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Ask a peer team for help with a clear ask and an alternative

  • For Managers and team leads
  • You practice Saying who it's for
  • Time about 5 minutes
  • Level Beginner

About this exercise

Write an email to Cara, a peer manager, in plain text, under 150 words. First line exactly: Subject: Request: 2 days of analyst help, Nov 17-18. State the ask, the dates, what the work is, and why it matters, in that order. Offer one trade you can give back, and one fallback if she says no. End by saying you need her answer by Nov 12.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Wrong order. The AI starts with the backstory. Try: Say: "Ask, dates, work, why, in that order."
  • No trade or fallback. The AI only asks. Try: Say: "Offer one trade and one fallback."
  • No deadline for the answer. The AI ends with "let me know". Try: Say: "I need your answer by Nov 12."
  • Missing exact subject. The AI writes its own subject. Try: Say: "First line exactly Subject: Request: 2 days of analyst help, Nov 17-18."
  • Markdown. The AI bolds dates. 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

  • Gives the exact subject
  • Sets the order of parts
  • Asks for a trade and fallback
  • Sets the deadline
  • Caps words

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