Master AI at Work · Free Framework Guide
R· C· T· F· C
The 5-part formula behind every great AI prompt.

Most people get bad AI output because they give AI a bad brief. This framework fixes that — permanently. Master these five ingredients and you'll get dramatically better results from any AI tool, every single time.

Role Context Task Format Constraints
The Framework

Five ingredients.
Infinite results.

Think of AI like a brilliant new hire on day one. Fast, capable, eager — but knows nothing about your business until you brief them. Your prompt is the brief. The better the brief, the better the output.

R
Role
Tell AI who to be

The Role is the persona you assign before anything else. It's the single highest-leverage ingredient — changing the Role alone can completely transform the quality, tone, expertise level, and framing of the output.

"You are a senior B2B sales consultant with 15 years of experience" produces dramatically different output than a blank prompt. AI calibrates vocabulary, depth, and assumptions entirely based on the Role you assign.
Role examples — weak vs. strong
Weak
Write me an email.
Strong
You are a senior account manager who closes deals through empathy and insight, not pressure.
Weak
Help me with HR.
Strong
You are an HR business partner with 10 years of experience in performance management at fast-growing SMBs.
C
Context
Tell AI what it needs to know

Context is the briefing. AI knows nothing about your business, your customer, what happened yesterday, or what's at stake — until you tell it. The more specific your context, the more specific the output.

Context answers: Who is involved? What is the situation? What has already happened? What's at stake? Without it, AI fills the gaps with generic assumptions — which is exactly why so much AI output feels generic.
Context examples — weak vs. strong
Weak
A client is upset.
Strong
A 3-year client ($24K/year) is threatening to cancel after a missed delivery. They've emailed twice with no response. This is our highest-value relationship.
Weak
Write a proposal.
Strong
Client: 40-person accounting firm. Pain: manual reporting taking 8hrs/week. Budget concern: ROI timeline. Competing against a $6K alternative.
T
Task
Tell AI exactly what to do

The Task is the specific action you want AI to perform. Most people make their Task too vague. They ask for a "summary" when they mean a "3-bullet executive brief" or "help with the email" when they need something far more specific.

"Write a follow-up email" is not a task. "Write a 4-sentence follow-up that reopens a stalled conversation and ends with a specific yes/no question" is a task. Specificity is everything.
Task examples — weak vs. strong
Weak
Write a job description.
Strong
Write a job description that leads with culture fit, not credentials. Use a punchy intro, 5 "what you'll own" bullets, and 4 "what we're looking for" bullets.
Weak
Summarise this data.
Strong
Turn this financial data into a 3-paragraph executive narrative: what happened, why it happened, and what we're doing about it. For a non-finance audience.
F
Format
Tell AI how the output should look

Format controls the structure, length, tone, and style of what AI produces. Without it, AI defaults to its own preferences — often too long, too formal, or structured in a way that doesn't match your actual use case.

Format answers: How long? What structure? What tone? Bullets or prose? Specify it once and you'll never manually reformat AI output again. If you're editing the structure after getting output, you forgot the Format block.
Format examples — weak vs. strong
Weak
(No format — AI decides)
Strong
Under 100 words. Subject line included. Warm and direct tone. End with a yes/no question. No bullet points.
Weak
Make it professional.
Strong
3 sections: Problem, Solution, ROI. Each: 1 heading + 2–3 sentences. Executive audience. No jargon. Under 300 words.
C
Constraints
Tell AI what to avoid

Constraints are the guardrails. They protect your brand voice, prevent AI from using language you hate, and stop it from making assumptions that undermine the output. Most beginners skip this step. Experts never do.

"Never say 'just checking in'" · "Don't mention price" · "Avoid corporate jargon" · "Don't start with I" — these small guardrails make the difference between output that sounds like AI and output that sounds like you.
Constraint examples — weak vs. strong
Weak
(No constraints — AI does whatever)
Strong
Never start with "I". Don't say "I hope this finds you well." No "synergy" or "value-add." Avoid sounding salesy.
Weak
Keep it short and professional.
Strong
Maximum 4 sentences. No bullet points. Don't mention pricing. Must feel human, not templated. No "exciting opportunity."
Prompts by Role

Real prompts for real work.

