Speaker

Lesley Crook

Lesley Crook

Adoption & Change Consultant

Brighton, United Kingdom

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MVP Copilot and Sensai. I teach AI with common sense and empathy, with a focus on employee engagement, adoption, change management and champions.

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Area of Expertise

  • Business & Management
  • Information & Communications Technology

Topics

  • Employee Engagement
  • Employee Happiness
  • Employee experience
  • Internal Communications
  • Adoption and Change Management
  • Office 365 Adoption
  • user adoption
  • Microsoft MVP
  • Corporate Communications
  • Lean Six Sigma
  • Working Out Loud
  • Microsoft Teams
  • Microsoft Viva
  • Women in Technology
  • Women in Tech
  • M365
  • M365 Copilot

How Copilot Champions Accelerate Adoption

Empower your organization with a network of Copilot Champions who lead by example and amplify the AI movement for change. This session reveals proven strategies to identify, onboard, and enable Champions as trusted advocates for Copilot. Discover how to equip them with compelling storytelling techniques, data-driven insights that spark creativity, curiosity, and collaboration - delivering measurable business impact aligned to strategic priorities and demonstrating clear ROI on licenses.

From Copilot to Agents: Turning Daily Work into Measurable Outcomes

Many organizations have started with Microsoft 365 Copilot but still treat it as “a smarter search box.” This session shows business and project leaders how to turn those early wins into end-to-end outcomes powered by agents. We’ll walk through three tangible patterns:

Customer email → triaged, summarized, and routed by an agent;

Sales opportunity → notes, next steps, and proposal draft prepared automatically;

Internal request → approval flow with an agent doing the heavy lifting.
For each, we’ll map the business owner, data needed, risks, and KPIs (time saved, cycle time, quality). You leave with a small playbook of patterns you can take straight into your next customer or internal project.

Delve into M365 Adoption Scores and discover priceless gems!

Organizational messages enable IT admins to deliver scheduled, actionable messages in-product and in a targeted way, while maintaining user-level privacy. Users can be reminded to use products that have recently been deployed, encouraged to try a product on a different surface, or to recommend new ways of working, such as using @mentions to improve response rates in communications using short sharp templated messages are delivered to users in their flow of work through surfaces including Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.

This session will also cover how to find your real Champions using Productivity Scores.

Both features provide your business with hidden adoption treasures that are easy to manage.

Simplifying business complexity with fun metaphors.

Metaphors act as shortcuts for our minds, helping us understand intricate concepts. Whether visual (like a picture) or linguistic (expressed in words), metaphors shed light on complex ideas. They make these ideas more understandable and relatable to a broader audience. So, when you face a complicated problem, remember the magic of metaphors!

Simplifying business complexity using fun metaphors can make communications more engaging and memorable.

In this session hosted by Lesley Crook, Annette Corbett, and Merethe Stave, you’ll discover how they use their unique and fun metaphor-style storytelling that spans user adoption across the employee experience and simplifies complex concepts. You will also discover how to use Microsoft Copilot to make communication effortless and quick work!

Simplify the Viva framework with Viva Origami, and adopt a smart Copilot in Viva Amplify.

Discover how three UK customers transformed their culture with the ADKAR framework in surprising ways! This session lets you play simple and fun Viva Origami to spark the Viva conversation. You will also learn how Copilot in Viva Amplify and Answers supports adoption and change management.

Proving Copilot ROI with Strategic Insights.

Discover the difference between Copilot use cases and success stories—and why both matter for driving adoption! This session explores practical frameworks for identifying high-value scenarios and showcases real customer success stories from MEA. Learn how organizations unlock measurable impact, confidently scale adoption, and demonstrate Copilot licenses ROI through data-driven insights and narratives aligned to strategic priorities.

