When we look at our V/TO and our 3-Year Picture, how should we account for AI capabilities without making wild, speculative assumptions that derail our actual execution?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When you are planning your 3-Year Picture on your V/TO®, it is easy to get caught up in futuristic hype and set unrealistic goals. To avoid this trap, you must ground your long-term planning in concrete numbers and capability boundaries.

Do not write vague statements like becoming an AI-first company. Instead, focus on how technology will impact your margins, your market position, and your seat capacity. Ask yourself where your current team will hit a capacity wall in three years if you double your revenue.

Use your 3-Year Picture to define what your operations will look like once your core processes are optimized. For example, you might project that your customer service seat will be able to handle twice as many client accounts because of automated draft generation.

By framing AI as a tool to increase capacity rather than a magic wand, you keep your team focused on execution. Your 3-Year Picture should remain realistic and SMART. Let the technology serve your strategy, not the other way around. Keep your long-term plans focused on actual results.