The Values Diaries

Useful insights on the enormous power of shared human values, from human values keynote speaker David Allison.

The Values Diaries

Useful insights on the enormous power of shared human values, from human values keynote speaker David Allison.

Search David’s blog by keyword or "key phrase" using quotation marks.

AI & Change Management David Allison AI & Change Management David Allison

What Employees Who Love AI Have in Common (And How to Create More of Them)

Some of your people can't stop using AI. Others won't touch it. The difference isn't tech savviness, age, or job function. It's something else entirely.

I'm going to give you The AI Enthusiast Profile a breakdown of the three values that consistently appear in employees who embrace AI without being pushed. Once you know what these values are, you can start designing AI initiatives that activate them across your workforce. Or, at minimum, you'll stop accidentally suppressing them.

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AI & Change Management, Leadership David Allison AI & Change Management, Leadership David Allison

AI Adoption Isn't About Training. It's About Trust: A Values-Based Framework

Your employees have been through three AI training sessions. They still aren't using the tools. The problem isn't what they know. It's what they feel.

Here's something that might help: The Trust Before Tools Framework. It's a sequence of four conversations you need to have before any AI rollout, and the order matters. I've watched organizations skip straight to the "here's how it works" training and then wonder why adoption stalled at 15%. The ones who get the sequence right see entirely different results. Let me show you why.

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AI & Change Management David Allison AI & Change Management David Allison

The 5 Real Reasons Your Employees Won't Touch AI (And What to Do About Each One)

Your AI rollout is stalling, and more training isn't going to fix it.

Here's a tool that will: The Values Resistance Audit. Five questions. Takes about ten minutes. Ask yourself these questions about your team before your next AI initiative, and you'll know exactly where the resistance is coming from and what to do about it. I'll walk you through each one in this post.


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AI & Change Management, Culture & Engagement David Allison AI & Change Management, Culture & Engagement David Allison

Change Management That Works: Why Your Team Isn't Really Afraid of Change

There's no one-size-fits-all solution for leading teams through mergers, layoffs, or rapid growth. Every organization is different. But after analyzing nearly a million survey responses, we found three values that consistently matter to people working in large American corporations. This article gives you a practical tactic for each one, something you can actually use on Monday morning.

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AI & Change Management David Allison AI & Change Management David Allison

How to Get Your Team Excited About AI (Not Scared): A Values-First Approach to AI Adoption

Organizations everywhere are investing in AI. They’re running demos, buying tools, building sandboxes... and still hitting walls. The problem isn’t the software. It’s the software’s reception. People resist AI not because they’re anti-innovation, but because it doesn’t feel like it was made for them.

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Leadership, AI & Change Management David Allison Leadership, AI & Change Management David Allison

AI in Financial Services: The Human Side of AI Adoption for Risk Management

Leaders, and HR professionals, are facing a new frontier where machines aren’t just helping us; they’re reshaping how we work. And while that brings incredible opportunities, it also brings risks—human risks. In our rush to implement AI technologies, we sometimes forget about the people. Employees may feel...

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AI & Change Management David Allison AI & Change Management David Allison

AI in Education: What Teachers, Parents, and Staff Actually Want from School Technology

Artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to transform Alberta’s schools, offering new possibilities for teaching, learning, and managing education. But introducing AI successfully requires more than just deploying cutting-edge technology. To gain trust and foster collaboration, schools must align their...

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