Saturday, May 2, 2026

Prompt; 20 NotebookLM Prompts to Build Professional Slides Faster

 

PROMPT 1: Training Module (Competency-Based Learning)

Build a Training Slide Deck using a Competency-Based Learning Framework.
Each slide covers 1 competency with:

  • A measurable behavioral indicator
  • “What Good Looks Like” vs “Common Mistakes” side by side
  • The Bloom’s Taxonomy level needed (Remember / Apply / Analyze / Create)
  • Assessment criteria with a grading rubric

End with a “Learning Transfer Plan” slide where each learner commits to 1 action they will apply in the next 30 days.


PROMPT 2: Executive Briefing (Pyramid Principle)

Build an Executive Slide Deck using the Minto Pyramid Principle.

Slide 1: One clear governing recommendation (1 sentence only)
Slides 2 to 4: 3 key supporting arguments using SCOA format (Situation, Complication, Question, Answer)
Slides 5 to 7: Data and evidence for each argument
Last slide: “Decision Required” showing your options, trade-offs, and the approval you need

Rule: Every slide must pass the “So What?” test.
No data-only slides. Every slide needs an implication.


PROMPT 3: Sales Presentation (SPIN Selling)

Build a Sales Deck using Neil Rackham’s SPIN Selling Framework.

4 sections:

  • Situation slides: Current context of your prospect (pulled from your sources)
  • Problem slides: Hidden pain points the prospect may not know they have
  • Implication slides: The real cost of NOT fixing the problem (financial, operational, reputational)
  • Need-Payoff slides: ROI and tangible results your solution delivers

Close with a ‘Commitment Slide’ that shows the next micro-step to move things forward.


PROMPT 4: Onboarding Deck (30-60-90 Day Plan)

Build an Onboarding Slide Deck using Michael Watkins’ 30-60-90 Day Model.

Days 1 to 30 (Learn Phase): Key stakeholders to meet, mental models to understand, quick wins available immediately.

Days 31 to 60 (Apply Phase): First deliverables expected, cross-team relationships to build, metrics to start tracking.

Days 61 to 90 (Lead Phase): Ownership to take on, 90-day review criteria.

Each phase needs two things: “Success Looks Like” and “Red Flags to Watch.”


PROMPT 5: Research Findings (Evidence Hierarchy)

Build a Research Presentation that ranks findings by strength of evidence using the Oxford Evidence Hierarchy.

Each finding gets its own slide showing:

  • Evidence tier (Systematic Review, RCT, Cohort Study, Expert Opinion)
  • Effect size and confidence interval
  • How well it applies to your specific context
  • Limitations to know before acting on it

Use the GRADE approach to label each finding: High, Moderate, Low, or Very Low confidence.

Close with an Evidence Map showing which claims are solid vs which are still assumptions.


PROMPT 6: Product Training (Jobs-to-Be-Done)

Build a Product Training Deck using Clayton Christensen’s Jobs-to-Be-Done Framework.

Do NOT list features by spec. Re-frame every feature as a job your customer wants to get done:

  • Functional Job: What does it actually help them accomplish?
  • Emotional Job: How do they feel when it works?
  • Social Job: How do they appear to others when they use it?

Each feature slide follows: Job Story, Feature, Outcome, and the ‘Moment of Struggle’ this feature solves.

Close with a ‘Top 10 Support Questions’ slide with short, clear answers.


PROMPT 7: Board Strategy Deck (Three Horizons)

Build a Board Strategy Presentation using McKinsey’s Three Horizons of Growth.

Horizon 1 slides: Core business defense, current revenue protection, and early warning signals if the core is weakening.

Horizon 2 slides: Validated growth bets, investment required vs expected return.

Horizon 3 slides: Long-shot experiments that need to be started now. Each initiative includes a risk-adjusted value estimate.

Close with a Portfolio Allocation slide showing how resources should be split across H1, H2, and H3.


PROMPT 8: Workshop Facilitation (4MAT Learning System)

Build a Workshop Facilitation Deck using Bernice McCarthy’s 4MAT Learning System.

Design it to cover every learning style:

  • Why slides: Create meaning, connect to learner experiences
  • What slides: Core concepts, theories, and frameworks
  • How slides: Hands-on practice activities with templates to fill in
  • What-If slides: Real-world application in their own context

Each cycle runs 20 to 30 minutes.

