10 Claude Prompts That'll Get You Promoted in 6 Months

Each prompt below has a WHEN TO USE IT tag, the full god-tier prompt in a copy-ready box, and a one-line on what you'll get back. The prompts assume Claude Sonnet 4.6 or Opus 4.7. For anything strategic (pre-mortems, steelmanning, decisions), turn on Extended Thinking — you'll feel the difference.

The Power Move

Save these as Claude Projects — one Project per prompt. Name them clearly ("1:1 Prep," "Pre-Mortem," "CFO Critique"). Now they're one click away whenever you need them, and Claude remembers your context as you keep using each one.

Use weeklyBefore any 1:1

What you get: Walk into 1:1s as the most prepared person in the room. Surface your wins, your asks, and the one moment that signals senior-level thinking.

Prompt 1 — 1:1 Prep Autopilot

You are my chief of staff. I have a 1:1 with my manager [tomorrow / on date]. Pull from the last 2 weeks of my work (I'll paste context: meeting notes, projects, slack threads, anything relevant) and organize my prep into: 1. WHAT I SHIPPED 3-5 specific bullets. Each one should have a measurable outcome or impact, not "worked on X." If I can't quantify it, surface why it mattered qualitatively. 2. WHAT'S IN PROGRESS Active work with status (on track / at risk / blocked) and what I need from my manager (if anything). 3. WHAT'S BLOCKED Each item with: what it is, who's blocking it, what I need from my manager to unblock, what it costs us if it stays blocked. 4. WHAT I'M LEARNING 1-2 lines. Skills I'm building, gaps I'm closing, observations about the team or business that matter. 5. WHAT I WANT TO ESCALATE OR DECIDE Specific asks. Not vague concerns. Frame each as: "I'd like to decide [X]. Here are the options. My recommendation is [Y]." 6. WHAT I WANT THEM TO REMEMBER ABOUT ME One specific moment from the last 2 weeks that demonstrates I'm thinking like the next level up. Be specific about what made it senior-tier. 7. QUESTIONS I HAVE FOR THEM 3 sharp questions. Not "how am I doing?" Real questions: about strategy, about priorities, about what they're worried about. 8. CARD UP MY SLEEVE ONE detail you noticed in my work that I should casually mention if there's space — the kind of detail that signals I'm thinking about the business, not just my tasks. RULES - Don't pad. If a section is empty, leave it empty and tell me to add to it. - Don't be sycophantic. Surface what's actually impressive, not what's average. - If I haven't given you enough context, ask for what you need before drafting.

Before any new projectUse Extended Thinking

What you get: The 5 most likely failure modes, the early warning signs, and the metric to watch weekly. Spot risks before your boss does.

Prompt 2 — Future Post-Mortem

You are a deeply skeptical senior strategist who has watched a thousand projects fail. Pre-mortem the project I describe below. Imagine it's 6 months from now. The project has failed. Identify the 5 most likely root causes of failure, ranked by probability. For each root cause: 1. THE ROOT CAUSE One specific sentence. Not "lack of focus" — "the team will lose alignment when the CMO leaves in month 3." 2. EARLY WARNING SIGN What would tell us this is happening at week 2 or 4? Be specific about the signal. 3. WHO NOTICES IT FIRST Which stakeholder, which dashboard, which metric, which person on the team would see it first? 4. THE WEEK-1 MITIGATION What do we put in place THIS WEEK to prevent or catch this failure mode? Concrete action. 5. POINT OF NO RETURN When is it too late to recover from this failure mode? What's the date or milestone after which we're sunk? After all 5, end with: THE METRIC TO WATCH WEEKLY The ONE specific signal we should be tracking week over week that would catch failure earliest. Tell me what "bad" looks like quantitatively — not "engagement is down" but "completion rate drops below 40% for two weeks running." RULES - Be brutal. The point of a pre-mortem is to surface what we don't want to admit. - Don't generic-list "scope creep" or "communication breakdown" — be specific to MY project, MY team, MY context. - If you don't have enough context to be specific, ask me what you need. Here's the project: [describe project, team, timeline, stakes, who's involved]

Before any big proposalUse Extended Thinking

What you get: The strongest possible case AGAINST your proposal — the one your boss will actually make. Walk in ready for every objection.

Prompt 3 — Steelman the Pushback

I'm about to make this proposal/ask to my manager: [describe proposal in 3-5 sentences]. Build the strongest possible case AGAINST my proposal — not the dumbed-down "devil's advocate" version, but the version a sharp critic in my org would actually argue. Use: - The assumptions I'm probably making without realizing - The data my manager likely cares about more than I do - The political or strategic context my proposal might be ignoring - The opportunity cost (what we're NOT doing if we do this) - The implementation risk (where this falls apart in execution) - The track record (have similar things failed before? has this team historically struggled with this kind of move?) Then separately give me: 1. WHERE THE COUNTER-ARGUMENTS HAVE THE LEAST DATA Where I have a real opening to push back. Specific. 2. WHERE THE COUNTER-ARGUMENTS HAVE THE MOST DATA Where I need to concede or restructure my proposal. Specific. 3. THE QUESTION MY PROPOSAL CAN'T ANSWER The one my manager will ask that I should be ready for. Tell me what it'll be and how to handle it. 4. THE 30-SECOND RESPONSE A response I could give to the strongest objection — in plain language, no defensiveness, no over-explaining. RULES - Don't soften it. If my proposal is weak, say so. - Use specific evidence and reasoning, not vague concerns. - If you need more context to steelman properly, ask.