Every prompt below is fully built using R·C·T·F·C. Click the copy button, fill in any brackets with your real details, and run it in ChatGPT or Claude.

Sales Follow-Up Email⏱ Saves ~20 min per follow-up
R · RoleYou are a senior B2B sales consultant who closes deals through warmth and insight, not pressure.
C · ContextI sent a $6,500 proposal to a 25-person accounting firm 5 days ago. No reply. They mentioned budget concerns on our last call.
T · TaskWrite a follow-up email that reopens the conversation without being pushy.
F · Format4 sentences maximum. Include a subject line. End with one specific easy question.
C · ConstraintsNever say "just checking in" or "I hope this email finds you well." Don't mention the price.
Full prompt — click to copy
You are a senior B2B sales consultant who closes deals through warmth and insight, not pressure. I sent a $6,500 proposal to a 25-person accounting firm 5 days ago. No reply yet. They mentioned budget concerns on our last call. Write a follow-up email that reopens the conversation without being pushy. 4 sentences maximum. Include a subject line. End with one specific easy question. Never say "just checking in" or "I hope this email finds you well." Don't mention the price in this email.
⏱ Saves ~20 min per follow-up · Works for any stalled deal
Proposal Drafting⏱ Saves 2–3 hrs per proposal
R · RoleYou are a senior B2B consultant with 15 years of experience winning proposals for professional services firms.
C · ContextClient: [company name, size, industry]. Their pain: [specific problem]. Our solution: [what you offer]. Their main concern: [price/ROI/timeline].
T · TaskWrite a 1-page executive summary proposal that leads with their pain, not our capabilities.
F · Format1 punchy intro paragraph + 3 specific ROI bullets + 1 risk mitigation sentence + confident closing CTA. Under 400 words.
C · ConstraintsNo jargon. Don't lead with our company name or history. Don't mention price unless specifically asked.
Full prompt — click to copy
You are a senior B2B consultant with 15 years of experience winning proposals for professional services firms. Client: [company name, size, industry]. Their pain: [specific problem they mentioned]. Our solution: [what you offer]. Their main concern: [price/ROI/timeline]. Write a 1-page executive summary proposal that leads with their pain, not our capabilities. Use: 1 punchy intro paragraph, 3 specific ROI bullets, 1 risk mitigation sentence, confident closing CTA. Under 400 words. No jargon. Don't lead with our company name or history. Don't mention price unless specifically asked.
⏱ Saves 2–3 hrs per proposal · Replace all brackets with real details
Discovery Questions⏱ Saves 30 min of call prep
R · RoleYou are a consultative sales expert who uncovers pain through questions, not pitching.
C · ContextI'm meeting with the [prospect title] of a [company type]. Main goal: uncover pain around [topic].
T · TaskGenerate 10 discovery questions across 3 categories: operational (current state), impact (cost of the problem), and visionary (ideal future state).
F · FormatLabelled by category. For each question, note in one sentence what a strong answer reveals.
C · ConstraintsNo yes/no questions. Avoid anything that sounds like a pitch disguised as a question.
Full prompt — click to copy
You are a consultative sales expert who uncovers pain through questions, not pitching. I'm meeting with the [prospect title] of a [company type]. Main goal: uncover pain around [topic/area]. Generate 10 discovery questions across 3 categories: operational (current state), impact (cost/consequence of the problem), and visionary (what ideal looks like). For each question, note in one sentence what a strong answer reveals. No yes/no questions. Avoid anything that sounds like a pitch disguised as a question.
⏱ Saves 30 min of call prep · Replace brackets with real details
SOP Writing⏱ Saves 1–2 hrs per process
R · RoleYou are an operations director who writes clear, usable standard operating procedures.
C · ContextProcess: [name]. Who does it: [role]. How often: [frequency]. Tools involved: [list].