Include Facilitator Notes and a “Resistance Signals” list with how to handle each one.


PROMPT 9: OKR Review Deck (Accountability Format)

Build a Quarterly OKR Review Deck using Google’s OKR Methodology with a RAG Status System.

Each Objective gets 1 slide with:

  • Confidence Score (0.0 to 1.0 scale)
  • Key Results with traffic lights (On Track, At Risk, Off Track)
  • Root cause analysis of any gaps using the 5 Whys method
  • ‘Learnings This Quarter’ and ‘What Changes Next Quarter’ with owner and deadline

Close with an OKR Health Dashboard that shows whether the team sets truly ambitious goals or just comfortable ones.


PROMPT 10: Investor Pitch (StoryBrand + AARRR)

Build an Investor Pitch Deck using Donald Miller’s StoryBrand Framework with AARRR Traction Metrics.
Position the investor as the hero. You are the guide.

Slide 1 “The Character”: The painful market + TAM, SAM, SOM
Slide 2 “The Problem”: The villain that is blocking the market from moving forward
Slide 3 “The Guide”: Your team’s unfair advantage and why only you can solve this
Slide 4 “The Plan”: Product + go-to-market in 3 clear steps
Slide 5 “Traction”: AARRR metrics (Acquisition, Activation, Retention, Revenue, Referral) with real data
Slide 6 “The Stakes”: If We Win vs If We Fail
Slide 7 “The Ask”: Funding amount, use of funds, and 18-month milestones


PROMPT 11: Compliance Training (Case-Based Reasoning)

Build a Compliance Training Deck using Case-Based Reasoning.
Do NOT present policy as rules. Present it as real cases instead.

Each slide is 1 case with this structure:

  • Incident Brief: What happened?
  • Decision Point: Where did someone go wrong?
  • Cognitive Bias: What mental shortcut caused it? (Confirmation Bias, Authority Bias, etc.)
  • Consequence: What actually happened as a result?
  • Rule Anchor: Which policy applies here?
  • How to Spot It: Real-world signals that you are in this type of situation

Close with a Decision Tree slide and a Knowledge Check quiz.


PROMPT 12: Market Analysis (Five Forces + Blue Ocean)

Build a Two-Layer Market Analysis Deck.

Layer 1 uses Porter’s Five Forces: Competitive Rivalry, Supplier Power, Buyer Power, Threat of New Entrants, Threat of Substitutes.
Each force gets its own slide with evidence and a score from 1 to 5. Combine into an Industry Attractiveness Score.

Layer 2 uses the Blue Ocean ERRC Grid (Eliminate, Reduce, Raise, Create) to find white space with no competition.

Close with a Strategy Canvas comparing your value curve to competitors and a “This Is Our Move” slide with your clear strategic choice.


PROMPT 13: Design Thinking Workshop (Double Diamond)

Build a Design Thinking Workshop Deck using the Double Diamond Model.

Diamond 1 “Discover and Define”:

  • Empathy Mapping activity (5 minutes)
  • How Might We question generation
  • Insight clustering with an Affinity Diagram
  • Point-of-View statement summarizing the real problem

Diamond 2 “Develop and Deliver”:

  • Crazy 8s ideation (8 minutes)
  • Concept voting with Dot Voting
  • Prototype Brief: each team builds a low-fi prototype in 15 minutes
  • Testing Protocol and Iteration Criteria

Every activity slide needs a timer, a fill-in template, a Facilitator Tip, and an “If Energy Drops” recovery move.

PROMPT 14: Thesis Defense (IMRAD + Toulmin)

Build a Thesis Defense Presentation using the IMRAD structure with Toulmin’s Argument Model.

Introduction: Research gap, research question, and contribution to knowledge
Methods: Design rationale, epistemological position (Positivist, Interpretivist, or Critical), validity threats, and how they are addressed
Results: Findings ranked by significance, not by the order you did them. Each finding uses the Toulmin structure (Claim, Data, Warrant, Backing, Qualifier, Rebuttal).
Discussion: Theoretical contribution, practical implication, and limitations

Add an “Anticipated Committee Questions” slide with suggested answers drawn directly from the thesis.


PROMPT 15: Post-Mortem (Systems Thinking, Blameless)

Build a Blameless Post-Mortem Presentation using Peter Senge's Systems Thinking.
No names. Focus on the system, not the people.

