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Ask your boss for an extension without making excuses

  • For Managers and team leads
  • You practice Getting the tone right
  • Time about 5 minutes
  • Level Beginner

About this exercise

Write an email to your director, Ravi, in plain text, under 90 words. First line exactly: Subject: Request to move the vendor report to Nov 21. Say what is done, the new date you propose, and what he will have on the original date. Do not blame another team or give a long explanation. End with the line: Can you confirm by Wednesday?

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Blaming Procurement. The AI explains the contract delay. Try: Say: "Do not blame another team."
  • Too long an explanation. The AI apologizes at length. Try: Say: "No long explanation; one clause on the cause."
  • Nothing on the original date. The AI asks only for more time. Try: Say: "Say what he will have on the original date."
  • Missing exact lines. The AI writes its own subject and ending. Try: Say: "First and last lines exactly as given."
  • Markdown. The AI bolds the new date. Try: Say: "Plain text."
  • 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."

What a strong prompt includes

  • Exact subject and ending
  • Done, new date, original-date deliverable
  • No blame
  • Caps words
  • Plain text

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