How do we better bridge the relationships between IC/HR & IT

Working smarter, not harder, is a concept that many may need help to grasp. With over a decade of experience in Internal Communications (IC), I fully comprehend the demanding frustrations and challenges of reaching the right employees at the right time, especially when resources and budgets are limited. I offer a unique partnership service that bridges the gap between IT and IC & HR. This service aims to bring the latest hybrid digital workplace products and features to light, enhancing employee experience and engagement. By doing so, I can help you gain a productive competitive advantage.

However, when submitting this session, I am seeking new opportunities.

Let's shoot the breeze on how we might bridge this gap and >> not just help me get my next gig << but enable Support Functions to work smarter, not harder in a thriving culture

Often feels like different worlds inside orgs rather than collaborative ecosystems pulling together for the same goals.

(;o)x

Discover how metaphors can simplify complexity with Copilot!

Metaphors act as shortcuts for our minds, helping us understand intricate concepts. Whether visual (like a picture) or linguistic (expressed in words), metaphors shed light on complex ideas. They make these ideas more understandable and relatable to a broader audience. So, when you face a complicated problem, remember the magic of metaphors!

Simplifying business complexity using fun metaphors can make communications more engaging and memorable. In this session hosted by Lesley Crook, you’ll discover how to use metaphor-style storytelling that spans user adoption across the employee experience and simplifies complex concepts quickly.

Discover how to use Microsoft Copilot to make communicating effortless and fun work! This includes real-world customer examples.

Chocks-away! SharePoint & Teams prepared for Copilot.

“Chocks-away” is a term used by British pilots in WWII to indicate that they were ready to fly and blocks placed in front of the plane’s wheels be removed so the plane could take off. The blocks were placed there to stop the plane from rolling away.

Learn how three enterprise companies effectively transformed their workplace culture using the ADKAR framework. This approach focuses on "fun" elements of human-centered adoption and change management, utilizing five key elements to track progress and celebrate achievements.

So be a real Copilot to your HR and Internal Comms teams! Don't let Microsoft Viva and Copilot roll away, enabling the competition to get ahead. Instead, use this valuable tool and session for take off and beyond!

Yammer Is Engaged To Amplify Connections!

Are you:

New to Yammer/Viva Engage and want to launch a trusted social network?

Has Yammer turned on but never planned, announced, or formally supported it and used it without governance or internal communications engagement?

Have significant Yammer usage but unsure how to integrate Viva Engage and appreciate its benefits alongside Teams in the Viva Suite?

Endeavouring to decommission Facebook Workplace, WhatsApp, or Slack and move to a fully integrated, secure, compliant, and governed application on Teams with nominal costs?

Yammer is engaged to amplify connections in Viva, Las Vegas!

We need to rethink employee engagement for 2023 by using new features and nurturing a thriving collaboration culture in Teams. Internal Communicators have excellent tools designed to simplify and elevate employee engagement and make the role of an IC professional a little easier. Discover Viva Engage, Viva Amplify, and Viva Connections, fully integrated modules on Microsoft Teams, the one-stop productivity shop with many tools that you already pay for but not entirely consuming.

Viva origami. Make the complex, simple.

I turned the complex Microsoft Viva Suite into real origami to explain the cross-module value proposition of nurturing connections, discovering insights, enabling growth, and having a purpose in your work on Teams.

Viva explorers : join us for a Viva round table: our feedbacks & your questions

Viva explorers is a community of Microsoft Viva enthusiasts from all over the world. We propose a roundtable discussion where we will share our feedback on the deployment of all Viva bricks, our opinions on the new features to come and a big Q&A to ask us your questions. If you want to find inspiration or if you have questions, don't miss this session

Twelve Days of Viva - Day 3

On the third day of Christmas, Microsoft gave to me... better communication, an intranet in Teams and great experience for employees with Viva Engage. We sparkle goodness within employees as we see how we can improve engagements and use Viva Connections to surprise and engage users. We use Storylines in Viva Engage to create exciting engagements for everyone. Ho-Ho-Ho

Turn Rubik's Cube into Microsoft Viva!

