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Write the one message that might keep your best engineer

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

About this exercise

Elena Marsh, your best engineer, resigned Tuesday for a competitor and signs their paperwork Friday. You get one written message before then. Write it from you, Dev, to Elena, as plain text under 170 words. Name specifically what went wrong and own it, with no excuses. Then make the offer HR approved, tied to what she told you she wants. Do not promise anything that was not approved, and do not guilt or pressure her. End with ONE ask: a 30-minute conversation on Thursday, Nov 12. The last line before your signature must be exactly: Whatever you decide, I will support it.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Generic "please stay". The AI writes warm filler about how valued she is instead of naming what actually went wrong. Try: Add: "Name the 14 months on maintenance and the promotion that slipped twice, and own it."
  • Leading with money. The AI opens with the raise, which makes the offer sound like a bribe. Try: Add: "Tie the approved offer to what she wants: building something new on Atlas."
  • Promising the unapproved. The AI wants to be persuasive, so it hints at equity, a bonus or more promotions. Try: Add: "Offer only the title, the 12% raise and the Atlas move. Promise nothing else."
  • Guilt, pressure and gossip. The AI adds "we'd be lost without you", several asks, or uses the hallway rumor. Try: Add: "No guilt or pressure. One ask only. Leave out the hallway talk."
  • Trusting the AI to count words. AI runs long when you only give a total, and adds markdown. Try: Say "under 130 words, plain text" and cap the parts, like "6 short sentences".

What a strong prompt includes

  • Names what went wrong
  • Makes only the approved offer
  • Ties it to what she wants
  • No guilt or pressure
  • One dated ask

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