How AI Prompt Engineering Can Transform Human Communication at Work

The AI Instruction Standard vs. Human Instruction Reality

I’m sure that you’ve seen the AI Prompt Engineering wave. Cheat sheets, courses, instructions, and prompts, all to help you get the most out of AI. It’s filled up my LinkedIn feed, and I can count on seeing one at least every day.

But the thought occurred to me:

What if we gave our human employees the same care when giving instructions as we do when developing an AI prompt?

Essential Elements of Clear Communication

What if we gave the humans we work with the same instructions that are given in the AI Ultimate Prompting Guide?

Here’s a few:

Objective: State the goal or purpose of the project or response
Audience: Specify the target audience for tailored content
Format: Define the format or structure of the delivery (bullet points, email, presentation)
Context: Provide background information and data
Scope: Define the limitations or range of the topic
Examples: Provide desired style, structure, or content
Call to Action: Request a clear call to action or next steps
Sensitivity: Mention sensitive topics or issues to be handled with care or avoided

I’m sure that we would see the statistics cited above diminish or disappear altogether:

The Root Cause: Missing Fundamental Information

Being on the outside of the corporate and agency world for the past few years, I can attest that marketing teams are stressed and overworked. But the work they are doing is usually just busy work – the attention is not on the final objective, but on tactics.

Many times, teams and employees are stressed because they lack the most fundamental information – clear and decisive objectives. Even then, when they have been given a goal to work for, the instructions, scope, expectations, and resources are not provided. Leaving teams to make it up as they go along and hope that it suits the management as a deliverable.

Technology Can’t Fix Poor Instructions

The problem is that this is a management issue, not a marketing issue. And we’ve seen this many times before. AI is only the latest in a long line of technologies that has exposed companies as chasing shiny objects rather than developing clear strategy.

The Pattern Across Technology Trends

Regardless of it being Big Data, Analytics, Digital Transformation, Marketing Automation, Metaverse, or AI, these all expose a company, as they are not simply puzzle pieces or add-ons. They do not create strategy in and of themselves.

Each of these past trends (or fads) require a business to have a clear objective, specific goals, business frameworks, defined workflows, communications schedules, KPIs, and repeatable activities.

The Automation Lesson: “You Can’t Automate What Doesn’t Exist”

I’ve lost count of the number of Marketing Automation companies that sold the product to the company, only for the company to expect a plug-and-play solution. The next few years consisted of defining all the company activities to make automation work.

These companies learned the hard way, “You can’t automate what doesn’t exist.”

The Universal Truth About Communication and Technology

Repeatedly, the same problem comes up with every new technology. If you do not have clear objective, specific goals, business frameworks, defined workflows, communications schedules, KPIs, and repeatable activities – then nothing, NOTHING will come and save you.

In fact, without these things, employees are missing deadlines, unsure about their roles, and turnover is likely a big problem. And it’s a simple problem – communication.

Real-World Communication Breakdown: A Case Study

I recently talked with a marketing director who found himself in this situation. There are no clear objectives. Rather, he and his marketing department functioned more as a creative fulfillment house; make a video, post regularly on social media, make a sell sheet. But he and the team were at a loss when they were asked to define their primary purpose within the organization. “Increase Sales” was one of the answers, but no one could connect the dots from their activities to that objective.

The Challenge: Applying AI-Level Communication Standards to Human Interactions

Here’s my challenge:

The next time you give an employee or co-worker instructions, use the ChatGTP Prompt Engineering cheat sheet. Write these down, just as you would type it into a prompt. Make it a document.

The Complete Communication Framework

• Explain the context and purpose. Provide a history if needed.
• The desired outcome, product, or deliverable.
• Define the audience.
• Note the guardrails and pitfalls.
• Provide the necessary data, content, and goals for the project.
• Give the parameters and delivery dates.
• Explain how the assignment will be measured.

The Investment in Human Communication

Use as many prompts as you need to communicate the full scope of your instructions. You’d do it for Chat GPT, so invest the time in communicating a comprehensive set of instructions that will get the most out of the humans on your team.

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