T · TaskWrite a complete SOP with a purpose statement, numbered steps, responsible party for each step, and a "watch out for" notes section.
F · FormatMax 8 steps. Each step: action verb + who + what + tools. Add a Definition of Done at the end.
C · ConstraintsPlain language only. No internal acronyms without explanation. No steps longer than 2 sentences.
Full prompt — click to copy
You are an operations director who writes clear, usable standard operating procedures. Process: [name]. Who does it: [role]. How often: [frequency]. Tools involved: [list]. Write a complete SOP with: 1-sentence purpose statement, numbered steps (max 8), responsible party for each step, "watch out for" notes where relevant, and a Definition of Done. Each step: action verb + who + what + any tools. Plain language only. No internal acronyms without explanation. No steps longer than 2 sentences.
⏱ Saves 1–2 hrs per process documented
Meeting Summary⏱ Saves 20–30 min per meeting
R · RoleYou are a chief of staff who writes structured, send-ready meeting summaries.
C · Context[Paste your raw meeting notes here]
T · TaskWrite a structured summary with key decisions, action items with owners and due dates, and one open question still unresolved.
F · Format3-bullet decisions · action items table (item | owner | due date) · 1 open question · under 250 words.
C · ConstraintsSend-ready quality. No filler. No "as discussed." Every action item must have a named owner.
Full prompt — click to copy
You are a chief of staff who writes structured, send-ready meeting summaries. Here are my raw meeting notes: [paste your notes here] Write a structured summary with: 3-bullet key decisions made (with decision owner), action items table (item | owner | due date), 1 open question still unresolved. Under 250 words. Send-ready quality. No filler. No "as discussed." Every action item must have a named owner and specific due date.
⏱ Saves 20–30 min per meeting · Paste your raw notes into the Context block
Vendor Email⏱ Saves 30 min of awkward drafting
R · RoleYou are a procurement manager who handles vendor relationships with firmness and professionalism.
C · ContextSituation: [what happened — late delivery, quality issue, price increase]. Impact on our business: [specific consequences].
T · TaskWrite an email that states what happened factually, explains our impact, makes a specific request with a deadline, and states the consequence if unresolved.
F · FormatUnder 150 words. Professional and direct. Four clear parts: what happened, impact, request, consequence.
C · ConstraintsFirm but not aggressive. No passive language. No "I hope this email finds you well." State the consequence once, clearly.
Full prompt — click to copy
You are a procurement manager who handles vendor relationships with firmness and professionalism. Situation: [what happened — late delivery, quality issue, price increase]. Impact on our business: [specific consequences]. Write an email that: states what happened factually, explains our business impact clearly, makes a specific request with a hard deadline, and states the consequence if unresolved. Under 150 words. Firm but not aggressive. No passive language. No "I hope this email finds you well." State the consequence once, clearly, without threatening.
⏱ Saves 30 min of difficult drafting · Replace brackets with your situation
LinkedIn Post⏱ Saves 1 hr of ideation
R · RoleYou are a B2B social media strategist who writes LinkedIn posts that get real engagement without being cringe.
C · ContextTopic: [topic]. Audience: [who follows this account and what they care about].
T · TaskWrite 3 post variations using different hooks: (1) counterintuitive statement, (2) specific data point, (3) short story lead.
F · FormatEach under 150 words. No hashtags. End each with one engagement question.
C · ConstraintsNo "I'm excited to share." No "Thrilled to announce." Don't start with "I". No bullet points.
Full prompt — click to copy