In the 1980s, Rubik's Cube won a slew of awards for best toy and became a craze for all ages worldwide. We looked back in time to see why it was so popular and found by turning the cube we reimagined a neat business benefits metaphor for Viva; with cross solution integrations and a hub for collaboration and productivity. Join this session to discover the smart M365 features you have in the palm of your hand but not consuming! Also includes how to operate Viva with the most appropriate job roles and competencies. And, tips for IC on a variety of end user Viva adoption campaigns.

Turn Rubik's Cube into Microsoft Viva!

In the 1980s, Rubik's Cube won a slew of awards for best toy and became a craze for all ages worldwide. We looked back in time to see why it was so popular and found by turning the cube we reimagined a neat business benefits metaphor for Viva; with cross solution integrations and a hub for collaboration and productivity. Join this session to discover the smart M365 features you have in the palm of your hand but not consuming! Also includes how to operate Viva with the most appropriate job roles and competencies. And, tips for IC on a variety of end user Viva adoption campaigns.

Elevate Employee Engagement Workshop

We need to rethink employee engagement for 2023 by using new features and nurturing a thriving collaboration culture in Teams. Internal Communicators have excellent tools designed to simplify and elevate employee engagement and make the role of an IC professional a little easier. Discover Viva Engage, Viva Amplify, and Viva Connections, fully integrated modules on Microsoft Teams, the one-stop productivity shop with many tools that you already pay for but not consuming.

9 Viva Conversation Starters

Join our session to discover nine conversation starters to help put the Viva Suite in context:

Empathic leadership in the 2020s
Adoption vNext, are you missing out?
Get on top of skilling
The hybrid paradox
The great reshuffle
Are you reserving time for deep work and learning to avoid burnout?
Do you practice digital well-being to avoid burnout?
I want my team to stay on target
I want to engage my Frontline Workers

Women in Technology Discussion Panel

Join us for an interactive discussion about Women in Technology

Twelve Days of Viva - Day 10

On the tenth day of Christmas, Microsoft gave to me... the Viva Explorers, curated topic cards, improved wellbeing, engaged frontline workers, new learning pathways, CLEAR OKRs... awesome focus plans, better communication, an intranet in Teams and great experience for employees. In this session, join the Viva Explorers for a live panel discussion on all things Viva!

Turn Rubik's Cube into Microsoft Viva!

In the 1980s, Rubik's Cube won a slew of awards for best toy and became a craze for all ages worldwide. We looked back in time to see why it was so popular and found by turning the cube we reimagined a neat business benefits metaphor for Viva; with cross solution integrations and a hub for collaboration and productivity. Join this session to discover the smart M365 features you have in the palm of your hand but not consuming! Also includes how to operate Viva with the appropriate job roles and competencies. And, tips for IC on a variety of end user Viva adoption campaigns.

The Viva Explorers Panel Discussion

Join the Viva Explorers – a bunch of intrepid MVPs and community members with a passion for improving your employee experience, and love for silly props! This will be a lively and spirited discussion of all things Microsoft Viva – we’ll share our favourite features as well as the features that we’d love to appear on the roadmap.

We’ll share the business benefits of Viva, each bringing the benefit of our own experience of implementing across different types of organisations, and we’ll share the impact that we’ve seen. We may also venture into the murky waters of licensing, with a look at the seeded vs premium features.

And lastly – the Viva Explorers will answer questions from the audience! This is not to be missed.

Explore Microsoft Viva with a Tech Realist, an Optimist and a Visionary!

Microsoft Viva is here to improve the "Employee Experience" from the moment a new hire is on boarded to the day they exit, and everything in-between. Nurturing Collaboration, Productivity and digital wellbeing in the hybrid workplace; and in the flow of your work on Microsoft Teams.

Join the Viva Explorers: The Viva Visionary predicts why use Viva and the Business benefits. The Viva Realist shares snapshots to optimise the seeded content and the setup. The Viva Optimist navigates the Viva Roadmaps and premium features.

