Why Your AI Rollout Stalled And What You Can Do About It

How do the values of an organization impact the approach to managing change? The business world is fascinated by culture. Academics have studied it. Authors have written about it. Great leaders know how to leverage culture to ensure wildly successful business outcomes. Conversely, well-documented case studies demonstrate how incorrect assumptions about organizational values can lead to misunderstandings at best and failed projects and lost profit at worst. In the frenzied quest for a silver bullet to understand what culture tells us about the way business should be conducted, there is little debate that organizational value systems have a powerful influence. As a change manager, one key fact about culture stands out: organizational value systems impact the way change happens. What is important to our organization? How are decisions made? Who is in charge? How do I relate to other employees and groups within our organization? What behaviors are rewarded and recognized? What is compensation based upon? The answers to these questions vary from country to country, industry to industry, organization to organization, and department to department. It is critical for all change managers to understand the underlying values of their organizations because these factors directly influence the way change will be accepted and how much work will ultimately be required to ensure successful outcomes for the business. Universal Principles and Unique Manifestations Research from Prosci and from many other sources over the years shows that certain core aspects of change are common to all humans, regardless of title, industry or nationality: Communication is essential yet there is a disconnect between senders and receivers. Change happens on an individual and deeply personal level. Resistance is the normal human reaction to change. Leaders bring authority for change and legitimize changes within an organization. The size and scope of the change itself impacts how it will be received. On its own, the right answer is not enough to bring about change. Change is a process. Overlaying each principle is the reality that a shared set of values and beliefs an organization holds uniquely and tangibly impacts how these universals will play out on any given change. One example of this is the fundamental motivator of desire. Every individual has an intrinsic need to accept and acknowledge the benefits of a change in order to fully support it. They need to know the answer to the question "what's in it for me?" However, cultural factors influence whether that question is approached from a collective or individualistic perspective. Some value systems focus on "what's in it for us as a group," while others take great stock in "what's in it for me as an individual." A second example comes in the way resistance is displayed or expressed. In some organizational cultures, resistance is very visible. Employees readily make their objections known openly and loudly. In other cultures, particularly those with values around deference to authority, dissent is much less overt, often taking the form of passive or underground resistance. Resistance to change is universal - how an employee actually resists and what that resistance looks like will depend on culture and values. The fundamental facets of change management—communications, sponsorship, coaching, training, and resistance management—are necessary the world over. The basic questions a change manager asks are the same in any organization. It is the answers to those questions and the manifestation of the change management activities that need to be approached differently from group to group. Values Impact Employee Reaction to Change The culture of an organization has a direct impact on how employees react to change and what specific change management strategies will be most effective. An organization's value system is an important and telling factor in how much change management effort is needed on a given project. In many modern workplaces, employees are personally engaged with and heavily invested in the current state. They take ownership of their work and feel authority to make decisions about their own work processes and work environments. These values have proven very positive when it comes to productivity and performance metrics. However, they create a greater need for change management. People demand to know why any given change is being made and have to see a clear answer to the question, "What's in it for me?" The role of change managers in this type of environment is larger and more involved, particularly when a change initiative is introduced from the top down. Change managers can expect to expend more effort in anticipating and managing resistance. Employees must each go through a personal transition process in order for change to be realized on an organizational scale. Targeted plans need to be orchestrated for both individuals and groups of impacted employees. Contrast that with a more traditional command and control system in the workplace. Change frequently happened from the top down. Employees did not have decision-making authority. "Because the senior leader said so" in and of itself was a great motivator of desire in a patriarchal environment. These traditional operating structures are still prevalent today in some industries and geographic locations. In the traditional environment, change management is necessary but it takes less dedicated time and energy. People who are engaged and fully understand why the change is being made will be more committed and produce better results. However, the amount of effort required for building desire is lower, as is the amount of work managing resistance at the individual level. Simple sponsorship activities make a significant impact. Though passive or unspoken resistance still exists, open resistance is less prevalent because consistency and predictability are rewarded behaviors. Changing Value Systems Other changes in the business world have spawned similar shifts in values that have increased the amount of change management work to be done. The rapidly increasing speed of business and the expectation of more, better and faster results in the marketplace demands a level of change capacity unseen before. Nearly three-quarters of participants in Prosci's most recent Best Practices in Change Management study indicated their organization was nearing, at, or past the point of change saturation. Common symptoms of a change-saturated environment include disengagement, apathy, burnout, and resistant behaviors, which require more time and resources dedicated to change management activities. The effects of globalization and the internet era further influence the value systems of organizations and increase the amount of change management work to be done. Many organizations, from large multi-national corporations to local family-owned businesses, do not have a homogeneous workforce. Cultural values within the same organization vary from person to person and this drives a need for more individualized and intricate change management plans. The internet era has created an expectation in the workforce of real-time communication and a constant flow of information. This provides a change manager with more information to manage and disseminate through a wider variety of channels in order to meet that expectation. The net effect of these shifts in values and realities over the past 50 years is that change management is needed more today than ever before because of the new values system of the workforce. Change managers must undertake change from a holistic perspective that addresses both the organization as a whole and the individual. Individual change management models are necessary, in parallel to organizational change management methodologies, to support employees who operate with modern value systems. Key Lessons for Change Managers Value systems are the organizational canvas on which any change project is painted. Listen carefully and observe constantly to gain insight about the leadership structure, organizational history and underlying beliefs of the groups impacted by the change. The basic principles of change management will be manifested differently in every organization. Conduct an organizational attributes assessment to spur discussion about these issues and to help you make sure you have asked the right questions. There is no magic formula for fully understanding value systems. Only after the strategy work is complete, customize and scale specific change management action plans that take into account the unique value systems of the impacted organizations. With changing values in business and in the world at large, change management as a discipline must address both the organization as a whole and the individual. Focusing exclusively on traditional organizational change activities such as communication and training is no longer sufficient.

