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Write a neutral memo about a safety near miss

  • For HR and recruiting
  • You practice Getting the tone right
  • Time about 5 minutes
  • Level Intermediate

About this exercise

Write a memo of the near miss in plain text with exactly these headings on their own lines: What happened, Facts confirmed, Not yet known, Next steps. Under 150 words. Use neutral, factual wording: no blame, no names of the employees involved (use "an employee"), no words like careless or negligent, and no conclusions about cause. Next steps are only those the notes list. HR and Safety review before it is filed.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Naming Kyle. The AI repeats who put the pallet away. Try: Say: "No names; use 'an employee'. Leave out the supervisor's guess."
  • Stating a cause. The AI says rushing caused it. Try: Say: "No conclusions about cause."
  • Headings. The AI adds Root cause or Recommendations. Try: Say: "Exactly these four headings."
  • Adding steps. The AI adds retraining and discipline. Try: Say: "Next steps are only those in the notes."
  • Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total word limit and it often lands over it. Try: Cap each part instead, for example: "each line under 15 words."
  • Markdown. The AI bolds words or adds headings. Try: Say: "Plain text, no bold, no headings."

What a strong prompt includes

  • Four headings
  • No names
  • Neutral
  • Steps from notes
  • Word cap

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