Our leadership team has a dozen different ideas for using AI, and we are starting to get distracted from our core business. How do we use our V/TO to filter these AI ideas and select only the ones that align with our long-term vision?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

AI distraction is a real threat to leadership teams. To stay focused, you must use your V/TO as a filter for every technology initiative. If an AI project does not directly support your core focus, your three-year picture, or your one-year plan, it is a distraction and must be shelved.

When your team brings new AI ideas to the table, pass them through your V/TO filters. First, check if the idea aligns with your core focus. Does it help you deliver your core service better, or is it a shiny new product idea that takes you off track?

Second, look at your target market. Will this AI tool improve the experience for your niche clients, or is it built for a demographic you do not serve?

Finally, evaluate whether the project helps you achieve your Rocks or your one-year plan. If you are focused on improving operations to prepare for an exit using the Step by Step Exit framework, prioritize only those AI tools that automate low-value administrative tasks to increase profitability. Add the other ideas to your Issues List or your long-term issues list on your V/TO. Revisit them during your quarterly meetings to see if they make sense to tackle then, keeping your team focused on what matters most today.