Whether you’ve used ChatGPT (and other AI tools) a thousand times or haven’t opened it once, you’re in the right place.

If you’ve already started exploring, there’s always more to learn - new ways to prompt, and smarter ways to apply it to your day. And if you haven’t tried it yet? That’s common, and completely normal. But now's the perfect time to start - because learning how to actually use it can save you time, reduce stress and help both your work and life feel more manageable.

This blog covers the basics and gives you real prompts you can try today. Some are included in the video above, and others are additional examples you can use right away - whether you’re managing people, building your career, or just trying to get through the week a little easier.

What Is ChatGPT (And Why Should You Use It)?

If you haven't tried it, start with the basics. ChatGPT is a tool powered by artificial intelligence. It can help you:

• Write faster and more clearly

• Plan conversations and organize thoughts

• Summarize complex information

• Save time without sacrificing thoughtfulness (and your needed human voice)

It’s not "magic" - but with the right prompts, it can feel like it. It's a time-saver that can change how you work and live.

How to Use ChatGPT Well (Without Oversharing)

You don’t need to share names, company info or anything personal to get a useful result (and don't do that - especially when you use it for work; always double-check your organizational policies as well). You can just give enough context to help it understand the situation and what you need.

• Be clear about the goal: “Help me write feedback for someone who worked hard but missed a deadline.”

• Keep it general: Instead of specific names, use placeholders like [team member] or [project], or use different names.

• Ask for adjustments: Shorter version, more positive tone, bullet points - you can respond to ChatGPT's answer and it can revise its response.

Prompts for Managers

In the video:

“Help me give feedback to a team member who worked hard but didn’t hit the goal.”
This helps you acknowledge effort while still addressing their performance - a needed balance as a leader.

“Give me meeting topic ideas for an account management team that needs to be more proactive for customer needs.”
You can use this to make meetings feel purposeful again, especially when team energy is low or roles feel unclear.

“Help me think of how to describe in a performance review how an employee did a great job on a presentation to leadership and had strong follow-up.”
This can help you phrase thoughts in your head - just make sure you go through and adjust anything to your voice and add specific details into the actual review.

Additional prompts:

“Draft an agenda for a 30-minute team meeting focused on reducing confusion on roles.”
A clear agenda keeps meetings efficient and helps teams walk away knowing who’s doing what.

“Write a message to recognize a team member who handled a difficult customer situation with professionalism.”
Recognition is needed, and this can help you boost morale and show others what “good” looks like.

“Help me reassign a project after a team member went on leave - while making sure those team members don't get overloaded.”
This helps you communicate change while showing empathy.

“How can I reach out to a team member who’s seemed off lately - without prying?”
Sometimes you want to offer support but don’t know how to start the conversation. This prompt can help you think of things to say.

“Help me prepare a message to the team about shifting priorities due to a company-wide change.”
Ideally you get talking points from your organization. But when you don't, it can help to have a framework you can use to share what you can, rather than keeping quiet (which happens too often!). 

Why these help:
As a manager, the biggest gap I see isn't saying the wrong thing - it's saying nothing. These prompts can help you lead and communicate, and you can (and should) always edit to your voice. By using these, you can spend less time staring at a blank screen and more time leading your team with confidence.

Prompts for Employees

In the video:

“How can I think about what I like about my account manager role, what other roles are possible, and what those are like?"
This can help you really think about what you're looking for, not just follow the path because you think you're "supposed to."

“Help me start a career development conversation with my manager when I don't want them to think I'm coming for their job.”
It can be hard to ask for growth if you're not sure how it will be received - this can help you approach it effectively - and collaboratively.

“Help me address conflict with a more senior coworker who speaks over me in meetings.”
This prompt can help you think of ways to address a sensitive situation.

Additional prompts:

“Write a message to thank a manager for their support during a tough project while asking for more responsibility, but without setting myself up to get stretched too thin.”
This combines appreciation with advocacy, which can help you move your career forward.

“I have a skip-level meeting with a senior leader in my department. What can I do to prepare for it, and what could I say and ask?”
Skip-levels can be intimidating, but this can help you make the most of the time.

“Draft an email to ask for feedback from a cross-functional colleague after working together on my first project.”
Asking for feedback shows initiative, but it’s not always easy to phrase. 

“Write a short note to reconnect with a mentor I haven’t talked to in a while, without pressuring them to set up time if they're busy.”
Great relationships don’t have to fade. This gives you a low-pressure way to re-engage.

“Help me think about my goals and turn them into a development plan I can share with my manager when we don't have budget for external coaching or conferences.”
This moves you from vague ambitions to a clear, actionable plan - even when budgets are tight.

Why these help:
Navigating your career takes more than good intentions. These prompts give you language, clarity, and confidence—whether you’re building relationships, asking for growth, or handling tough situations at work.

Prompts for Everyday Life

In the video:

“Summarize this long group text about our weekend trip into plans for our next trip to be smoother.”
Because you shouldn't have to scroll through 497 messages to get the next trip scheduled - and be even better.

“Write a 5-minute story for a 5-year-old boy named Scooter who likes fishing, reading graphic novels by Raina Telgemeier, and eating eggs over hard.”
This prompt can help make a fun parenting moment even when you're too exhausted to think. 

“Summarize my provider's recommendations on home exercises after a physical therapy appointment.”
Useful when you leave the office and immediately forget what they said. Helps keep your care plan on track.

“Give me a short pep talk for when I’m feeling overwhelmed before a big presentation.”
Sometimes, you need a steady voice in a pinch to remind you what you’re capable of.

Additional prompts:
 

“Help me write a short note to a friend I haven’t seen in a while, when I feel guilty about not reaching out sooner.”
Reaching out doesn’t need to be perfect - it just needs to happen. This helps you stay connected without overthinking it, and you can tweak to make it personal and meaningful.

“Create a grocery list based on a week's worth of simple dinners that take under 20 minutes to cook.”
When you don’t want to meal plan from scratch, ChatGPT can help lessen the mental load.

“Turn a messy stream of notes into a short summary I can send to my family group chat.”
This is great for recapping a plan or update without writing it all from scratch.

“Can you help me make a playlist for an upcoming run when I need motivation?”
This can help you find new music to get you going. 

“Can you tell me something I should appreciate more about myself?”
Especially when you've been using ChatGPT for a while, this can make your day with what AI sees in you (that you might not even realize yourself). 

Why these help:
Even outside of work, life can be one thing to do after another. That's draining! But this can help get you some of that energy back. Whether it’s prepping for a doctor visit, reconnecting with people, or just staying on top of everyday plans, ChatGPT can help lighten the load and bring a little ease (and unexpected kind words) to your day.

For More on AI

You don’t have to be an AI expert to start - and keep - using ChatGPT. If you like these tips, you can check out my full course "Become an AI-Powered People Manager" on LinkedIn Learning. If you don't have access to LinkedIn Learning through your organization or a LinkedIn Premium membership, you can get free (with some limitations) here with your library card.