Why “Just Do It. It will be great!” Doesn’t Work with AI (or Any New Tech)

You're getting 2 for one this week in the Opt-In.

I had the next installment in the "Fairy Godmothering Myself" series ready, but my reactions to things happening RIGHT NOW meant I wanted to share both options with you.

See what I did there?

You get to choose what you want to read about.

Like you're opting in. :)

So, if you want to learn what happened after I faced my Fear Dragons, this week was the pivot from Ahhhh! to action. You can read all about it here and how I'm an experimenter. And yes, there's an easy experimenter in there for you too.

Back to today's programming and a question posed by more than one person in my network.

"My CEO wants everyone to play with AI in our jobs. He seems excited but the team isn't. What gives?"

I recently talked with an executive friend who shared a story I've heard repeatedly. Her CEO, captivated by AI's potential, had decided to “mandate” its adoption across the team. The benefits were so obvious from his perspective that he couldn’t understand why anyone would resist.

As I listened, it became clear: he was what we’d call a “visionary” in Crossing the Chasm terms. He could see how AI could transform the company and likely assumed that excitement would ripple through his team. But instead, they were stressed, skeptical, and even resentful.

I told her, “Your CEO sees AI’s potential so clearly that he probably can’t imagine others wouldn’t. But what he’s missing is that not everyone in the organization is wired to adopt new ideas on excitement alone.” His team needed a different approach—a tailored, phased way to bring them along on the journey rather than a blanket “just do it” mandate.

Why “Just Do It” Fails: The Importance of a Strategic Change Framework

When leaders roll out something new—whether AI or any other innovation—the “just do it” power approach often backfires; here’s why.

While a visionary leader thrives on new ideas and potential, most team members need a structured approach to feel secure in that potential.

This is where Crossing the Chasm offers a powerful framework. According to the model, any new concept goes through adoption phases, starting with the Innovators and Early Adopters and moving toward the Early Majority, Late Majority, and Skeptics.

What intrigues you as a visionary differs significantly from what intrigues the Early Majority. The "Why should I?" question isn't a one-size-fits-all answer.

Plus.

When were you last told you "must" do something? Did you dig your heels in or lean in with curiosity?

It depends on the ask and who's asking. Right?

This is a conversation about power. You can either "force" them into this new paradigm or invite them into play. The challenge we run into here is the "who's asking" element. The CEO, by the nature of his or her role, has the right to force initiatives all day if they want. But forcing creates fear and resistance. We've seen this recently with RTO mandates.

If you want someone to experiment with your new idea, it has to be an invitation to play. Creativity, collaboration, and curiosity take a back seat when fear is hanging around.

If we approach the AI rollout strategically, working with each adoption phase in mind, the chances of successful, lasting integration improve dramatically.

Factor in the Tale of Potential Problems: Why Teams Hold Back

To bridge this adoption chasm effectively, CEOs must recognize the different “Tales of Potential” that can either inspire or inhibit their teams:

• Lack of Intrigue and Curiosity: Only some naturally see AI as an exciting possibility. To many, it’s an intimidating, complex tool without a clear connection to their day-to-day work. Maybe asking them to play with AI is not the first step. Maybe the first step is to identify their why.
• Silent Sentences and Unspoken Concerns: Some team members hold unvoiced fears, like “AI will replace my job,” or “I don’t have the skills for this.” These quiet doubts build resistance if they’re left unaddressed.
• Fear of Irreversibility: The worry that AI is an irreversible decision can create hesitation and make people cautious about engaging.

These tales of potential—each unique to the individual—must be addressed in a way that resonates. By tailoring the approach to each phase of the adoption curve, CEOs can help alleviate these silent sentences and build trust within the team.

The “Why” and “How” are Unique to Each Individual

The final piece to successful deployment is recognizing that people don’t adopt change in a vacuum. Their “why” and “how” are unique to their individual experiences, roles, and needs. When a team is encouraged to find personal relevance in AI or any new idea, they’re more likely to approach it with curiosity rather than fear.

By connecting the dots for each person and their story within the organization, you begin to see a transformation. Ideas spread one person at a time.

In the end, deploying something new—especially something as potentially transformative as AI requires more than vision; it requires patience, empathy, and a strategic approach that respects each person’s relationship with the unknown—an invitation to the future you see.

And they'll join you in the future not because they’re told to but because they want to. Armed with all their creativity.

Now, that feels like magic.

PS. Can we PLEASE stop calling AI magic? It's just human magic, a tad faster. We're the magic ones.