I remember sitting in my office about three years ago, staring at a spreadsheet that had somehow become the bane of my existence. It was one of those "master trackers" that required four different people to manual-entry data every Tuesday, only for me to spend my Wednesday morning "cleaning it up" so I could present it to the board. I was the bottleneck. If I got a cold or, heaven forbid, tried to take a day off, the whole reporting engine of the company ground to a halt.
It was messy. It was inefficient. And frankly, it was embarrassing for someone who runs an operations consulting firm.
Yikes.
I’ll be the first to admit... I’ve spent years telling people how to fix their businesses while sometimes letting my own "backyard" get a little overgrown. But that’s the reality of leadership, isn’t it? We get so busy doing the work that we forget to design how the work actually gets done.
Today, everyone is screaming about AI. "Put AI on it!" "AI will solve your productivity crisis!" But if I’ve learned anything in 30+ years of being in the trenches, it’s this: if you layer AI on top of a broken, bloated process, all you get is a faster, more expensive version of a broken process.
Before we touch the shiny tech, we have to fix the foundation. Here is my "in-the-trenches" guide to fixing your processes and layering on AI without losing your mind (or your shirt).
The Triage Framework: Reduce → Route → Resolve
Before we even look at a software demo, we have to talk about triage. In the world of Solved. Operations & Management Solutions, I use a simple framework to help leaders get their heads above water. It’s a three-step filter for every single task that crosses your desk.
1. Reduce: The Art of Saying "No"
We have a habit of hoarding tasks like they’re vintage collectibles. If I’m honest, half the reports we generate and 30% of the meetings we attend don't actually move the business forward.
Before you automate anything, ask: Does this even need to exist?
If a task doesn’t contribute to the bottom line, the mission, or the team’s health... kill it. AI is great, but "no" is free and it doesn't require a subscription. We often keep processes alive just because "that's how we've always done it." (I’m looking at you, 14-page weekly status report that no one reads).
2. Route: Finding the Natural Owner
If the task survives the "Reduce" phase, it needs a home. But here’s the kicker: the home is rarely the leader’s desk. Routing is about delegating to the "natural owner" with the right context.
If you're still the one approving every $50 expense or scheduling your own basic syncs, you’re not leading; you’re clerical support with a fancy title. Routing ensures that work lands where the expertise and the capacity actually live.
3. Resolve: Your Personal Judgment
This is the "Resolve" bucket. These are the tasks that require your specific judgment, your unique history with the company, or your high-level strategic vision. This should be the smallest bucket of the three.
If you can get your day down to just "Resolve" items, you’ve won. Now, let’s see how AI helps us get there.
Step 1: Start with Real Problems, Not AI Ideas
It’s tempting to go out and buy the newest AI tool because you saw a cool demo on LinkedIn. Trust me, I’ve been there. I once signed up for three different "AI-powered" note-takers in one week... and ended up with zero notes because I couldn't figure out which one was recording.
Instead of asking "Where can we use AI?", ask "Where are we bleeding?"
Are your decisions slow? Is your data entry causing errors? Are your non-profit culture's operational strategies falling behind because you're stuck in manual workflows?
Identify the bottleneck first. If your team is struggling with communication, maybe you don't need a bot; maybe you need to understand how to use DiSC to navigate tough conversations. AI is a tool, not a strategy.
Step 2: Assess Your Readiness (The "Wet Cement" Phase)
You can't build a skyscraper on wet cement. Before you layer on AI, you have to look at your data and your people.
If your data is currently living in three different spreadsheets, a sticky note on Sarah’s monitor, and "in the head" of your veteran project manager... AI is going to fail you. AI needs clean, accessible data to be useful.
Also, check your team’s readiness. Are they scared the "robots" are coming for their jobs? Or are they so burnt out they’d welcome a robot with open arms? Using DiSC assessments can help you figure out who on your team is an "Early Adopter" (usually your 'i's and 'D's) and who is going to need a lot more data and reassurance before they trust the new system (your 'C's and 'S's).
Step 3: Use What You Already Have
I’ll let you in on a secret: you probably already have AI tools at your fingertips, and you’re not using them.
Most modern CRMs, ERPs, and even Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace have AI features baked in. Before you go out and hire a developer to build a custom LLM (expensive... yikes!), see if your current tools can handle the "Routing."
Can your CRM automatically route leads to the right salesperson based on territory? Can your project management tool suggest deadlines? Activating these "embedded" features is the easiest way to start without breaking your current workflow. It’s low-risk and high-reward.
Step 4: Integrate into Existing Workflows
One of the biggest mistakes I see: and I’ve made this one myself: is having "AI over here" and "Work over there."
If your team has to log into a separate website to use an AI tool, they won’t use it. For AI to actually "Reduce" the workload, it has to be part of the flow. It should be the tool that drafts the email inside the email app. It should be the bot that summarizes the meeting inside the meeting platform.
If it’s an extra step, it’s not a solution; it’s an obstacle.
Step 5: Monitor, Own, and Evolve
AI isn't "set it and forget it." It’s more like a new intern. It’s incredibly fast, somewhat overconfident, and occasionally gets things very, very wrong.
Every AI initiative needs a human owner. Not a "technical" owner, but a business owner. If you implement an AI chatbot for customer service, the Head of Customer Success needs to own its "Resolve" rate.
We have to continuously track:
- Is it actually saving time?
- Is the data accurate?
- Is the team actually using it, or are they working around it?
The Ultimate Goal: ED Independence
If you’re an Executive Director or a business owner, the real test of your processes (and your AI) is how little the organization needs you for the day-to-day.
I’m always evaluating leaders on how independent the organization is from them. If you can’t go on a two-week vacation without the wheels falling off, you haven't fixed your processes yet.
Check yourself against these Independence Indicators:
- Delegation: Are decisions being made at the lowest possible level? (Route → Resolve).
- Relationships: Do your clients/donors call you or do they call your team?
- Documentation: Are your core processes written down, or are they "tribal knowledge"?
- Absence Test: Does work continue smoothly when you are gone?
- Succession: Do you have a plan for who takes over if you get hit by a bus (or win the lottery)?
Closing Thoughts
To be honest, I’m still figuring out the best ways to use AI in my own consulting practice. It’s a journey. Some days I feel like a tech genius, and other days I’m just trying to remember my password for the third time in an hour.
But the goal remains the same: clarity.
We want to move from chaos to clarity. We want to stop wasting time on miscommunication and start focusing on the mission. Fixing your processes isn't about being "perfect"; it’s about being intentional.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the "mess" in your operations, just remember: Reduce. Route. Resolve.
Start there. The rest is just details.
I’d love to hear... what’s one process in your business that feels like "wet cement" right now? Maybe we can find a way to smooth it out together. If you're ready to take that next step, reach out to us. We've seen it all, and we're here to help you solve it.
...Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a spreadsheet I need to go delete.
Brett Bortnem is the Owner & Principal Consultant at Solved. Operations & Management Solutions. He has spent over 30 years helping organizations find clarity in the middle of operational chaos.
