I had a LinkedIn exchange recently that really struck a nerve.
Someone got in touch to say that they’d followed my work on Simple, Logical, Repeatable systems for a long time, and wanted my input on a new product they’d created. So far, so good. We clearly shared a belief that businesses only work well when there’s clarity about how things are done.
Then they went on to tell me about their product. An AI tool that creates ‘production-grade’ procedures in 25 seconds.
Twenty. Five. Seconds.
You’ve got to say, that’s impressive. I’ve no doubt there’ll be plenty of people who’re thinking, ‘Brilliant, that’ll save me loads of time.’
I genuinely wished them every success, but politely declined their offer.
Why?
Because I have a very different view about how processes need to be created…if you want them to stick!
Fast doesn’t mean it’ll stick
Let’s face it, the problem most businesses have is not that they can’t create processes quickly enough.
It’s that the processes they already have don’t get followed.
You can generate the neatest, most logical procedure in the world in 25 seconds…
but if your team didn’t help shape it, they’re unlikely to use it, because it doesn’t feel like theirs.
You can’t shortcut ownership
Here’s what I’ve learned, in my loooong years of system-hood, first inside McDonald’s and then working with scale-up businesses.
If you want any way of working to really stick, the people who actually do the task have to be involved in creating it.
Not handed a finished version.
Not asked to “just follow this’.
Not told, ‘AI’s done it for us’ – isn’t it amazing?’
Involved.
That means sitting down with them, asking how the job really works on a busy Tuesday, agreeing the most simple, logical way to do it, together, and then capturing that.
So what’s the best way I’ve found to do that?
A How To video.
Someone talking through the task in their own words, using your language, your tools, your shortcuts, and your values.
That’s how you capture Our Way.
Where AI really earns its keep
Please don’t think I’m anti-Ai – far from it! I Love Ai – how clever it is and and how much time it saves.
I just believe that when it comes to systems, it’s being used in the wrong place.
AI is brilliant at supporting what already exists.
- Transcribing How To videos
- Creating checklists or summaries
- Automating something that already works effectively
That’s a completely different job from inventing how your business should run in 25 seconds.
One supports ownership while the other skips straight past it.
The goal isn’t speed – it’s consistency
The aim isn’t to say, ‘Look how quickly we documented that.’
The aim is to build a way of working that:
- Feels familiar to the team
- Works when you’re not there
- Gets followed without nagging
- Still makes sense six months down the line
The fact is that you don’t get that by pressing a button.
It comes from involving your people, agreeing Our Way, capturing it simply, and then using tools – including AI – to make it easier to share and maintain.
So of course you want to use AI. Just don’t ask it to define Our Way.
That bit belongs to you and your team.
