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Prompt Sampler
A prompt is a brief. The more it reads like one — a role, the material, the steps, the rules and the shape of the answer — the more useful the result. Twelve prompts show the method.
WHY STRUCTURE MATTERS
One-line prompts produce fluent, generic answers. They take longer to fix than to write, and they give no warning when the tool has filled a gap with something it invented.
A structured prompt does three things differently. It gives the tool the context that changes the answer. It sets out the work as numbered steps, so you can see at once if a step is missing. And it states the rules — do not invent figures, label assumptions — that make the output safer to use.
THE SEVEN PARTS OF A PROFESSIONAL PROMPT
- 01
Role
The perspective and standard the tool should adopt: "an experienced chief of staff preparing a board briefing".
- 02
Context
The background that changes the answer: the organisation, the audience, the constraints.
- 03
Inputs
The material to work on, clearly separated and labelled — Source A, Source B.
- 04
Task
The job, in numbered steps, in the order you want them done.
- 05
Rules
What must not be invented, how to treat uncertainty, what language to use.
- 06
Output
The format, structure and length of the answer.
- 07
Review
Not for the tool — for you: the check to make before you rely on the result.
TRY ONE NOW
Prioritisation — Rank competing tasks or requests using explicit criteria rather than urgency alone.
When everything feels urgent and you need to decide what comes first.
- {{ITEMS}} — The tasks or requests
- {{CRITERIA}} — What matters: deadlines, impact, effort, dependencies, stakeholders
Scored items, a four-way grouping, dependencies, a ranked list and items to push back on.
THE PROMPT
You are acting as a prioritisation adviser.
Items:
{{ITEMS}}
What matters: {{CRITERIA}}
Task:
1. Score each item for importance (impact on objectives) and urgency (genuine time sensitivity), from 1 to 5, with a short reason.
2. Place each item in one of four groups: do now, schedule, delegate, drop or defer.
3. Identify any dependency that changes the order.
4. Produce a ranked list of the items to do now and schedule.
5. Highlight any item that seems urgent only because someone is pressing for it, and suggest how to respond.
Rules: Distinguish real deadlines from preferred ones. Where you lack information to score an item, say so.
Before you use the result: Revisit the ranking when new requests arrive. Prioritisation is a habit, not a one-off sort.
WHAT IS IN THE SAMPLER
Twelve prompts, each with its purpose, when to use it, the inputs to provide, the prompt itself, the expected output and a review check.
- STR-01
Strategic position analysis
At the start of a strategy cycle, before a leadership away-day, or when you inherit a function and need an honest baseline.
- STR-02
Strategic options generator
When a team has converged too early on a single answer, or when you need a balanced options set for a board or executive paper.
- ANA-01
Information synthesis
When you have several reports, emails or papers on one subject and need a single picture before a discussion.
- WRI-01
Executive summary
When a report, paper or proposal needs a summary for readers who will not read the rest.
- WRI-03
Briefing note
Before a meeting, call or visit where a senior person needs to be quickly informed.
- DEC-01
Decision framing
At the start of any significant decision, especially when people seem to be debating different questions.
- DEC-05
Challenge questions
Before presenting a proposal, plan or report to a senior or sceptical audience.
- DEC-06
Pre-mortem
After a decision is provisionally agreed and before resources are committed.
- MTG-01
Agenda preparation
When preparing a meeting you chair or organise, particularly one that tends to overrun or drift.
- MTG-02
Meeting preparation
Before an important meeting you are attending, rather than chairing.
- PRD-02
Prioritisation
When everything feels urgent and you need to decide what comes first.
- GOV-01
Output verification
Every time AI output will be used in a decision, published, or sent to someone outside your immediate team.
USE AI RESPONSIBLY
Use only the AI tools your organisation allows, and never paste personal or confidential information into a tool that is not approved for it.
AI tools can produce confident, well-written text that is wrong, including figures and references that do not exist. Check facts, figures and sources before you rely on anything — and keep the judgement your own.
FREE RESOURCE
Download the Prompt Sampler
Twelve structured prompts for strategic analysis, summarisation, executive writing, meeting preparation, decision support, challenge and prioritisation — with a short guide to the method.
Free to download, print and share in its original form. No payment, account or sign-up required.
EXPLORE FURTHER
The sampler is a selection from the Executive AI Prompt Collection, a separate paid product with sixty prompts, the full framework and a prompt index workbook. The twelve prompts here are yours to use freely.