Not all business problems originate from bad software — some grow from burnout, overcomplication, and panic-spreadsheeting. At Kodah, Africa’s go-to ClickUp implementation partner, client onboarding doesn’t begin with code. It starts with what the team jokingly calls “Automation Therapy.”
Behind closed doors, Kodah encourages teams to drop their digital masks and confess what’s really slowing them down — entrenched habits, departmental silos, and hidden manual work that automation can finally cure.
What “Automation Therapy” Actually Is
Automation Therapy isn’t a technical workshop — it’s a guided, candid conversation. Kodah invites key team members into a relaxed, “therapy-style” session to chat, vent, and reveal what’s happening behind their workflows.
It’s the safe space where someone finally admits:
“We’re still counting client approvals using Post-it notes.”
“We can’t trust our project board — it’s out of date.”
“Half of us aren’t even sure which version of the report to use.”
By letting employees talk openly, Kodah captures a raw, unfiltered picture of operational friction — long before any workflow mapping or process design begins.
The Three Most Common “Confessions” Teams Make
After hundreds of sessions, Kodah’s consultants have heard almost every automation confession imaginable. But three patterns repeat more than any others:
1. “We automate chaos.”
Many teams admit they built early automations over disorganised processes to “save time.” In reality, they simply managed to speed up the chaos.
Kodah’s first move is to prune unnecessary automations and rebuild clean, logical workflows inside ClickUp — giving structure before speed.
2. “We don’t know where our tools are — they’re everywhere.”
It’s not unusual for a single company to use ten overlapping platforms, each claiming to “do everything.”
During Automation Therapy, managers often discover that 70% of their integrations can be replaced with ClickUp’s built-in automations and dashboards, reducing complexity and cost.
3. “Our team is terrified of automations.”
Employees often avoid updating automations for fear of breaking them. Kodah resolves this with no-code structures that empower users to make safe, confident changes themselves — without waiting for IT.
The Psychology Behind the Process
Kodah’s “therapy” format is grounded in behaviour change theory. Instead of simply introducing new systems, the process helps teams uncover emotional blockers — from control struggles and tech fatigue to resistance to change.
This creates buy-in before implementation. When employees help design the solution, they’re far more likely to believe in it.
As one Kodah strategist put it:
“Automation Therapy isn’t about technology. It’s about trust and clarity.”
Turning Confessions into Configurations
Once the “therapy” is done, Kodah’s experts translate emotional and operational pain points into technical solutions:
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Tedious approvals become automated workflows.
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Overlapping spreadsheets turn into real-time dashboards.
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Scattered messages are replaced by organised communication streams.
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Long meetings shorten as updates happen automatically in ClickUp.
Outcome: A tidy, logical ClickUp setup that mirrors the way people actually work — not how leadership assumes they do.
Quantifying the Impact of Automation Therapy
Organisations that adopt this approach see compounding results:
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50% less time spent on admin within two months.
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Faster adoption, as employees see their input reflected in real workflows.
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25–35% savings on SaaS costs through reduced duplication.
Yet, the most valued result isn’t data-driven. Clients repeatedly mention one intangible win: peace of mind.
For the first time, their tools feel like they fit them — not the other way around.
Why Every Business Needs Its Own “Therapy” Session
Automation Therapy drives home a crucial lesson for leaders:
automation doesn’t begin with triggers or integrations — it begins with listening.
Behind every “inefficient system” is a human trying their best to cope.
By helping those humans unpack frustration and inefficiency, Kodah builds technology that feels invisible — intuitive, empowering, and aligned with how people really work.
It’s not just a workflow revamp. It’s a partnership between people and process in the truest sense of the word.