should get rid of it.” “ROT data means you can really focus on what is the key thing.” “We discovered the most popular file was the restaurant menu.” “You want to get something done rapidly, but pull in the right parts of the business.” “GDPR and the EU AI Act are super important.” “You can measure sentiment without needing a formal survey.” “We realised there were three copies of the same information going around.” “Some organisations aren’t even prepared.” “You’ve got to make sure you’ve packed properly.” “We help restructure and break down huge icebergs into smaller ones.” 🧰 Mentioned Microsoft Copilot - Enjoy an AI Assistant Anywhere with Copilot for PC, Mac, Mobile, and More | Microsoft Copilot Office 365 - Microsoft 365 - Subscription for Productivity Apps | Microsoft 365 SharePoint - Safely Collaborate and Share Content | Microsoft SharePoint ✅Keywords copilot, ai adoption, data quality, office 365, sharepoint, gdpr, eu ai act, rot data, sentiment analysis, power platform, data governance, legacy systems Microsoft 365 Copilot Adoption is a Microsoft Press book for leaders and consultants. It shows how to identify high-value use cases, set guardrails, enable champions, and measure impact, so Copilot sticks. Practical frameworks, checklists, and metrics you can use this month. Get the book: https://bit.ly/CopilotAdoptionSupport the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith