Making AI Work for Your Business

Hello again,

In the previous edition of AI Buddy, we talked about the dangers of a "Fire, Ready, Aim" approach to change for small business and how more thoughtful planning can save you time, money, and effort. This time, I want to share a more practical AI tip and give you an example of how AI can help simplify some of your project related activities and work - even if you’re not an experienced project manager.

Words of the Week: Anthropomorphism & Collaboration

In case you missed it, we post our Word of the Week each Monday and the last 2 we chose were Anthropomorphism and Collaboration:

• Anthropomorphism: It’s tempting to think of AI as “smart” or “intuitive” because we naturally assign human characteristics to non-human entities. But AI isn’t magic - it’s a tool. AI Tools like ChatGPT and Copilot work by identifying patterns in data, not by understanding or “thinking” – the thinking is left to you.
• Collaboration: AI-powered tools aren’t just helpers; they’re enablers of smarter, more efficient work practices. By automating repetitive tasks, AI allows you to spend more time collaborating on what really matters: strategy, creativity, and decision-making.

Insight: Streamlining Meeting Summaries with AI

Let’s talk a little bit more about collaboration and the role AI can play in this important area. One of the most frustrating challenges in any project or change initiative is capturing and sharing key decisions from meetings. If you miss something important, it can lead to delays or miscommunication.

That’s where AI tools like Microsoft Copilot come in. Built into products like Microsoft Teams, Copilot can:

• Summarise Discussions: It identifies key points from meeting transcripts, ensuring everyone’s on the same page.
• Assign Action Items: Copilot can automatically highlight tasks and assign them to individuals in your organisation, streamlining follow-ups.
• Generate Shareable Summaries: At the end of a meeting, you’ll have a concise, professional summary ready to send to stakeholders.

It’s like having a digital note-taker that never misses a beat, freeing you up to focus on driving the discussion.

Real-World Example: An NFP Board Simplifies Workflows

Here’s how Copilot made a difference for a team I recently worked with:

An NFP struggled with the time-consuming admin tasks that followed every Board meeting. At the end of the meeting, hours were spent summarising meeting outcomes and assigning tasks manually and all of this was by a volunteer who had given up their time for free. By leveraging Copilot, they were able to automate this process, reducing admin time by over 70% and more importantly, getting the actions out to the respective members within hours of the meeting finishing.

The result? Less delays, clearer communication, and smoother collaboration across the charity.

This is just one way AI can help transform your processes, saving you time and effort on repetitive tasks.

Practical Tip: Test AI in Everyday Tasks

If you’re new to any type of AI tools, such as Copilot, remember to start small. Use it for simple tasks like summarising meetings or drafting reports. These low-risk tasks can help you build confidence in AI while showing you the potential it has to improve your work.

Upcoming Webinar: "How to Use AI to Deliver Your Next Project—Without a Project Manager"

?? When? December 11th at 10am ?? What? A free 45-minute session where I’ll walk you through:

• Using AI tools to plan projects faster and smarter
• Boosting collaboration with AI-driven workflows
• Achieving better results without the guesswork

?? Click here to register

Let’s make delivering change easier and smarter—together.

Until next time,

Matt