Imagine transforming a two-hour planning session into a 10-minute task or reducing the time spent writing and tailoring communications by half. This isn't wishful thinking—it's the reality for change practitioners who are effectively leveraging AI. As you manage multiple initiatives, stakeholder expectations and tight deadlines, AI tools are becoming your game-changing ally, redefining what's possible in change management. Remember, the purpose of AI for change management is not to replace the human touch essential to successful change. The purpose is to amplify your capabilities and free you to focus on what matters most: the people side of change. The Change Practitioner's Dilemma If you're like most change practitioners, you work with competing priorities: multiple initiatives running simultaneously, pressure to deliver faster results, and the constant challenge of creating plans, communications and strategies that drive adoption. You're expected to be everywhere at once, supporting sponsors, coaching managers and guiding impacted employees while maintaining the quality needed for change success. Prosci research shows how practitioners are getting the help they need: AI is already helping them focus on high-value work by handling routine tasks that consume valuable time. According to Prosci research, change practitioners are using AI in several key areas: 30% for communication support 22% for content creation 20% for strategy and planning 12% for automation and efficiency 8% for data analysis Current Uses of AI in CM Work These numbers tell an important story. AI isn’t the future of change management. It’s already making an impact today. How AI Transforms Change Management Work The impact of AI on change management work is significant and measurable. In Prosci's research study, AI and Change Management, nearly half (48%) of change practitioners reported they currently use AI for change management. We asked respondents open-ended questions to understand how they use AI in their change management work. Their responses are powerful: 29% report increased efficiency 17% use AI for content creation support 16% note enhanced communication 12% say AI facilitates idea generation Impact of AI on Change Management Work These responses reflect the use of general-purpose AI-powered tools. When we asked early users of Kaiya™, Prosci's expert change management AI tool, they reported cutting time spent on change planning by at least 50%, allowing them to focus more on the people side of change. "If I'm stumped on how to get started crafting something, I can throw my ideas into Kaiya and get great content. I may choose to adjust it, but at least I'm not starting from a blank page." —Change Practitioner and Kaiya User A Case Study in AI-Powered Change Success CHRISTUS Health faced an unprecedented challenge when a bankruptcy situation compressed the typical 12-to-18-month acquisition timeline to just six weeks. Within that narrow window, they needed to prepare their systems, onboard their people, and create a welcoming experience for new employees from the acquired facility. Using Kaiya, CHRISTUS Health's change management team quickly developed comprehensive change plans for sponsors and people leaders, integrated key elements into communication strategies, and created welcome center materials for new employees. The result? They successfully completed the entire acquisition integration within the compressed time frame—going from months to weeks—while delivering a seamless welcome experience. New employees reported being "impressed with how warmly they were welcomed and how well we communicated." This case demonstrates how AI can empower change teams to achieve what would otherwise be impossible under traditional timelines. How AI Enhances Quality and Consistency Speed is only part of the equation. Kaiya is revolutionizing the way change practitioners work: Access proven practices instantly – Draw on research-based approaches without having to search through resources or rely solely on memory. Maintain consistency across initiatives – Ensure that communications and plans follow a consistent structure and approach, even when working across multiple changes. Scale your impact – Support more people and more changes without sacrificing quality. Generate fresh perspectives – Overcome writers block and spark new ideas when you're feeling stuck. Eliminate repetitive tasks – Automate routine work like drafting initial communications, creating templates, and developing frameworks. Addressing Common Concerns About AI in Change Management Despite clear benefits, some practitioners are concerned about incorporating AI into their work. Participants in our AI and Change Management study identified several key areas of concern: 29% expressed a lack of understanding and fear 22% worried about governance 16% mentioned the lagging evolution of change practice 13% cited security concerns Potential Concerns or Challenges With AI These concerns reflect legitimate considerations that organizations must address when implementing AI solutions. However, they shouldn't prevent you from exploring the transformative potential of AI in your change practice. The key is to view AI as a collaborative partner rather than a replacement for human judgment. The most effective approach combines AI's capabilities for rapid information processing and content generation with the change practitioner's emotional intelligence, contextual understanding and strategic thinking. How to Start Incorporating AI Into Your Change Practice Ready to explore how AI can enhance your change management practice? Here are five practical steps to get started: Identify your biggest time drains – Which repetitive tasks consume your time without adding proportional value? These are prime candidates for AI assistance. Start with straightforward applications – Begin with content creation, communications drafting, or plan development—areas where AI excels and provides immediate value. Refine and customize – Use AI-generated content as a starting point, then customize it to your organization's specific language, culture and needs. Measure the impact – Track how much time you save and how the quality of your deliverables changes when using AI assistance. Expand strategically – ̶ As your comfort level increases, explore more advanced applications of AI in strategy development, stakeholder analysis and risk assessment. The Future of Change Management Is Human + AI The most successful change practitioners of the future won't be those who resist AI or those who rely on it exclusively. They'll be the ones who learn to collaborate effectively with AI tools, using them to handle routine tasks while focusing their human expertise on the aspects of change that require empathy, creativity and strategic thinking. Kaiya delivers the transformative potential of AI in change management—not as a replacement for human practitioners but as a powerful ally that helps you drive better outcomes faster. "No matter the question, Kaiya has the right answers at the right time." —Tim Creasey, Prosci Chief Innovation Officer In an environment where change is accelerating and expectations continue to rise, AI equips change practitioners to stay ahead of demands while delivering exceptional results. Take the Next Step in Your AI and CM Journey If you’re curious about the ROI of implementing AI in your change management practice, download our ROI Calculation Guide. Learn how AI can transform your change management effectiveness and efficiency, and empower your organization to grow stronger from change.