Module 1 of 10
Think Like a Strategist
Learn to work with AI. Then learn to think. Both are non-negotiable.
1.0The AI Mental Modelupdated Sep 18, 2026
I want to understand how to work with you more effectively. My situation: [WHO I AM - role, industry, company stage] What I typically use AI for: [YOUR MAIN USE CASES] Based on this, tell me: 1.Where am I most likely leaving quality on the table? 2.What context should I always give you that I probably forget? 3.What is one thing I can do differently from today that would improve every output I get from you? Be direct. Assume I am smart but new to working with AI well. How to improve AI output? Define Role Specifies the AI's perspective, leading to more tailored responses. Provide Context Informs the AI about the situation, ensuring relevance. Set Expectations Guides the AI towards the desired output format and content. PRO TIP The most common mistake is treating a bad output as a model failure. It is almost never the model. It is almost always a missing Role, thin Context, or no stated Expectation. Diagnose before you retry.
1.1C.A.R.E Promptingupdated Sep 18, 2026
Role: Act as a [EXPERT ROLE e.g. B2B sales coach]. Context: I am [YOUR SITUATION company, stage, industry]. Action: [WHAT YOU WANT e.g. Give me 5 positioning ideas to differentiate in the [MARKET / REGION]]. Expectation: Format as a numbered list. Each point 2–3 lines. Use plain business language. No jargon. CRAFTING EFFECTIVE AI PROMPTS 4 State Expectation Clearly outline the desired format, length, and tone of the output. 3 Start with Role Begin the prompt by defining the AI's persona. 2 Fill C.A.R.E Layers Provide context, action, role, and expectation for the prompt. Identify Need 1 Determine the specific task you want the AI to perform. PRO TIP If your output feels off, the problem is almost always a vague Role or missing Expectation. Fix those two before rewriting the whole prompt.
1.2The Context Stackupdated Sep 18, 2026
Situation : [What is happening - current challenge or goal] Background : [Industry, team size, stage, audience, product, region - whatever is relevant] Constraints : [Time, budget, tone, audience level, things to avoid] Output format : [List / paragraph / table / email draft] Now : [YOUR ACTUAL QUESTION OR REQUEST] AI Output Feels Shallow: Missing Context Recurring Tasks No built-in template Reusing Context functionality Stack Requires manual pasting Non-Obvious each time Constraints AI misses important limitations Imprecise Context Stack Leads to imprecise AI output No AI Memory Every prompt starts from zero PRO TIP Save your most-used context stacks as text snippets. Paste them at the start of any AI session. This single habit cuts prompt iteration time by half.
1.3Role Prompting - The Expert Chairupdated Sep 18, 2026
Act as a [SPECIFIC EXPERT e.g. senior B2B SaaS sales strategist with 15 years selling to enterprise CTOs]. You care most about: [THEIR PRIORITY - e.g. shortening sales cycles and increasing deal value, not just volume]. From your expert perspective: [YOUR QUESTION OR SCENARIO - be specific] Give your honest assessment. Flag risks I may not have considered. Define AI Roles High Importance Broad Roles Expert Roles General professional Highly specialized perspectives professional viewpoints Low Specificity High Specificity Generic AI Niche Roles Standard, unassigned AI Highly specific but less output critical perspectives Low Importance PRO TIP The most underused version: assign a role that would disagree with your plan. 'Act as a sceptical investor' or 'Act as the customer who would not buy this' reveals blind spots no internal meeting will find.
1.4The Refinement Loopupdated Sep 18, 2026
Step 1 — Draft: [Paste your original prompt and generate first output] Step 2 — Critique: Review the response you just gave. What are the 3 weakest parts? Where is it too vague or generic? Step 3 — Improve: Rewrite the original response with those 3 weaknesses fixed. Keep what was strong. Improve what was weak. Step 4 — Lock: Anything that would make this significantly better? If yes, apply it. If no, confirm this is the final version. Achieving AI Output Excellence Critique Ask AI to evaluate its work Draft Improve Generate initial AI Ask AI to fix output weaknesses PRO TIP Use Step 2 as a standalone habit. After any important output- email, proposal, plan and ask AI 'What is the weakest part of this?' before you send it. Takes 10 seconds.
