Training with AI – how do you train your organization to be in top shape?

I’m writing this in the middle of summer – this wonderful time of year for which so many people are trying to get into special “summer fit.” (Of course, I personally think that I’m in summer fit with my hard-earned floating devices.)

Getting fit requires determination and commitment. Many who have started a new healthy life also know that enthusiasm may be cut short and the new lifestyle will not start as expected. In fitness, they talk about a magical three-month period of time that it takes repetition for exercise to become a habit.

The emergence of new ways of working requires this same commitment and persistent repetition. Artificial intelligence is here to stay – and offers countless new opportunities for our own ways of working and the business and processes of our organizations. However, opportunities can only be redeemed if the ways of working change. Could this summer be a turning point in our own routines?!

Dare to be curious and try

Learning new things starts with the decision to start. The first step in everything, is always the courage to take it.

It’s a good idea to call a friend or get in the company of more experienced ones – good tips in good company are available for those who are not interested in self-study. Even the wrong habits take root, so it’s worth learning right from the start (and to be honest, I confess that remote training alone is often overshadowed by everyday life).

My own curiosity has been fuelled the most by our expert Antti “Kontti” Kontiainen’s wonderful everyday examples of experiments applying Azure Open AI services in chili farming and child uprising and projects carried out with pioneering customers, such as the orientation training implemented on the Mesh platform at the Helsinki City Executive Office. Through these, the threshold for using what has been learned in my own business has been lowered nicely.

Curiosity and open-mindedness are now needed in every organization. In a way, you have to change if you want to be in the game. As the world changed forever after Covid, employers are forced to find new ways to reach employees. At the same time, Generation Z has entered working life and, as true digital natives, they act differently than those who are used to emails. Fortunately, it is not a question of age, more a question of attitude – development reveals new traits also in more experienced employees.

Be persistent and practice actively

Practice makes perfect. (Why settle for less?!) AI services are developing at a dizzying pace, and in my own training I have noticed that the Copilot functionalities of different M365 services develop over time when they are given the opportunity, it’s important to have constant experiments. Since it is possible, I have participated our Copilot in a Day courses led by Miska Kytö three times during the winter, and each time I learned something new. It is not for nothing that it is said that “repetition increases power”!

It’s good to understand that these ways of working are all about skills – not knowledge. You can get good information by listening, but knowledge only becomes a skill by applying it and it becomes a habit only through repetition. Open-minded work feeds creative thinking and also generates new business ideas.

Rejoice in successes

We have a saying in Finland; When you share your joy, the joy is doubled. This is especially true when you share a skill you have learned with a colleague and your success in your own organization is multiplied. New habits also bring new insights. When you learn a new skill, it also affects other areas.

It has not been very typical for us Finns to celebrate our own achievements. This will certainly change over time, and in areas where there is a severe shortage of experts, it is worth highlighting your own expertise. In the United States, the shortage of Cyber Security experts in particular has led to recruitment no longer emphasising the degree, but evidence of competence is more important. “Sleeping through” a course does not demonstrate competence. That is why I believe that the importance of competence/performance badges will also increase globally.

New performance badges that demonstrate competence and knowledge application skills are an excellent place to start celebrating your own competence and successes. Microsoft Applied Skills workshop days for Copilot and Azure Open AI are a good place to start. They offer a good combination of knowledge and practice, as well as the opportunity to complete a badge at the end of each workshop day. For our finnish speaking customers we have them also in summertime, with special price.

Welcome to train yourself and your organization to the top AI condition!

Take your skills to the next level with our trainings

We are an official Microsoft Training Services Partner, providing expertise across all three clouds! Our trainers have experience from numerous client projects and bring the latest knowledge to training sessions from real-world practical situations.

Artificial intelligence brings a wealth of new opportunities and new skill requirements. With our help, you can ensure that your organization keeps pace with rapid technological development and that your staff is equipped with the latest knowledge and skills. We offer expertise in areas such as the implementation of Copilot – from data protection to end-user AI training.

Writer