You are a B2B social media strategist who writes LinkedIn posts that get real engagement without being cringe. Topic: [topic]. Audience: [who follows this account and what they care about]. Write 3 post variations using different hooks: (1) counterintuitive statement, (2) specific data point, (3) short story lead. Each under 150 words. No hashtags. End each with one engagement question. No "I'm excited to share." No "Thrilled to announce." Don't start with "I". No bullet points.
⏱ Saves 1 hr of ideation · 3 variations from one prompt
Email Campaign Sequence⏱ Saves 3–4 hrs of planning
R · RoleYou are an email marketing specialist who writes sequences that convert without feeling pushy.
C · ContextCampaign goal: [goal]. Audience: [describe]. Offer: [what we're promoting].
T · TaskWrite a 3-email nurture sequence: Email 1 (welcome + value, no pitch), Email 2 (education + social proof), Email 3 (soft CTA).
F · FormatFor each: subject line (under 8 words), preview text (under 12 words), body (under 120 words), CTA button text.
C · ConstraintsConversational not salesy. Email 1 is value-only — zero selling. No "limited time offer" language.
Full prompt — click to copy
You are an email marketing specialist who writes sequences that convert without feeling pushy. Campaign goal: [goal]. Audience: [describe]. Offer: [what we're promoting]. Write a 3-email nurture sequence: Email 1 (welcome + value, no pitch), Email 2 (education + social proof), Email 3 (soft CTA). For each: subject line (under 8 words), preview text (under 12 words), body (under 120 words), CTA button text. Conversational not salesy. Email 1 is value-only — zero selling. No "limited time offer" language.
⏱ Saves 3–4 hrs of sequence planning
Job Description⏱ Saves 1–2 hrs per open role
R · RoleYou are an HR director who writes job descriptions that attract great people, not just qualified ones.
C · ContextRole: [title]. Company culture in 2 sentences: [describe]. Day-to-day reality: [what they'll actually do]. Must-haves: [3 real requirements].
T · TaskWrite a job description that emphasises culture fit and day-to-day reality over credentials.
F · Format1 culture-forward intro. "What you'll own" (5 bullets). "What we're looking for" (4 bullets — behaviours not credentials). Short human CTA. Under 350 words.
C · ConstraintsNo "rockstar" or "ninja." No "competitive salary." No degree requirement. Don't start with "We are looking for."
Full prompt — click to copy
You are an HR director who writes job descriptions that attract great people, not just qualified ones. Role: [title]. Company culture in 2 sentences: [describe]. Day-to-day reality: [what they'll actually do]. Must-haves: [3 real requirements — no degree unless truly required]. Write a job description that emphasises culture fit and day-to-day reality over credentials. Use: 1 culture-forward intro, "What you'll own" (5 bullets), "What we're looking for" (4 bullets — behaviours not credentials), short human CTA. Under 350 words. No "rockstar" or "ninja." No "competitive salary." No degree requirement. Don't start with "We are looking for."
⏱ Saves 1–2 hrs per open role
Performance Review Language⏱ Saves 30–60 min per review
R · RoleYou are an HR business partner who writes specific, growth-oriented performance reviews.
C · ContextEmployee role: [role]. My raw feedback notes: [paste your bullet points].
T · TaskRewrite my notes as professional review language. For each point: observed behaviour, business impact, developmental suggestion.
F · FormatOne paragraph per feedback point. Behaviour → Impact → Development. Professional but readable.
C · ConstraintsNo vague praise like "great attitude." No personality statements. Keep the honest assessment intact — don't soften it.
Full prompt — click to copy
You are an HR business partner who writes specific, growth-oriented performance reviews. Employee role: [role]. My raw feedback notes: [paste your bullet points here] Rewrite these notes as professional performance review language. For each point: describe the observed behaviour, state the business impact (positive or negative), give a specific developmental suggestion. One paragraph per point. No vague praise like "great attitude." No personality statements. Keep the honest assessment intact — don't soften it into meaninglessness.
⏱ Saves 30–60 min per review · Paste your raw notes into the Context block
