12 ChatGPT Prompts Every Leader Needs Right Now

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Today at a Glance

• Why 95% of managers aren’t maximizing AI (and how to fix that).

• 12 leadership prompts to make ChatGPT your strategic ally.

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What Most Leaders Are Missing About AI

When I was CIO at a $4 billion company, AI felt like a distant frontier. A powerful tool reserved for engineers and data scientists.

That was just five years ago.

Now, everything has changed. AI is:

• Fully accessible

• Affordable

• Ready to work with you, not just tech teams.

But here’s the issue: 95% of leaders aren’t using AI to its full potential.

This isn’t about trends. It’s about staying ahead in a rapidly changing world.

Used effectively, AI can:

• Uncover valuable insights

• Save time on repetitive tasks

• Deliver tailored solutions to leadership challenges

To help you get started, I’ve put together 12 proven ChatGPT prompts. They’re designed to help you lead with more clarity, empathy, and impact.

Let’s dive in.

12 Leadership-Boosting AI Prompts You Can Use Today

1. Understand Your Leadership Style

Scenario: You’re wondering how your leadership affects your team.
Why it Helps: Self-awareness is the foundation of growth. This prompt helps you identify strengths and blind spots.
Prompt:
"Act as an organizational psychologist. Help me create a self-assessment questionnaire to evaluate my leadership style. I’m especially interested in understanding my communication approach, decision-making patterns, and how I motivate or support my team. Provide 10-15 insightful questions."

2. Boost Your Emotional Intelligence

Scenario: You want to build deeper connections and foster a healthier team environment.
Why it Helps: Higher EQ strengthens trust and improves team morale.
Prompt:
"Act as a leadership coach specializing in emotional intelligence. I want to improve my EQ in areas like self-awareness, empathy, and relationship management. Suggest practical exercises, techniques, and daily habits that can help me become more emotionally attuned to my team’s needs."

3. Master Meeting Preparation

Scenario: You have an important meeting coming up and need to be sharp.
Why it Helps: Well-structured talking points lead to impactful conversations and decisions.
Prompt:
"Act as my meeting prep assistant. I have an upcoming meeting on [insert agenda topics or upload the agenda]. Based on these objectives, generate talking points, insightful questions, and possible action items I can propose to demonstrate leadership and strategic thinking."

4. Craft a Winning Pitch

Scenario: You’re pitching an idea to your boss or upper management.
Why it Helps: A clear, compelling argument makes buy-in much easier.
Prompt:
"Act as a communications strategist. I need to pitch [brief description of your proposal/initiative] to my boss. Please help me craft a clear, concise argument and presentation strategy that highlights the benefits, addresses potential objections, and demonstrates ROI."

5. Spark Innovation

Scenario: You need fresh ideas for a new project or initiative.
Why it Helps: AI can help you think outside the box and energize your team.
Prompt:
"Act as an innovation consultant. I’m considering a new project or initiative around [project concept]. Suggest creative ways to approach, launch, and sustain this project—especially strategies that could energize my team and differentiate us from competitors."

6. Navigate Tough Conversations

Scenario: You’re preparing for a sensitive discussion with a team member.
Why it Helps: The right tone and structure turn conflict into collaboration.
Prompt:
"Act as a skilled leadership coach. I am planning to have a difficult conversation with a team member about [describe the performance or behavior issue]. Please guide me on how to structure the conversation, including the tone, key talking points, and empathetic responses."

7. Resolve Team Conflicts

Scenario: Two team members are at odds, and it’s affecting the team dynamic.
Why it Helps: Structured mediation promotes understanding and alignment.
Prompt:
"Act as a professional conflict mediator. I have two employees who are in conflict over [briefly outline the issue]. Help me craft a step-by-step mediation plan that addresses their concerns, reduces tension, and encourages mutual understanding."

8. Create Interview Questions

Scenario: You’re expanding your team and want the right addition.
Why it Helps: Culture fit ensures new hires align with your values and goals.
Prompt:
"Act as a talent acquisition specialist. I’m hiring for [job title/role], and culture fit is crucial. Suggest a list of interview questions that will help me gauge not only skills but also alignment with our team culture and company values."

9. Delegate Like a Pro

Scenario: You’re overwhelmed and need to delegate strategically.
Why it Helps: Proper delegation empowers your team and frees your focus.
Prompt:
"Act as a leadership productivity coach. I’m struggling to delegate tasks related to [briefly describe the tasks or project]. Offer a plan for identifying which tasks to offload, to whom, and how to ensure the delegated work meets quality standards without micromanaging."

10. Lead Through Change

Scenario: Your team is navigating a significant transition.
Why it Helps: Clear communication keeps morale and productivity high.
Prompt:
"Act as a change management consultant. My team is going through [describe the change]. Help me outline a communication strategy, key talking points, and activities to gain their buy-in, maintain morale, and keep productivity high throughout the transition."

11. Encourage Team Feedback

Scenario: You want your team to feel comfortable sharing ideas and concerns.
Why it Helps: A feedback culture builds trust and uncovers opportunities for improvement.
Prompt:
"Act as a communications specialist. I want to create an environment where feedback—both positive and constructive—is welcomed. Draft a concise message I can share with my team that explains why feedback is important, how to give it effectively, and what they can expect from me in return."

12. Give Recognition (on a Tight Budget)

Scenario: You want to reward your team without stretching your budget.
Why it Helps: Recognition, even small, fuels motivation and loyalty.
Prompt:
"Act as an employee engagement consultant. My budget is limited, but I need creative, low-cost (or no-cost) ways to reward and motivate my team. Suggest a variety of tangible and intangible recognition ideas that help maintain high morale and show genuine appreciation."

✨ Bonus Insight

I love using ChatGPT as a role-playing partner to prepare for tough conversations, Q&A sessions, or even interviews.

It’s like having a practice round in a safe, judgment-free zone.

Here’s a prompt you can use:
"Act my role-playing partner. I’m preparing for a [type of conversation, meeting, or event]. Ask me challenging or thought-provoking questions I might encounter. After I respond, provide feedback, then ask another question. Help me refine my tone, clarify my points, and ensure I communicate effectively."

Pro tip: You can even ask ChatGPT to provide alternate perspectives so you’re fully prepared for any scenario.

This simple strategy has saved me time (and more than a few awkward conversations). Try it out!

Final Thoughts

AI isn’t here to replace leaders—it’s here to amplify your impact. These prompts will help you save time, think strategically, and lead with intention.

What’s the first prompt you’ll try?

Until next time, stay brilliant,
Justin

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