Check my assumptions before a difficult conversation
Challenges the story you've built about the other person, separates facts from interpretations, and adjusts your approach.
The prompt
Before I have a difficult conversation, challenge the assumptions I'm bringing into it.
The situation as I see it: [DESCRIBE what happened and who's involved]
What I believe about why they did it: [MY STORY - be honest]
How I feel about it: [e.g. frustrated, hurt, disrespected]
What I plan to say: [MY APPROACH or draft opening - optional]
Help me:
1. Separate facts from interpretations - a two-column table: What I observed (could be recorded on video) | What I concluded from it.
2. Alternative explanations - 3-4 other plausible reasons for their behavior, including ones that are less flattering to me.
3. Their side - describe the situation from their point of view, as fairly as possible.
4. My contribution - what I may have done or not done that played a part (unclear expectations, missed signals, timing).
5. What I don't know - the questions I should ask before drawing conclusions.
6. Revised approach - how to open the conversation with curiosity instead of a verdict, plus a revised opening line.
Rules: be direct with me - point out where I'm mind-reading, generalizing, or assuming bad intent. Don't dismiss my concern either; if the facts support it, say so. If what I describe involves harassment, discrimination, or safety, tell me to report it through the proper channel instead of handling it alone.
Highlighted [brackets] are blanks to replace with your own details.
Fill in the blanks and use this promptMore Email & Workplace Communication prompts
What to fill in
- DESCRIBE what happened and who's involved
- MY STORY - be honest
- e.g. frustrated, hurt, disrespected
- MY APPROACH or draft opening - optional
How this prompt is built
This prompt follows the RTF structure (Role, Task, Format). RTF tells the model who to be, what to do and what shape the answer should take. It is the quickest structure that still gives noticeably better results than a bare request.
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