Executive Financial Summary⏱ Saves 1 hr of board prep
R · RoleYou are a CFO-level financial communicator who translates numbers into clear narratives for non-finance audiences.
C · ContextRaw data: [paste your key financial figures]. Audience: [non-finance executives / board / investors].
T · TaskWrite a 3-paragraph executive summary: (1) What happened in plain language, (2) Why it happened — 2–3 root causes, (3) What we're doing about it — concrete actions and timeline.
F · FormatUnder 180 words. Flag the ONE number that demands their attention. No acronyms. No passive voice.
C · ConstraintsNo jargon. No "in line with expectations." No hedging language. Make the critical number impossible to miss.
Full prompt — click to copy
You are a CFO-level financial communicator who translates numbers into clear narratives for non-finance audiences. Raw data: [paste your key figures here]. Audience: [non-finance executives / board / investors]. Write a 3-paragraph executive summary: (1) What happened — key result in plain language, (2) Why it happened — 2–3 specific root causes, (3) What we're doing about it — concrete actions and timeline. Under 180 words. Flag the ONE number that demands their attention. No jargon. No "in line with expectations." No hedging language. No acronyms. No passive voice. Make the critical number impossible to miss without being alarmist.
⏱ Saves 1 hr of board prep writing
All-Hands Communication⏱ Saves 1–2 hrs of careful drafting
R · RoleYou are an experienced CEO communicator who writes with leadership voice, not PR voice.
C · ContextSituation: [describe — growth news, hard news, change announcement, or vision update]. Tone needed: [transparent / energising / honest-about-challenges].
T · TaskWrite an all-hands email that opens with a headline people want to know, tells the story without spin, acknowledges what's hard, and ends with a clear next step.
F · Format200–300 words. Leadership voice throughout. End with 2–3 bullet next steps.
C · ConstraintsNo "exciting opportunity." No "transformation." No spin. No "I'm thrilled to announce." Never start with "I hope this finds you well."
Full prompt — click to copy
You are an experienced CEO communicator who writes with leadership voice, not PR voice. Situation: [describe — growth news, hard news, change announcement, or vision update]. Tone needed: [transparent / energising / honest-about-challenges]. Write an all-hands email that: opens with a headline people actually want to know, tells the full story without spin, acknowledges what's hard, ends with a clear rallying point. 200–300 words. End with 2–3 bullet next steps. No "exciting opportunity." No "transformation." No spin. No "I'm thrilled to announce." Never start with "I hope this finds you well."
⏱ Saves 1–2 hrs of careful drafting
Decision Memo⏱ Saves 2 hrs of strategic writing
R · RoleYou are a chief of staff writing a strategic decision memo for a CEO audience.
C · ContextDecision: [describe]. Context: [what's driving this, what's at stake, what constraints exist].
T · TaskWrite a 1-page strategic memo with: situation summary, 3 genuine options with trade-offs, a recommendation with clear rationale, and metrics for success.
F · FormatConcise. 4 labelled sections. The reader should be able to decide after reading this once.
C · ConstraintsNo waffling. No "it depends." Present 3 genuine options — not the real option dressed up as 3. Be direct about the recommendation.
Full prompt — click to copy
You are a chief of staff writing a strategic decision memo for a CEO audience. Decision: [describe]. Context: [what's driving this, what's at stake, what constraints exist]. Write a 1-page strategic memo with: 1-paragraph situation summary, 3 genuine options with trade-offs (not the real option dressed up as 3), a recommendation with clear rationale, implementation dependencies, and metrics for success. 4 labelled sections. No waffling. No "it depends." Present 3 genuine options. Be direct about the recommendation. The reader should be able to decide after reading this once.
⏱ Saves 2 hrs of strategic writing
Framework in Action

