Prompting: The New Executive Superpower

Top 10 Tips for Great Prompting in AI: A CEO’s Guide to Unlocking Strategic Value

As artificial intelligence, particularly large language models (LLMs) like OpenAI’s GPT-4, become integral to enterprise strategy, one skill is emerging as a game-changer for leadership: prompting. Far from being a technical curiosity, prompting is a strategic competency. Done well, it turns AI into a powerful partner for ideation, decision-making, communications, and innovation. Done poorly, it can waste time or lead to generic, low-value outputs.

This guide presents 10 executive-level tips to help CEOs and business leaders master prompting and unlock real strategic impact from AI tools.

1. Start with the Business Objective

Effective prompting begins with clarity. Know what you want to achieve before you ask AI to help. Whether you're crafting a board memo, analyzing a market shift, or exploring new business models, the prompt should align with a clear business goal.

Being intentional with the outcome ensures AI is aligned with your strategic priorities.

Example 1:

• Poor: "Write about AI in retail."

• Better: "Create a one-page executive brief on how AI can reduce operational costs in mid-sized retail chains."

  
  

Example 2:

• Poor: "Summarize this report."

• Better: "Summarize this 20-page market analysis into five key insights that can inform our Q3 go-to-market strategy."

  
  

2. Provide Clear Context

AI performs best when it understands the setting. Add details: industry, company size, audience, goals. Without this context, responses may lack relevance.

Providing context boosts relevance and business value.

Example 1:

• Prompt: "We are a $200M B2B SaaS company entering healthcare. Outline regulatory risks we should be aware of."

Example 2:

• Prompt: "As a regional logistics provider pivoting to EV delivery, draft a press release emphasizing sustainability and local economic benefits."

3. Specify the Format and Style

LLMs can produce content in any format—you just need to tell them. Ask for a bulleted list, table, executive summary, email, or presentation outline. Also, indicate tone: formal, persuasive, conversational, or technical.

This helps turn generic text into boardroom-ready material.

Example 1:

• Prompt: "Summarize the attached report in a table format comparing 3 AI vendors across features, pricing, and customer support."

Example 2:

• Prompt: "Create a professional email in a persuasive tone, inviting stakeholders to a strategy session on AI adoption."

4. Ask for Multiple Options or Perspectives

Treat AI like a strategic thought partner. Ask it to generate variations or explore the problem from different angles. This can challenge assumptions and spark creativity.

Options help you explore tradeoffs and expand strategic thinking.

Example 1:

• Prompt: "Generate three possible messaging strategies for positioning our new AI tool to enterprise clients."

Example 2:

• Prompt: "What are five different business models we could use to monetize our proprietary dataset?"

5. Use Role-Based Prompts

Asking the AI to think from a specific perspective (e.g., CFO, customer, consultant) improves quality and specificity. It aligns tone and insights with the desired stakeholder.

This technique improves precision and relevance.

Example 1:

• Prompt: "Act as a Gartner analyst. What would you say about our current AI maturity based on this description?"

Example 2:

• Prompt: "From a Chief Risk Officer's perspective, identify the top compliance concerns in our plan to use generative AI for customer support."

6. Refine Through Iteration

Good prompting is a dialogue, not a one-shot task. Review what the AI gives you and ask for revisions, clarifications, or enhancements.

This iterative process mimics high-quality executive coaching.

Example 1:

• Initial Prompt: "Draft a speech for our AI launch event."

• Follow-Up: "Shorten this to under 3 minutes and make it more inspiring for employees."

Example 2:

• Initial Prompt: "Create a SWOT analysis for expanding into AI services."

• Follow-Up: "Expand on the 'Threats' section, especially focusing on regulatory risks and talent shortages."

7. Avoid Jargon and Be Precise

While AI understands general business language, it may misinterpret internal or niche terms. If you're using acronyms, industry-specific jargon, or company code names, either explain them or rephrase.

Clarity avoids confusion and ensures relevant answers.

Example 1:

• Unclear: "Summarize implications of Project Phoenix on EBIT."

• Clear: "Summarize how our new CRM system (Project Phoenix) will impact short-term and long-term profitability."

Example 2:

• Unclear: "How will ABC impact HR?"

• Clear: "How will the upcoming AI-assisted hiring platform (codename ABC) affect our HR recruitment processes and team workload?"

8. Challenge Assumptions and Check for Bias

AI is a great sparring partner. Use it to uncover blind spots and test strategies from multiple viewpoints.

This approach promotes robust, bias-aware thinking.

Example 1:

• Prompt: "List three reasons our current strategy to automate customer support with AI might fail."

Example 2:

• Prompt: "Critique this investor pitch from the viewpoint of a skeptical VC. What questions might they ask?"

9. Accelerate Drafting to Save Time

Executives can use AI to draft emails, reports, and communications—and then polish them. This can save hours without compromising quality.

Prompting saves time on routine communication while maintaining professionalism.

Example 1:

• Prompt: "Write a first draft of a 500-word blog post explaining our AI strategy to customers in plain language."

Example 2:

• Prompt: "Draft a thank-you email to our innovation partners after today’s AI roundtable, including a call to collaborate on future pilots."

10. Foster Prompting Literacy Across Leadership

Prompting is not just for AI teams. It should become a leadership competency. Consider workshops or dedicated time for leaders to co-develop prompts and share insights.

Prompting skills embedded in leadership culture will unlock organization-wide AI fluency.

Example 1:

• Initiative: "Launch a monthly 'Prompting Power Hour' where executives share how they use AI for decision-making."

Example 2:

• Workshop Prompt: "As a leadership team, co-create prompts to help us prepare for an AI disruption scenario in our industry."

Final Thought

The future of AI isn’t just in the models—it’s in how leaders use them. CEOs and executives who master prompting are better positioned to harness AI as a tool for competitive advantage, innovation, and cultural change. By asking smarter questions, you get smarter outputs—and ultimately, smarter strategy.