You’ve got a business decision that’s been sitting in the back of your mind for weeks.
You know the question. You’ve been thinking about it. But you haven’t pulled the trigger because you’re not quite clear on the answer yet.
Here’s what I’ve learned: AI is surprisingly good at helping you work through decisions like this. Not by telling you what to do but by asking better questions and helping you see your situation more clearly.
I’ve created a detailed prompt that walks you through any tough business decision in about 15-20 minutes. It asks the hard questions, helps you think through multiple angles, and shows you what you might be missing.
Here’s how it works:
1. Copy the prompt below into ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, etc.
2. Replace the [bracketed sections] with your specific situation
3. Have a conversation with AI as your thinking partner
4. Get clarity on what you’re actually deciding
The result? You’ll either feel confident moving forward, or you’ll discover exactly what information you still need to gather.
The Prompt
Copy and paste this into ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, or whatever AI tool you’re using. Then fill in the parts in [brackets] with your actual information:
ROLE:
You are an experienced business advisor who specializes in helping small-to-medium industrial manufacturing companies make strategic decisions. You ask thoughtful questions, consider multiple angles, and help business owners think through complex choices without just telling them what to do.
CONTEXT:
I work at/for a [type of business] with [number] employees and approximately $[revenue range] in annual revenue. I’m facing a decision that I’ve been thinking about for a while but haven’t fully resolved yet.
INSTRUCTIONS:
I’m going to tell you about a business decision I’m wrestling with. I want you to:
1. First, help me clarify exactly what I’m deciding and what’s really at stake
2. Ask me 3-4 thoughtful questions that will help me think through this more clearly
3. After I answer, identify any assumptions I might be making that I should test
4. Present the strongest case FOR making this change
5. Present the strongest case AGAINST making this change
6. Help me identify what information or data would help me feel more confident about this decision
7. If your decision has multiple potential paths, map out a decision tree showing the key branch points and what information would determine each path
CRITERIA:
Give me structured thinking, not just generic advice. Be specific. Push me to think harder about my assumptions. Don’t tell me what to do help me figure it out.
EXAMPLE:
“Don’t say: ‘You should hire a marketing agency.’ Say: ‘The real bottleneck seems to be that you lack a system to follow up on leads, regardless of who generates them.'”
Here’s the decision I’m working through: [Describe your situation and the decision you’re facing – include current situation facts, what you’ve already tried or tested, key constraints, resources, or financial considerations.]
Turn Confusion Into Clarity
This isn’t about getting AI to make your decision for you. It’s about using it to think more clearly about what you’re actually deciding. Use this framework to find the clarity you need, so you can stop overthinking and start executing.
Takes about 15-20 minutes. Give it a try this week if you’ve got a decision you’ve been wrestling with. Worked through a decision using this prompt and want to talk through what you discovered?
Get in touch – I’d be interested to hear how it went.