Same task. Different brief.
Completely different result.

Three real tasks — built without the framework first, then rebuilt with R·C·T·F·C. The improved version has a copy button so you can use it immediately.

SalesFollow-up email after a stalled proposal
❌ Without R·C·T·F·C
Prompt:"Write a follow-up email to a client who hasn't responded."

Output:Dear [Client Name], I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to follow up on my previous email. Please let me know if you have any questions. Looking forward to hearing from you. Best regards.
✓ With R·C·T·F·C
Prompt:"Senior sales consultant. $6,500 proposal, 5 days, no reply, budget concern. 4-sentence follow-up + subject line. No 'checking in.'"

Output:Subject: One question before you decide —
Wanted to connect before Q2 closes — firms like yours typically feel the reporting squeeze most this time of year. Would it help to walk through which part of the engagement delivers the fastest ROI? Happy to restructure around your timeline. Would a 15-minute call Thursday work?
What changed: Role gave AI the right expertise level. Context gave it the situation and stakes. Constraints stopped it using the two phrases that kill every follow-up email. The output is something you'd actually send.
OperationsWeekly status update for a client
❌ Without R·C·T·F·C
Prompt:"Write a weekly status update for a client."

Output:Hi [Client], I hope you're having a great week. I wanted to provide a quick update on the project. This week we completed the discovery phase and are on track to begin design next week. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have questions.
✓ With R·C·T·F·C
Prompt:"Senior PM. Detail-oriented client, anxious without updates. Week: 3 stakeholder interviews, competitor audit, brand values workshop done. Design Monday. CEO presenting in 6 weeks. Reassure and show momentum. Under 150 words. No 'please don't hesitate.'"

Output:Week 3 — strong progress. We completed all three stakeholder interviews, the competitor audit, and the brand values workshop — everything needed to enter design with confidence. Design kicks off Monday with a clear brief. You're on track for the internal launch in 6 weeks. One thing I need from you: confirmation on the two logo concepts we discussed by Wednesday.
What changed: Context told AI who the client is and what they need emotionally. Format kept it under 150 words. Constraints removed the filler. The output builds confidence instead of just reporting activity.
HRJob description for a new hire
❌ Without R·C·T·F·C
Prompt:"Write a job description for a project manager."

Output:We are seeking a motivated Project Manager to join our growing team. The ideal candidate will have strong communication skills and a proven track record. Requirements: Bachelor's degree, 3–5 years PM experience, PMP preferred.
✓ With R·C·T·F·C
Prompt:"HR director. 30-person remote marketing agency. Values ownership over credentials. Bad hires from corporate JDs. Senior PM JD: culture-forward intro, 5 'what you'll own' bullets, 4 behaviour-focused bullets. Under 350 words. No 'rockstar', no degree."

Output:We don't need someone who can run a meeting — we need someone who can end a meeting with everyone clear on what happens next. If that sentence resonates, keep reading. This is a senior role for someone who owns outcomes, not just timelines...
What changed: Context told AI who the company is and why past JDs failed. Constraints stripped every cliché. The output makes someone self-select — they either read it and think "that's me" or they move on. Both are exactly right.
Common Mistakes

The 6 things everyone
does wrong first.

Every one is fixable with one extra line in your prompt. Recognising them is half the battle.

01
Accepting the first output
The fix
The first output is a draft, not a final. Say "make it shorter" or "change the tone." Iteration is the game.
02
Being too vague
The fix
Add Role + Context before your Task. Specificity is the single highest-leverage change you can make.
03
Skipping the Format block
The fix
If you spend 30+ seconds reformatting the output, you forgot the Format block. Always specify length, structure, and tone.
04
No Constraints
The fix
Two sharp constraints protect your brand voice. "Never say X" turns generic AI output into something that sounds like you.
05
Restarting instead of iterating
The fix
AI holds the full conversation context. Stay in the chat — "now make it shorter" — don't open a new chat every time.
06
Pasting sensitive data
The fix
Never paste client names, financials, or PII into public AI tools. Use placeholders like [client name] and fill them in after.
Quick Reference

Your desk reference card.

Screenshot this. Print this. Pin it next to your screen. The entire framework in the smallest possible format.

R·C·T·F·C Framework — Master AI at Work
R
Role — Who AI should be
"You are a senior [role] with [X] years of experience in [domain]..." Assign specific expertise before anything else.
C
Context — What AI needs to know
Who is involved, what the situation is, what has happened, what's at stake. Don't make AI guess.
T
Task — Exactly what to do
Specific action with specific parameters. Not "write an email" — "write a 4-sentence follow-up that reopens a stalled conversation."
F
Format — How it should look
Length, structure, tone, voice. Bullets or prose? How many sections? What register? Specify it. Every time.
C
Constraints — What to avoid
Phrases to exclude, topics to skip, tone guardrails. "Never say X." "Avoid Y." "Don't start with Z." Protects your voice.
Master AI at Work · masteraiatwork.com
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to work for your team.

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