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Recommend how to answer a renewal-deadline extension request

  • For Managers and team leads
  • You practice Setting limits and rules
  • Time about 5 minutes
  • Level Intermediate

About this exercise

Recommend a response to the customer's request. Output exactly three lines: "Recommendation:" with Approve, Decline or Counter (and the date if countering), "Math:" showing the date arithmetic, and "Reason:" in one sentence citing the policy limit. Plain text, under 60 words. This is a recommendation for the director, who decides.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Adding extra lines. The AI writes a paragraph or adds options and a draft reply. Try: Say: "Exactly three lines: Recommendation:, Math:, Reason:."
  • Approving the full 14 days. The AI is helpful and grants the request. Try: Say: "The new deadline must be on or before Dec 31."
  • Skipping the arithmetic. The AI states the decision without dates. Try: Say: "Math: show the date arithmetic."
  • Promising the board date works. The AI implies Jan 6 will be fine. Try: Say: "Do not promise the board date can be met."
  • Getting markdown back. AI adds bold and headings by default, which show up as stray symbols where this is pasted. Try: Say "plain text, no bold, no headings, no asterisks".
  • Trusting the AI to count words. The AI runs long and cannot count its own words. Try: Cap each part ("each line under 12 words") and add "under N words in total".

What a strong prompt includes

  • Fixes the three labels
  • Quotes the quarter-end limit
  • Asks for the math
  • Keeps the director as decider
  • Asks for plain text
  • Sets a word cap

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