Trey Malicoat & Associates
Six decisions for a more automated, more human business
A clear direction for technology. A meaningful future for people.
Automation creates capacity.
People give it purpose.
I begin by asking what’s working and what you’d like to be different. These six decisions help us think it through together, from the technology to the people whose working lives will change.
DECISION 01
Decide
What future are we choosing?
What do you want to be different a year from now? Think about your business, the people doing the work, and the customers depending on you.
Ask your team: What should improve for the business and for the people it serves?
See it in practice
A service team wants fewer overdue responses and more customers who feel understood. Both goals belong in the decision.
DECISION 02
Reimagine
What should automation carry?
Where are people doing the same work again and again? Let’s look at what a system could carry and where someone still needs to pay attention.
Ask your team: What can a system handle, and when should a person take over?
See it in practice
Automated reminders can reduce missed appointments. A person can follow up when repeated absences suggest a problem a reminder cannot solve.
DECISION 03
Prepare
What will people need?
Ask what people are worried about. Tell them what you know, be honest about what you haven’t decided, and give them time and help to learn.
Ask your team: What support would make participation possible?
See it in practice
Before introducing AI-assisted reporting, ask the team what it currently notices while assembling the reports. Plan how to preserve that insight.
DECISION 04
Reorient
Who are we beyond our roles?
What does this person know that you would hate to lose? Ask what they’d love to do more of if their day made room for it.
Ask your team: What value do you bring that is larger than the task you perform?
See it in practice
A coordinator who knows how customers prefer to communicate can help design a better service experience, even as routine scheduling becomes automated.
DECISION 05
Redesign
How will we work together?
Work out who can make decisions, who can help when something goes wrong, and how people will learn. Include the people who will be doing the work.
Ask your team: Who owns the result, and what happens when the system falls short?
See it in practice
A team agrees who reviews AI-assisted drafts, who handles exceptions, and how customers can reach someone accountable for the outcome.
DECISION 06
Realize
What will greater capacity make possible?
When time opens up, decide what you want to do with it. Are customers getting more attention? Are people trying ideas? Is the business better for it?
Ask your team: What evidence would tell us the transition is helping?
See it in practice
Time saved on reporting becomes protected coaching time. Leaders track whether coaching occurs and whether it helps employees make better decisions.
It all begins with a curious conversation.
What could this unlock in your business?
Let’s begin with what you know about your business and what you’re wondering about. We’ll look at what works, what gets in the way, and what you’d like to make possible.
Explore your six decisions