Reduce AI Risk in
10 Minutes
Give your team 5 clear steps for safe AI use. No prep required.
This is a leadership walkthrough you can run with your team today. Each step tells you exactly what to say and what to do.
How this works
This guide walks you through five focused steps. Each step includes a script you can copy and paste directly into Slack, Teams, or email. Complete the steps in order, and in 10 minutes you’ll have a safer, clearer AI environment for your team.
Step 1 of 5
Share clear boundaries
- 1 minute
Why this matters
Right now, some people on your team are using AI. Others are avoiding it completely because
they are not sure what is safe. This creates two problems: shadow AI (risky experiments
happening quietly) and paralysis (people who want to try but will not because they are afraid of
doing it wrong). Clear boundaries fix both.
How to complete this step
Copy and paste the message below into Slack, Teams, or email. You can tweak the wording for
your team.
Hey everyone. I have been hearing questions about AI use, and I want to make sure we are all on
the same page. Here is what is safe for us to use AI for right now, and what we need to avoid to protect our work
and our clients.
Safe to use AI for
- Drafting non-sensitive emails
- Summaries of public content
- Brainstorming ideas and outlines
- Cleaning up writing
- Early-stage research
Not Safe for AI
- Client names or personal data
- Financial or donor information
- Contracts or agreements
- Confidential internal documents
- Anything with legal, HR, or compliance risk
Step 2 of 5
If you have a policy, make sure it's being used
- 1–2 minutes
Why this matters
Most AI policies sit in a folder somewhere and nobody reads them. This step helps you
understand what is actually confusing people so the policy can do its job.
How to complete this step
If you have an AI policy, use this script:
We have an AI policy in place. I want to make sure it is actually clear and useful for everyone.
Quick check-in.
Then ask:
- What in our policy feels unclear?
- Do you feel unsure about what is allowed?
If you do not have a policy yet, say this:
We do not have a formal AI policy yet. For now, use the guidelines I just shared as our ground
rules. We will formalize this soon.
Step 3 of 5
Run a quick team check-in
- 3 minutes
Why this matters
You need to know what people are actually thinking and feeling about AI. This step surfaces
questions, fears, and ideas that people may be afraid to say out loud.
How to complete this step
Say something like this to your team:
I want AI to feel safe and simple for all of us. There is no pressure here, and we do not need to
be perfect. I just have three quick questions.
Ask:
- 1. What in our policy feels unclear?
- 2. What feels confusing or overwhelming about AI?
- 3. What is one task we might want to try AI with this week?
Step 4 of 5
Choose ONE safe task to try
- 3-5 minutes
Why this matters
Small, low-risk experiments reduce fear and create real learning.
Important
Only use AI tools your organization has already approved.
If nothing has been approved yet, complete Steps 1–3 and wait for leadership or IT to confirm which tool is safe to use.
If nothing has been approved yet, complete Steps 1–3 and wait for leadership or IT to confirm which tool is safe to use.
How to complete this step
Pick one task to try:
- Clean up a messy email
- Summarize meeting notes
- Turn a topic into a simple outline
- Ask AI to organize a to-do list
- Draft a rough proposal paragraph
Do it once.
Note the time saved.
Celebrate the win with your team.
Why this matters
This is how you avoid guessing what your team needs next.
How to complete this step
Ask each team member:
- What became easier?
- What still felt unclear or risky?
- Where would we like more guidance?
This gives you clarity on what is working, what is not, and what needs to happen next.
The AI Readiness Accelerator
If this 10-minute reset helped, the next step is building shared leadership clarity.
The AI Readiness Accelerator is a 6-week program for leadership teams who want shared clarity, responsible guardrails, and a practical path forward before AI use scales.
You will walk away with
- A shared leadership understanding of how AI fits your organization’s priorities
- Clear initial guardrails and decision principles for responsible AI use
- Identified workflows where AI can reduce effort and friction
- Greater confidence in your role as a leader navigating AI-driven change
A note on scope and leadership responsibility
This resource is designed to support clearer thinking and safer first steps. It is not a replacement for leadership alignment, shared standards, or organizational decision-making.
When questions of readiness, responsibility, or coordination extend beyond a single guide, this is the work we support through the AI Readiness Accelerator. It helps leadership teams move from isolated insight to shared clarity and confident action.