1.5Six Thinking Hatsupdated Sep 18, 2026
Act as a strategic facilitator using De Bono's Six Thinking Hats. Topic : [YOUR DECISION OR IDEA - be specific] White Hat : Facts and data we have or need? Red Hat : Gut feelings and emotional reactions? Black Hat : Risks, flaws, what could go wrong? Yellow Hat : Benefits and best-case outcomes? Green Hat : Creative alternatives and new directions? Blue Hat : Recommended next step or process? Give 3 specific points per hat. Be concrete, not generic. Six Thinking Hats Process White Hat 1 Focus on facts and data Red Hat 2 Consider emotions and gut reactions Black Hat 3 Identify risks and problems Yellow Hat 4 Explore benefits and upside Green Hat 5 Generate creative alternatives Blue Hat 6 Define process and next steps PRO TIP Run this twice once for your plan, once asking AI to argue the opposite position. The gap between the two outputs is where the most useful insight is hiding.
1.6First Principles Thinkingupdated Sep 18, 2026
Act as a first principles thinking coach. Current approach or problem: [DESCRIBE YOUR SITUATION SPECIFICALLY] Step 1 : List every assumption in this approach. Step 2 : For each - is this actually true, or just inherited convention? Step 3 : Which are fixed constraints vs. just habits? Step 4 : Reconstruct a fresh approach using only what is genuinely true and necessary. Flag the 3 most dangerous assumptions first. FIRST PRINCIPLES THINKING: UNVEILING HIDDEN ASSUMPTIONS Stuck Solution Obvious problem with no breakthrough Inherited Approach Unquestioned way of doing things Embedded Assumptions Unverified beliefs underlying Fundamental Truths the approach Basic, undeniable facts about the problem PRO TIP The most valuable output isn't the new idea, it's the list of assumptions you'd never questioned. That list alone is worth running this prompt every quarter.
1.7Second Order Thinkingupdated Sep 18, 2026
Act as a strategic advisor specialising in consequence mapping. Proposed action : [YOUR DECISION OR ACTION] Context : [INDUSTRY, STAGE, STAKEHOLDERS AFFECTED] 1st Order : Immediate, direct effects? 2nd Order : What does each 1st-order effect then cause? 3rd Order : What does each 2nd-order effect lead to? Flag any 2nd or 3rd order effects that could undermine the original goal even if 1st order looks positive. Third-Order Thinking Examines long-term implications Second-Order Thinking Negative Consequences Considers subsequent Identifies potential consequences downsides First-Order Thinking Decision Adjustment Focuses on immediate Modifies plans based on outcomes analysis The Power of Second-Order Thinking PRO TIP Don't just apply this to risky decisions. Good decisions often have harmful second-order effects that nobody maps because everyone is celebrating the first-order win.
1.8Inversion Thinkingupdated Sep 18, 2026
Act as a strategic risk advisor using inversion thinking. Goal : [WHAT I AM TRYING TO ACHIEVE be specific] Context : [SITUATION, INDUSTRY, STAGE, TEAM] Step 1 : List everything that would guarantee I fail. Think broadly - execution, market, team, timing, assumptions, behaviour. Step 2 : Rank these failure causes by probability. Step 3 : For the top 5, give one specific prevention action I can take before moving forward. STRESS-TEST PLANS WITH INVERSION THINKING Review and Mitigate List Failure Causes Cross off already Ask AI for failure addressed risks guarantees Build Prevention Inversion Thinking Define Goal Actions Be specific about Create actions to achievement avoid failure Unrevealed Plan Problems Stress-Tested Plan Forward thinking misses risks Risks are identified and avoided PRO TIP Share the failure list with your team before launch. Ask each person to add one item you missed. The combined list will contain at least one thing that would have actually stopped you and now it won't.
