Guest commentary: The first AI mistake happens before you install anything

By Eric Zackrison With so much information out there and so much hype about AI and agents, it is easy to get caught up in the shiny newtool. I was just working with a client last week who told me they wanted to start using a new AI scheduling tool and asked me how I thought they could integrate it into their workflow. That is exactly what I keep seeing, and it is also exactly backward. In deciding what tools to integrate, leaders should always start with the work itself, not the tool. The first step is to look at the work; without a clear understanding of the workflows, AI agents will only muck things up. So, take the time to map who does what and what the process looks like. Pay particular attention to repetitive tasks or tasks that are seen as mundane or simple. Things like data entry, summarizing meetings, scheduling, drafting routine emails, matching invoices to orders or pulling together weekly reports.

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