I am a change manager. I help individuals, teams and organisations change. I introduce people to new tech and ways of working.

I am also an individual who faces changes. I adopt tech early to understand it. I discover possibilities for myself and for others. I face the same friction everyone does with change.

I am trying to get to know Copilot for Microsoft 365, looking for ways to practically use it daily. But there is something different about adopting Copilot. “Copilot, is it you. Or is it me?”

It’s not you, it’s me.

Copilot, I don’t greet you in the mornings at the start of my work day. We live in the same house, so to speak. I work in Microsoft 365. You live there, know a lot about my work, who and what I work with. I just haven’t developed a habit of turning to you and saying “good morning, what are we doing today?” I think I can work on that if I want this relationship to work.

In my role, I have to write communications that are quite specific to a client’s needs and the change I am communicating about. I don’t need a generic starter from you Copilot. So I don’t talk with you as often as I could. I rarely ask you for help getting started with my writing. But maybe I could ask you to review more of my writing. Maybe coach me or help me rewrite my content to make it more concise or use a different tone.

I haven’t got into the habit of searching for answers with you Copilot. I have years of talking with Google in a demanding tone. Copilot, I need to slow down and think about what I want, and then discuss it with you. I need to give you more context. Share some examples of what I am looking for. Point you towards some sources of information to work with. After years of speaking keywords in Google’s ear, I search and review the results at a pace that is difficult to slow down.

It’s not me. It’s you.

Copilot, sometimes I need some space. I see you everywhere. You frequently offer to help me. Sometimes within seconds of opening an application you support. Before I even start to type, right after my cursor, I am told “Use Copilot or just start typing.”

I just need you to give me some time and space to work through my own thoughts. Let me make a start on my own and try to get into a flow. Sometimes, it’s in the struggle to find my words that I learn and grow more. Don’t worry. I’ll let you know when I need help.

At the same time Copilot, you are meant to be my companion, with me wherever I need you. But you are forgetful. Sometimes it’s as if you are a different ’person’. In one app I ask you for help and you give it. We move to another app and try to continue the same conversation about the same task. But you forget what we were talking about. I have to start from the beginning, going over the context, the goal and suggested examples again. Maybe one day we can do all our work from one app. Or you might grow to be like Tony Stark’s Jarvis, an assistant that truly understands me wherever we go.

I do have to check your work Copilot. Sometimes I like what you deliver. But I still need to look closely at what you are telling me. It is a good thing you provide sources most of the time. Although I am puzzled as to why you prioritise one source over another. You confidently tell me 10 things when I ask for them. Then I see most of the 10 come from an article or blog that clearly isn’t an authoritative source. However, it’s a good starting point and I try to make time to read your other sources.

You change often Copilot. I wish I could ask you to tell me how you have changed and what have you learned. But it seems even you can’t keep up with your own changes. It’s a good thing we have a community of people who share what they experience and observe, so we can keep up with changes in Copilot together.

It takes two

Copilot, if we are going to make this relationship work then we both need to work at it. I will learn to speak Prompt. You will learn to hold a conversation across the apps in Microsoft 365.

I will try to see opportunities where you can help me on a daily basis. You will build my confidence in your responses by using more authoritative sources.

You will learn when to give me space and let me work things out on my own. I’ll let you know when I need help. I will continue to share great feedback with you when I think your work needs work.