1.9Mental Models Libraryupdated Sep 18, 2026
Act as a mental models coach. My situation : [DESCRIBE THE CHALLENGE OR DECISION] Apply these models and give one specific insight each: Pareto 80/20 : Where is the highest leverage? Parkinson's Law : Where is time being wasted? Dunning-Kruger : Where might I be overconfident? First Principles. : What assumption am I not questioning? Inversion : What would guarantee this fails? Give one concrete action per model. Be direct. MENTAL MODELS RANGE FROM SIMPLE TO COMPLEX UNDERSTANDING. Dunning-Kruger Parkinson's Law Maps confidence vs competence Explains work expansion over time Iceberg Model Pareto's 80/20 Shows surface vs hidden drivers Identifies high-impact areas Simple Complex PRO TIP After every quarter, add one new mental model you discovered and note a situation where it would have helped. In three years you'll have a thinking toolkit no one can buy.
1.10OODA Loopupdated Sep 18, 2026
Act as a strategic decision advisor using John Boyd's OODA Loop. Situation : [DESCRIBE WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW] Available information : [LIST WHAT YOU KNOW , even partial data] Constraints : [TIME AVAILABLE, RESOURCES, KEY RISKS] Observe : What are the most critical signals in this data? Orient : What patterns, threats, or opportunities do these reveal? Decide : Give me 3 decision options ranked by speed and impact. Act : For the top option, what is the immediate first move? Prioritise speed. Flag what I should monitor after acting. OODA LOOP — SPEED UNDER UNCERTAINTY Observe Act Gather information about Implement the decision the environment Decide Orient Choose the best course of Analyze and understand action the situation PRO TIP The Orient phase is where most leaders get stuck, they have the data but can't see the pattern fast enough. That's exactly what AI compresses. Use it there, not as a replacement for your judgment on the Decide and Act stages.
1.11SCAMPERupdated Sep 18, 2026
Act as a creative innovation facilitator using SCAMPER. I want to innovate on : [YOUR PRODUCT, SERVICE, OR PROCESS] Context : [INDUSTRY, TARGET CUSTOMER, CURRENT LIMITATIONS] Substitute : What component or step could be replaced? Combine : What could be merged for more value? Adapt : What works elsewhere that I could borrow? Modify : What could be changed, enlarged, or reduced? Put to other uses : What other jobs could this do? Eliminate : What could be removed entirely? Reverse : What if the order or direction was flipped? Give one specific, actionable idea per lens. SCAMPER: Structured Creativity for Innovation Stagnant Ideas Innovative Solutions Apply SCAMPER Variations of the same New directions for the Lenses thing idea Clearly state the Use seven creative Merge ideas from Develop the most innovation target lenses different lenses promising ideas PRO TIP Run SCAMPER on your competitors' products, not just your own. Ask 'what would happen if a competitor applied SCAMPER to our product?' The answers will tell you your vulnerabilities before they do.
1.12MECE Frameworkupdated Sep 18, 2026
Act as a McKinsey-trained strategy consultant. Problem or question to structure: [YOUR PROBLEM, DECISION, OR ANALYSIS TOPIC] Step 1 : Break this into MECE categories. Each category must be distinct, no overlap. Together they must cover everything, no gaps. Step 2 : Check your structure. Flag any overlaps or missing areas. Step 3 : For each category, list the 2–3 key questions I need to answer to address it completely. Format as a structured outline I can use directly. MECE Analysis Framework Complete Analysis Outcome of MECE analysis Problem Issue to be analyzed Collectively Exhaustive Covers all possibilities Mutually Exclusive No overlap between categories MECE Core concept of comprehensive analysis PRO TIP MECE is not just for analysis use it to structure any important communication. Before a board presentation or investor meeting, ask AI to check if your argument is MECE. Incomplete structure is the most common reason smart people fail to persuade.