Why Answering Questions the Old Way Is Costing Your Team Big Time

This morning, I got a simple request from a client—let’s call him Alex—to add two new team members to their platform (yes, it was Ninety). It would’ve taken me five minutes tops to add them, send a quick “all set” message, and move on with my day.

But here’s the thing: I’m not here to be a human Google or GPT for my clients.

This was an opportunity to teach, streamline, and reinforce the systems we’ve been working so hard to put in place. So instead of just “fixing it,” I asked a few key questions:

1. Why weren’t these new hires already set up in the system?

2. Should Alex, as a leader, be handling this himself? (Spoiler: yes.)

3. Did we follow the Communication Agreement we implemented?

Turning to the Company AI Wiki

In our system, the first step of the Communication Agreement is to check the Company AI Wiki (aka “The Hub”) before interrupting someone with a question.

So, I did exactly what I coach my clients to do—I searched the Hub: “How do I add a team member to Ninety?”

Boom. There it was—a detailed post complete with a video walkthrough. Honestly, it was so good it made me question my own writing skills.

I sent Alex the link and let him take it from there. Problem solved? Not quite.

The Bigger Picture

I realized this small interaction exposed a gap:

• Were onboarding and tool access steps clearly defined?

• Was the Hub post as comprehensive as needed for the next person?

To close the loop, I:

• Added updated permissions info to the Hub.

• Met with the onboarding lead to ensure tool access is verified upfront for new hires.

• Refined the Hub post to make future searches help the team member even faster.

Why This Matters

Most companies handle requests like this in the least efficient way possible:

• Ask someone.

• Wait for a reply.

• Repeat every time.

It’s a time suck. And worse, it creates a culture of dependency instead of empowerment.

Here’s What W

At [Your Client’s Company] (we’ll call them Pinnacle Co.), the rule is simple:

1. Search the Hub first.

2. If the answer isn’t there, add it once you figure it out.

What’s the ROI of One Simple Change?

By following this system:

• Teams save 10-20% of their time (just by reducing interruptions).

• Add AI to the mix, and efficiency skyrockets—20-40% productivity gains aren’t uncommon.

Personally, I’m producing 500% more than I was five years ago. Why? Because systems and AI let me focus on what really matters instead of playing whack-a-mole with questions.

The Big Takeaway

This isn’t just about saving time—it’s about creating a culture of accountability, clarity, and continuous improvement.

When you build habits like using a Company AI Wiki (The Hub) or Communication Agreement, you’re doing more than answering questions—you’re building a self-sustaining team.

And that’s the goal, isn’t it? A team that doesn’t need you for the little things so you can focus on the big ones.


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