5 Reasons Employees Ignore Microsoft 365 Copilot and How to Fix It with Steve Adams

Moving into an AI-centered workflow is a continuous process of trying, learning, and iterating rather than a one-time software rollout. Steve Adams highlights that while technology changes by the hour, human instincts and organizational habits often lag years behind. To see a real return on investment, leaders must align their AI efforts with existing business goals rather than getting distracted by technical novelties that don't impact the bottom line.

The conversation looks at the logistical reality of credit consumption and why frontier models aren't always the answer for every task. By understanding when to use heavy-hitting tools like Cowork and when to rely on leaner, efficient models, organizations can save hundreds of hours without ballooning their budget. Steve and Nathan also cover the necessity of starting with governance that works for the 85% of employees who use these tools for daily tasks, rather than getting paralyzed by extreme edge cases.

What You’ll Learn:

The "Try, Learn, Iterate" framework for constant technical change
How to align AI use cases with your actual annual business goals
The difference between serial and parallel AI processing for productivity
Why cultural readiness matters more than the Microsoft 365 Copilot ribbon
Managing the cost of AI tokens and credits effectively
Building an auditable governance structure for the average knowledge worker

About the Guest:

Steve Adams is the Chief Innovation Officer and President of produhktiv, where he leads the company's vision, culture, and growth. He is an AI expert enthusiast whose work centers on Microsoft's AI strategy and Microsoft 365 Copilot. With 13 years of experience at Microsoft and 15 years in the partner channel, Steve focuses on the user experience and on helping knowledge workers be more productive in secure and cost effective ways. Today he helps organizations modernize their training and enablement so teams can keep pace with the rapid evolution of AI.

About the Host:

Nathan Taylor is Senior Vice President and Global Microsoft Practice Leader at Sourcepass, where he leads the Sourcepass Center of Excellence for Microsoft, also known as the Sourcepass MCOE. With nearly two decades of experience, he helps organizations manage complex Microsoft cloud and security decisions by turning technology into secure, scalable outcomes.

Episode Highlights:

[00:05:13] The Ribbon Era vs. The AI Era

Most users haven't changed how they use Outlook or Word in 20 years. We look at why the rapid pace of AI needs crossing mental blocks toward constant adaptation rather than waiting for a three-year update cycle.

[00:11:00] Finding Business Outcomes in the Hype

AI can feel like a parlor trick if it isn't solving a real problem. Nathan and Steve talk about looking back at your annual planning to ensure your AI resources target the initiatives that actually drive the organization forward.

[00:22:24] The Right Tool for the Right Job

Not every task requires a frontier model that costs thousands of dollars to run. Understand the balance between human efficiency and the cost of tokens to ensure your automation efforts remain profitable.

[00:29:26] The ROI of Parallel Processing

Using Cowork to synthesize reports, spreadsheets, and presentations simultaneously can save 20 hours of manual labor. Hear how to justify the credit cost when the time savings are this significant.

[00:35:02] Solving the People Problem

If you just give someone a license, the signals show they probably won't click the button. Adoption is a cultural challenge that requires a new way of thinking about readiness and training.

[00:37:30] Governance for the 85%

Don't let the lack of case law stop you from enabling your team. Learn why creating guidance for the majority of your workers provides more value than worrying about extreme edge cases today.

Episode Resources:

Reach out to Sourcepass MCOE to build an AI strategy that sticks: https://sourcepassmcoe.com/demystifying-microsoft-contact

Steve Adams on LinkedIn

Nathan Taylor on LinkedIn

Quotes:

"We learned how to use Outlook 20 years ago, and most of us still use Outlook exactly the same way that we always have.”
“We didn't require thinking about change, and heaven forbid, in Office when we got the ribbon, that was the end of the world. But we were adapting to changes that came every three years."
"AI, Copilot can do more things than we can imagine it could do. So I tell everyone to step back, look at your business goals. When you went into your annual planning meeting last year, what were the key initiatives you needed to get done? Let's focus our efforts, our investments, and our resources on the things that drive to the business goals."
"We know for a fact that for the 85% of workers, if we give them the Copilot license and it shows up on their desktop, the signals tell us they're not going to click it.”
“The way we adopt new software has to change. That's a mindset, a cultural mindset, not a technology problem."