By the end of this session you will have discovered what you can easily do right now without additional cost to instil modern ways of working; and the art of the possible!

Explore Microsoft Viva with a Tech Realist, an Optimist and a Visionary!

In Microsoft Viva we can ALL have at our fingertips a flexible intranet that reaches Frontline Workers with their own device, accessible learning opportunities, knowledge in the flow of your work and employee insights to help you work smarter not harder.

Towards the end of the year there will be icing on the cake with new features to track our objectives against the company strategies .

Nurturing an empathic leadership culture with digital wellbeing features. Taking collaboration, accessibility, employee engagement, empowerment, diversity, and inclusion to a higher humanistic level. These seeded features are available now. You are paying but not consuming!

By the end of this session you will have explored and discovered:

•The What, the art of the possible business benefits (MVP, Lesley Crook, Viva Visionary in UK)

•The Why, reasoning, logic and roadmaps (MVP, Merethe Stave, Viva Optimist in Norway)

•The How, set up and licensing implications (MVP, Sara Fennah, Viva Realist in UK)

A Viva day in the life on Teams!

I start the day with breakfast and my Viva briefing email which I read on my mobile, pulling outstanding tasks and meetings from Outlook. Get dressed and move to Teams on my desktop and join a brainstorm Teams meeting. I had a bad night’s sleep so instead of switching on my camera share my Mesh animated avatar. I then pivot across the day catching up on news on Viva Connections from my mobile, take a 20 minute training course on Viva Learning, and check up on my objectives in Ally.io. I end the day reflecting on my mood in Personal Insights

Join this session to discover more about my super productive day with the satisfaction I am working smarter not harder on Teams with Viva; and my digital well-being is in great shape - and so can yours by following some of these life hacks!

A Viva Realist Chats with a Viva Visionary

The vision of Microsoft Viva is to enhance the employee experience, nurturing a culture of digital wellbeing whilst improving productivity. As the tools evolve over time the vision and the reality can drift apart, especially if you are waiting for that perfect feature.

This session will help you discover how Viva helps your business deliver personalised experiences with empathy to your employees now, taking a checkpoint on what is now a reality and what is still visionary. Using real life adoption stories to illustrate the challenge we face these days and what leaders can do about it.

We'll look at current toolset and the Viva vision for the future combines news, tasks, and conversations; provides data-driven insights and recommendations; organises content and expertise; and delivers formal and informal learning when and where it’s needed using:



>Culture & employee engagement with Viva Connections
>Productivity & digital wellbeing with Viva Insights
>Knowledge & expertise with Viva Topics
>Up-skilling & personal development with Viva Learning
>Objectives & Key Results with Ally.io (the 5th module expected H4 ’22)

Viva Visionary insights and more!

MVP Presenters: Lesley Crook & Sara Fennah

The vision of Microsoft Viva is to enhance the employee experience, nurturing a culture of digital wellbeing whilst improving productivity. As the tools evolve over time the vision and the reality can drift apart, especially if you are waiting for that perfect feature.

This session will help you discover how Viva helps your business deliver personalised experiences with empathy to your employees now, taking a checkpoint on what is now a reality and what is still visionary. Using real life adoption stories to illustrate the challenge we face these days and what leaders can do about it.

We'll look at current toolset and the Viva vision for the future combines news, tasks, and conversations; provides data-driven insights and recommendations; organises content and expertise; and delivers formal and informal learning when and where it’s needed using:


.Culture & employee engagement with Viva Connections
.Productivity & digital wellbeing with Viva Insights
.Knowledge & expertise with Viva Topics
.Up-skilling & personal development with Viva Learning
.Objectives & Key Results with Ally.io (the 5th module expected H4 ’22)

Women in M365 Monthly Meetup User group Sessionize Event Upcoming

Not scheduled yet.

Lesley Crook

Adoption & Change Consultant

Brighton, United Kingdom

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