June 2, 2026
Everyone is talking about AI. Most organisations are rushing to buy it. Very few are asking the people who will actually have to use it.
I was chatting with Jane, a speaker agency owner, last week, where we discussed the rise in requests for speakers on AI. Now, I am not an AI speaker, but the conversation went deep enough that we got pulled into a serious chat about the change process for bringing in new software.
Being a nice bloke, even if I am a Caveman, I thought it would be helpful to share the thought process and explain where things can go wrong. I think I need to explain my credentials; I use AI (not in my writing and not for this post) to help me manage my business flow, setting it up as a bit of a business coach and an accountability manager, to make sure I get things done. I love technology, having loads of automated elements and a CRM to take care of the simple tasks that take forever to do as a one man Caveman. As you can see, I am not qualified to speak on AI itself, but the change process of bringing it in, AB-SO-LUTELY I am the right person.
Slight sidebar discussion here
As a qualified and experienced change manager, I understand the psychology of needing different team members to complete tasks and get the work done. I love the human psyche; I can remember when an Inspector once spoke to my old police team, telling everyone there that they all needed to be like John. John was methodical, calculated, and he was a yes man. He took ages to do a file, but it was a blimming good file when he was done. There was never an issue with his quality of work. But everyone on the team knew there was an issue with his work pace and output, yet no one mentioned it.
If you hand every Caveman a spear, don’t be surprised when every problem starts looking like a mammoth. AI is a brilliant tool, but it is still just a tool. The real magic comes from the person holding it.
This might seem like going off the AI subject, but most managers think it is about having a system designed to produce the same output every single time, with little deviation. This was our Inspector’s request to be more like John. Not the run out the door and screaming away from the station with blue lights going to the next emergency call, as this Caveman did. Or the Caveman that didn’t think twice before jumping into a situation and sorting it out from the inside. I never had an issue with my paperwork or my files; they were always good enough to get the job done, and my work rate was much higher than John’s. We had the same results at court, but I had more people going through the system, and I had something John could never grasp: discretion, because I was prepared to make a few risky moves.
A simple yet rarely used human trait that not many people in responsible positions feel they are able to use. Something that AI does not have and will probably never have, which is why it needs to be understood, installed and used correctly as a tool.
Back to the story
Getting back to the conversation with Jane, we chatted about me moving into Project Management after the police and having to manage the introduction of new software, MS365, CRMs, and new ERPs (oh, look at me with all these TLAs). This was where I truly experienced resistance to change, and understood where the problems stemmed from, as well as having the opportunity to work through my Caveman theories.
When I worked as a Project Manager in the MOD, I was tasked with introducing a new CRM system. The experienced users loved their spreadsheets. They didn’t want to change. Their concerns weren’t about technology, it was about job security, confidence and trust. Once we listened to them, involved them and showed them how the system helped rather than replaced them, the resistance started to disappear.
Imagine one singular light that impresses management, perhaps they have read about how AI reduces problems (John), how it solves bottlenecks and that it never argues. Then suddenly they want it! They will buy packages of software, then start a project team, then expect it to fit with everyone to just start using it, then they can sit back and know that they have just installed the latest and greatest company saving system of our time.
And this was where it all starts to go wrong. They have created a system the wrong way around. Instead of implementing a truly awesome piece of software, they have created a system that automates a clone person (more Johns), someone that does not think for itself but is excellent at the task it has been given. There is no variety; the solution failed because AI cannot do everything users needed it to. The most important step that they missed: not understanding what it can do.
We have not even mentioned the pain points the users are going through: fear, frustration, anger, loss and even impostor syndrome.
Because if the management even had the simplest grasp of AI, they could then look to see what they can use it for and how people can shape it from the outset.
Where is the Caveman logic?
How many times have you looked around your office to see all the characters that make up your team, department, company? You can see the jokers, the go-get-ems, the responsible ones, the detailed ones, the caring ones. All of these people and their differing personalities are the mix that makes some teams successful, and others constantly fail. Too many of one type of person, and they will miss important thought processes and angles that the more rounded team can see because of their diverse thought perspectives.
You might be surprised to learn that I explored, researched, and wrote about these characters in my book, and my conclusion is that there is a dire need for a diverse team in all areas of a business.
Bringing it back to AI, it is not the AI’s fault that it was destined to fail, but the people who believe it is the saviour of the company. Why? Well, these people are a small selection of the company and have not spoken to the people who will be expected to use it. Not because they want an early buy-in to its use (although this will massively help), but because they will get different ideas of how AI can be used and how it will really make a difference.
Bringing people into a new system from the beginning is an absolute must; it is not about safeguarding the process and making decisions easier. Managers need information and ideas from all people, because only then can they make reasoned decisions and the right choice.
TL;DR – get to the point.
1.Yes, I know it seems odd, but ultimately what I am saying is that having a team full of Johns is only good for one person, and not the organisation.
2.If people are not part of, or are excluded from, the beginning of a major change process, you should never expect to get the right result. This goes for AI or other changes that people think are the next evolution of business.
3.Making changes means people have to take responsibility, and the understanding and requested input from others needs to be moved to the top of the pile before purchasing systems.
4.AI won’t fail because the technology isn’t good enough. AI will fail because organisations forget that change is something that happens to people, not systems.
Caveman Thought
A Caveman knows that when the tribe is building a fire, everyone stays warm. When only a few people build it, the rest just stand around wondering why they’re cold.
Parting Question
Do you think AI is the future? For me, I am willing to use it, even abuse it for the needs of my business, but I am not putting all my eggs into one basket – not just yet – but I am enjoying the journey of discovery with trial and error.
I’d love to hear about your experiences of using AI, or being told to use a new, untested system.
As always, stay safe and don’t set yourself on fire while you build your own system.
Your friend, The Caveman.
P.S. When you are ready, here are a few things that might help you;
1) You can book me to attend your next event as a Keynote Speaker.
2) Ask me to send you a copy of my new Speaker Brochure.
3) Grab a copy of my book, direct from my printing agent.
4) You might want to book yourself onto one of my eLearning courses to help you master a new skill.
5) Or if you have the time, and want to find a time for a Caveman chat (with virtual coffee) on a discovery call, do it!