Champion Program

September 15, 2025

Updated December 10, 2025

Scenario overview

From writing code to securing the software supply chain, the advent of AI has had a profound impact on the velocity of change. As new tools reshape how we work, the most effective way to adapt is by empowering your internal experts to lead the way. But how do you scale their knowledge and enthusiasm across distributed teams?

This can be done by building a champion program. It’s a simple but powerful idea: find your most engaged users, give them the support they need, and let them guide their peers through change. This strategy creates two distinct value proposition:

Organizational value - Deliver value by aligning internal advocacy efforts with business objectives, fostering a community of recognized leaders, and accelerating transformation.

Champion benefits - For champions themselves, the program offers unique opportunities for skill development, increased visibility, and influence as the go-to technical leaders shaping their organizations’ future.

Key strategies and checklist

Successful champion programs share these common traits:

Executive sponsorship - The executive sponsor is one who has a stake in the success of the program and the value it brings to the business. They will give the champions guardrails and support they need to be successful.

Engaged champions - Champions should be enthusiastic about the technology and motivated to help others. Most champions are individual contributors. Advocacy is defined by behaviour, not by title, or position. Some of the most valuable voices are those of end users, but far too often their voices are not heard.

ℹ️

Champion programs are different than train-the-trainer programs. Train-the-trainer delivers structured training over a set period of time. Champion programs are ongoing communities of practice that evolve with the organization.

Assumptions and preconditions

Leadership sponsorship exists to recognize and protect champions’ time.
Preliminary frameworks are in place to measure adoption and program impact.
There are already internal communication platforms like Slack or Teams in place.
The organization has a receptive culture for peer-led learning and advocacy.

Recommended program deployment

Foundation phase

Set the groundwork for your champion program.

Align with leadership: Obtain buy-in, discuss priorities, and establish regular communication
Define charter: Clarify program mission, vision, and key business goals (e.g., drive adoption, empower users)

🏆

Executive sponsorship is critical for program success and champion protection.

Program structure

Define how your program will operate.

Define champion roles: Outline responsibilities (e.g., advocates, mentors, feedback collectors)
Plan communication: Set up dedicated channels (Slack/Teams, intranet page) and meeting cadences
Onboarding process: Create a simple onboarding guide and process for new champions

📐

Clear role definitions prevent confusion and ensure champions know their responsibilities.

Recruit champions

Find the right people to drive your program.

Identify candidates: Look for enthusiastic, influential peers. Optimize for diversity in business units and time zones
Incentivize: Offer recognition, early access, or SWAG

🎯

The most effective champions are often individual contributors who are already enthusiastic about the technology.

Onboard champions

Prepare your champions for success.

Train: Provide training on the tool/practice, best practices, and their role
Resource: Share learning materials, FAQs, and templates
Support: Offer a direct line for their questions and issues

💡

Invest heavily in champion onboarding - well-prepared champions are more effective advocates.

Launch community

Kick off your program with momentum.

Kick Off: Host a launch event to introduce the program, mission, and champions
Brand & Promote: Create excitement with branding and share program benefits
Engage: Use communication channels to share updates, tips, and success stories

🚀

A strong launch creates visibility and establishes the program’s importance in the organization.

Iterate and scale

Continuously improve and expand your program.

Learn: Engage in hands-on training, stay informed about updates, and participate in enablement sessions and technical previews
Share: Distribute knowledge, host training and office hours, highlight team successes, and create educational materials
Listen: Provide support, gather feedback, address pain points, and track adoption and engagement metrics
Reflect: Assess program progress, align with leadership, report achievements, address obstacles, and evaluate future leadership or improvements

🔄

Regular reflection and iteration ensure your program stays relevant and effective as your organization evolves.

Templates and resources

To help get started, here is a charter template and champion handbook that can be customized to fit your organization’s needs.

Champion program charter

Champion handbook

Additional solution detail and trade-offs to consider

Time and workload burden

Champions have their own full-time jobs. The program asks them to voluntarily take on extra responsibilities. There should be a graduation path so champions can pass the torch to new champions after a set period. Leadership should enable the champions by protecting their time and recognizing their contributions.

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