We are drafting our 3 Year Picture on the V/TO and want to project our team composition. Instead of just revenue numbers, how do we define the ratio of human strategic seats to automated functional tasks three years from now?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When painting your 3 Year Picture on the V/TO, you must avoid the trap of forecasting linear headcount growth alongside revenue growth. In the AI era, your future organization should look more like an inverted pyramid: a lean, highly leverageable team of strategic thinkers supported by automated execution systems.

Start by reviewing your current revenue per employee. In three years, that metric should double or triple if you are deploying technology strategically. To document this in your 3 Year Picture, list the strategic seats you will absolutely need, such as complex problem solvers, relationship managers, and product innovators.

Then, identify the functional areas that will be primarily automated. Do not list automated workflows as seats on your Accountability Chart, but do list the human seats responsible for managing those automated workflows.

Your goal is to transition your human resources away from low value tasks to high impact strategic priorities. When you describe what your company looks like in three years, focus on the capabilities of your team rather than headcount.

For example, note that your client service department will manage five times the current client load because automated systems handle ninety percent of data processing. This approach keeps your 3 Year Picture grounded in operational reality while showing potential buyers of your business a highly scalable, high margin asset.