  • Timeline slide: Chronological sequence of events with 5 Whys at each decision point
  • Causal Loop Diagram slide: Feedback loops that created the incident
  • Latent Conditions slide: Hidden system factors using James Reason’s Swiss Cheese Model
  • Corrective Actions slide: Each action tied to a specific layer of the Swiss Cheese
  • Leading Indicators slide: Metrics that will give early warning next time

Close with a “System Health Scorecard.”


PROMPT 16: Leadership Development (Situational Leadership II)

Build a Leadership Development Deck using Blanchard’s SLII Model. For each leadership competency, show:

  • The Development Level Matrix from D1 (Enthusiastic Beginner) to D4 (Self-Reliant Achiever)
  • The matching leadership style from S1 (Directing) to S4 (Delegating)
  • Real conversation examples for each combination
  • “Mismatched Style” scenarios that cause people to quit or underperform

Apply Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle throughout: Concrete Experience, Reflective Observation, Abstract Conceptualization, Active Experimentation.

Each competency ends with a self-assessment and a practice commitment.


PROMPT 17: Partnership Proposal (Value Co-Creation)

Build a Partnership Proposal Deck using the DART Model (Dialogue, Access, Risk-benefit, Transparency).
Do NOT start with “Who We Are.” Start with “What They Get.”

  • Slide 1 “Their World”: The partner’s pain points, pulled from your sources
  • Slide 2 “Shared Value Opportunity”: Where both sides benefit at the same time
  • Slide 3 “Co-Creation Mechanics”: How you create value together, tangible and intangible
  • Slide 4 “Risk Allocation”: Who carries what risk
  • Slide 5 “Quick Wins in 90 Days”: Proof of concept that reduces perceived risk fast
  • Slide 6 “Governance and Exit”: How to end things cleanly if it does not work out

PROMPT 18: Annual Report (Integrated Reporting, 6 Capitals)

Build an Annual Report Presentation using the IIRC Integrated Reporting Framework.

Cover all 6 Capitals:

  • Financial Capital: Profit and loss, cash flow, return metrics
  • Manufactured Capital: Infrastructure, assets, capacity
  • Human Capital: Talent development, retention, culture score
  • Social and Relationship Capital: Stakeholder trust, community impact
  • Intellectual Capital: IP, innovation pipeline, data assets
  • Natural Capital: Environmental footprint, sustainability progress

Each Capital needs three things:

  • Stock (current state)
  • Flow (how it changed this year)
  • Outlook (what to expect next year)

Show how the 6 Capitals interact and affect each other.

Friday, May 1, 2026

12 cognitive biases that quietly shape your thinking.

 12 cognitive biases that quietly shape your thinking.


Outsmart them to sharpen your decisions:

1. Fundamental Attribution Error: We judge other people by their character but excuse our own mistakes as bad luck.
↳ Before judging someone, ask what external factors might explain their behavior.

2. Dunning-Kruger Effect: Beginners overestimate their ability while experts second-guess.
↳ Measure your skills by the results and impact you bring.

3. Confirmation Bias: We search for evidence that proves us right and ignore everything else.
↳ When forming an opinion, look for one strong argument against your current belief.

4. Curse of Knowledge: Once you master something, you forget how hard it was to learn and lose patience with people starting out.
↳ Remember how long it took you, and then teach it like you're talking to your younger self.

5. Availability Heuristic: We make decisions based on what’s easiest to remember, not what's most accurate.
↳ Before reacting, ask whether you're weighing recent events more heavily than they deserve.

6. Automation Bias: If software suggests it, we accept it without a second thought.
↳ Treat AI and tools like an intern; review everything before you trust it.

7. Law of Triviality: We give small, easy problems more attention than the important ones.
↳ Ask yourself: "Will this decision matter in a year?" If not, move on fast.

8. Survivorship Bias: Studying only winners blinds you from the thousands who tried and failed.
↳ For every success story, ask how many people it didn’t work out for.

9. IKEA Effect: We overvalue things simply because we helped create them.
↳ Get honest feedback from someone with no stake in your project.

10. Zeigarnik Effect: We remember incomplete work far more than finished projects.
↳ Create a Wins List to redirect your brain to what you’ve achieved.

