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I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E : Tech Strategies / Working Well / Economy Central by Falcon Bank T EC H ST R AT EG I ES
Ask Better. Get Better. Smarter prompts and thoughtful refinement turn AI into a more effective business tool. By Clint Lentner
T
he tasks that often weigh on us most are usually the ones we haven’t started. They show up as blank pages needing to be written. It’s the email to a customer about a project delay you keep rewriting in your head, the work process you know by heart but can’t seem to document, the report you need to summarize but can’t find a
starting point. The work isn’t hard because you don’t know the content; it’s hard because turning thoughts into words takes time and focus. That’s where an AI assistant like ChatGPT, Copilot, or Gemini can help. Not as a replacement for your expertise, but as a fast way to turn “I’ve got an idea” into “here are a few solid drafts to choose from.”
Contributor ________ Clint Lentner is the director of information technology at Northland Capital and Microsoft-focused technologist.
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Recall the scene from Apollo 13, where NASA engineers empty a pile of parts on a table and are told to “make this fit into that,” a square CO2 filter into a round opening, using only parts the astronauts had onboard. NASA’s team ended up designing an adapter that wasn’t pretty but worked. Thankfully, most of our days don’t carry the gravity of a space mission, but this does provide a useful metaphor for how we can use AI in the workplace: Put your parts on the table (notes, ideas, situation, what you’re trying to accomplish) and AI assembles a rough design — something that fits well enough to refine and moves you from staring at a blank page, to editing content.
get a strong start on those issues mentioned earlier: 1 Delayed project email Prompt: “Draft a friendly, confident email about a delayed timeline. Include: apology, new date, what we’re doing to prevent repeats, and a clear next step. Under 150 words.” 2.Documenting a familiar process Prompt: “Turn these notes into a simple standard operating procedure for a new employee. Include steps, decision points, and common mistakes.” 3.A report summary you can’t seem to start Prompt: “Examine this report and write a one-page executive summary. Highlight what matters to our industry, with no more than three bullet points per section.”
Give AI a better starting point.
Shift from writing to editing.
If you ask AI to “Write an email about …” you’ll usually get an output that feels generic. A better approach is to treat AI like you would a trusted intern, keeping in mind four things: Goal Audience Context Preferences These four items are usually enough to get a first draft worth editing. For example, here are three quick, practical prompts to
Another item most people miss is that you don’t need to use AI’s words directly to get value. The point isn’t to copy-paste — it’s to gain momentum. Even if you don’t keep a single sentence, a draft gives you something to react to. Think of it as brainstorming on demand. Ask for a draft, then respond like an editor: “Too formal. Make this more conversational.” “Rewrite for a small business owner.” “Cut it in half and strengthen the call to action.”