AI Barrier Breaking Workshop

Breaking Through People Resistance, Not Technology Barriers

The biggest obstacle to AI adoption isn’t technology—it’s people. When teams resist AI tools, it’s rarely about capability. It’s about confidence, comfort, and the very human fear of the unknown.

DesignChange’s AI Barrier Breaking Workshop is designed as the strategic kick-off for your AI change management process, starting where resistance is lowest: personal, everyday problems that matter to your people.

Why Personal Wins Create Professional Readiness

Imagine Sarah from your finance team learning to prompt AI for choosing her daughter’s kindergarten. Within minutes, she has a personalized evaluation framework that would have taken hours to research. More importantly, she experiences that breakthrough moment:

This personal ah-ha moment creates the psychological safety needed for workplace experimentation. Sarah becomes willing to participate in “Lunch and Learn” sessions or pilot programs where she might explore AI for budget analysis or client communications, alongside peers who’ve had their own personal AI wins.

Your Strategic Foundation

What emerges from this kick-off isn’t immediate business transformation. It’s the essential groundwork for your ongoing AI change process. Participants move from “I don’t understand AI” to “I’m willing to try this with my team.”

This shift is guided by the TRUST™ framework, a coaching-based structure developed by Karla Schlaepfer to support teams in building AI confidence step by step:

• T – Take stock of your mindset Notice initial reactions. Are you skeptical, excited, overwhelmed? This step builds awareness of assumptions and emotional blockers.

• R – Reframe AI as an ally Shift the narrative from fear of replacement to seeing AI as a tool that augments human thinking and decision-making.

• U – Understand basic tools Learn the core features of accessible AI platforms like ChatGPT or MS Copilot—enough to feel competent, not expert.

• S – Start small and experiment Apply AI to a real-life micro-task. Test it. Play with it. See where it helps and where it doesn’t.

• T – Track progress and build trust Reflect on what’s working and where friction exists. This builds confidence—and team-wide momentum.

Together, TRUST™ gives leaders and teams a shared vocabulary and roadmap for AI learning, experimentation, and practical use.

The workshop also provides you with crucial intelligence about who your early adopters are, what resistance patterns exist, and how different departments might approach AI integration. It’s strategic reconnaissance disguised as experimentation—giving you the insights needed to tailor your change management approach.

Beyond the Workshop

As your change management coach and partner, I’ll help you leverage this momentum through structured follow-up initiatives, leadership alignment sessions, and department-specific implementation strategies.