11. Third-Person Effect: We assume the media influences others more than it influences us.
↳ Everyone, including you, has bias. Periodically check for blind spots you might be forming.

12. Spotlight Effect: We think people are paying far more attention to us than they actually are.
↳ Understand that people are too caught up thinking about their own lives to notice little flaws about you.

♻️ Repost to make the workplace a better place.
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Prompt: 21 Claude prompts to help you ace your next interview:


1. Understand Role
↳"You are an interview coach, review this job description [paste], explain what the company wants most, top skills they value, and what I should highlight in the interview"

2. Predict Questions
↳"You are a hiring manager, review this job description [paste], list the 15 most likely interview questions and why each one matters"

3. Match Background
↳"You are a career coach, compare my resume [paste resume] to this job description [paste], show my strongest matches and what I should emphasize"

4. Find Stories
↳"You are an interview coach, review my resume [paste resume], find 5 strong stories that show results, ownership, teamwork, and problem solving"

5. Write Answer
↳"You are an interview coach, help me answer this question clearly, simply, and naturally, keep it specific and conversational, question: [paste question]"

6. Build STAR
↳"Act as an interview coach, turn this experience [paste details] into a strong STAR answer that sounds clear, natural, and job-relevant"

7. Shorten Answer
↳"You are a hiring manager, shorten this interview answer [paste answer], make it clearer and stronger without making it sound robotic"

8. Sound Natural
↳"Act as a hiring manager, rewrite this interview answer [paste answer] so it sounds natural, human, and not scripted or AI-written"

9. Fix Answers
↳"You are an honest interview coach, review this answer [paste answer], tell me what's weak, unclear, or unconvincing, then improve it"

10. Drill Follow-Ups
↳"Act as a real interviewer, ask me this interview question [paste question], then ask 3 realistic follow-up questions based on my answer"

11. Prep Behavioral
↳"You are an expert interviewer, help me answer behavioral questions about conflict, failure, pressure, feedback, and difficult teammates with examples"

12. Tell Me
↳"You are a hiring manager, help me write a strong 'tell me about yourself' answer for this role [job title], under 90 seconds"

13. Why This Role
↳"You are an interview coach, help me answer 'why do you want this role' using this job description [paste] and my background [resume]"

14. Why Leaving
↳"You are an interview coach, help me answer 'why are you leaving your current job' in a positive, honest, and professional way"

15. Biggest Weakness
↳"Act as an experienced recruiter, help me answer 'what is your biggest weakness' in a way that feels honest, thoughtful, and credible"

16. Prep Technical
↳"You are a hiring manager, review this job description [paste], predict likely technical questions and tell me how to prepare"

[See the sheet for 5 more]


You don't need perfect answers.

You need clear answers that sound real.

Which prompt would you copy first?

If you want this in a PDF you can copy all 21 prompts from...

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♻️ Repost to help job seekers feel more prepared and confident in interviews.

And follow me George Stern for more.

Prompt - Building a strategic prompt

 6 steps that ensure every query you create returns the very best possible response

Most people prompt AI like a search engine.
"Write me a positioning statement."
"Give me a tagline."
"What should my messaging be?"
And then they're surprised when the output is generic.
The output is only ever as good as the input.
And most inputs lack structure.
I use AI in my positioning work every day.
But only as an amplifier of my problem definition, curiosity and strategic thinking
Here's the 6-part structure that I've found gets the best results:

1️⃣ Role
↳ Tell it exactly who to be.
↳ "Act as a B2B positioning strategist."

2️⃣ Task
↳ Define the precise deliverable.
↳ "Audit this messaging for differentiation gaps."

3️⃣ Context
↳ Load it with your reality.
↳ Audience, competitors, constraints, market position.

4️⃣ Reasoning
↳ Ask it to show its working.
↳ "Explain your logic step by step."

5️⃣ Stop Conditions
↳ Set hard boundaries.
↳ "Maximum 4 recommendations. No generic advice."

6️⃣ Output
↳ Dictate the exact format you need.
↳ "Deliver as a comparison table with trade-offs."

The more structure you give, the less generic the output becomes.

Most people skip steps 3 and 4...

Those two are where the depth lives.
Skip them, and you're getting surface-level output every time.

AI won't replace strategists or critical thinkers.

But it will expose anyone that lacks rigour, depth, creativity and curiosity.

♻️ Repost to help your network unlock their growth potential.
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