New role / new projectSubmit during interview

What you get: A specific, role-tailored 30/60/90 plan that signals senior-level thinking before day one. Use it in interviews, in onboarding, and in conversations with your new manager.

Prompt 4 — 30/60/90 Day Plan

I'm starting [new role / new position / new project] on [date]. Build me a 30/60/90 day plan I can present to [my new manager / my CEO / my new direct reports — tell me which audience first]. Before drafting, ask me: - What's the role and what's the company context? - Who are the key stakeholders I'll be working with? - What's the implicit "make or break" outcome the company expects in 90 days? - Am I replacing someone, building something new, or stepping into a transformation? - Audience for this plan? Then deliver three phases in this exact structure: PHASE 1 — DAYS 1-30: LISTEN AND OBSERVE - Top 5 conversations to have, with WHO and WHY - Documents, dashboards, and systems to learn (specific to my context) - Relationships to build, broken into: stakeholders, peers, direct reports - Quick wins I can ship in week 3-4 that demonstrate competence without overstepping - ONE thing I should NOT change in the first 30 days, no matter how tempting PHASE 2 — DAYS 31-60: DIAGNOSE AND PLAN - The 3 patterns I should be looking for in my observation - Decisions I'll need to make based on what I observed - Stakeholders I need to align with on direction - The first medium-sized initiative to launch — and how to socialize it before launching it PHASE 3 — DAYS 61-90: EXECUTE AND SHIP - The 1-2 visible wins I should be delivering - The longer-term roadmap I should be socializing internally - The metric or outcome at day 90 that proves I'm landing well End the plan with: WHAT WOULD MAKE THIS PLAN FAIL 2-3 specific things to watch for and avoid in the first 90 days. RULES - Be specific to my role and context. No generic "build relationships" filler. - Each phase should have actions I could literally do tomorrow. - If I haven't given you enough context, ask BEFORE drafting.

Before any exec presentationUse Opus 4.7

What you get: A brutal slide-by-slide breakdown of where the deck loses your CFO — what's filler, what's missing, the question the CFO will ask that you're not ready for.

Prompt 5 — CFO Deck Critique

I'm about to share a deck. You are a CFO with 25 years of experience. You hate fluff, you can't stand decks that don't get to the point, and you can spot a weak business case in 30 seconds. For each slide I share, give me: 1. WHAT THE CFO IS THINKING IN THE FIRST 5 SECONDS In their voice. Brutal. ("Why am I looking at this," "where's the number," "this should be one slide later," etc.) 2. WHAT'S WORKING ON THIS SLIDE Only if there is. Don't pad. 3. WHAT'S MISSING Numbers, assumptions, evidence, links to business outcomes — what would a CFO need to see that isn't here? 4. WHAT TO CUT Filler the CFO is mentally skipping. Be specific. 5. THE QUESTION THE CFO WILL ASK About this specific slide. Tell me whether my deck answers it — and if not, what to add. After all slides: THE 3 QUESTIONS I'M NOT READY FOR What the CFO will ask in the meeting that my deck doesn't address. With suggested answers. THE SLIDE THAT SHOULDN'T BE IN THE DECK And where that content should go instead (appendix, follow-up doc, removed entirely). THE SLIDE THAT'S MISSING What's missing from the deck that a CFO would expect to see. THE REVISED FLOW A 5-7 slide deck flow with what each slide should accomplish. The new structure that gets to the point and earns the meeting. RULES - Be brutal. I'd rather hear it now than from the CFO. - If a slide is genuinely good, say so. But don't grade on a curve. - If I haven't shared the deck yet, tell me to paste the slides or upload the file.

Run monthlyCompounds fast

What you get: The pattern in your writing that's costing you authority — surfaced from your last 5 emails. Plus the rewritten versions and the one habit to fix this week.

Prompt 6 — Brutal Email Audit

Below are my last 5 emails (I'll paste them after this prompt). Audit them like a senior executive's communications coach would. For each email, identify: 1. THE OPENING Am I getting to the point in the first 2 lines? Or am I throat-clearing? 2. THE ASK Is what I want CLEAR and SPECIFIC? Or is it vague? 3. THE TONE Am I being too soft, too apologetic, or too aggressive for the relationship? 4. THE LENGTH Would the recipient actually finish reading this? 5. THE FORMATTING Is anything important buried in a wall of text? 6. THE WEAK PHRASES Specific words/phrases that undercut my authority. Quote them exactly. After auditing all 5 emails: THE PATTERN What patterns show up across all 5? (Over-apologizing, hedging, qualifier-stacking, burying the ask, etc.) Cite specific examples from my emails. FOR EACH EMAIL: THE REWRITE The rewritten version — keep my voice, but tighten the throat-clearing, sharpen the ask, fix the tone. THE ONE WORD-LEVEL HABIT TO FIX THIS WEEK The single specific habit (a word, a phrase, a structural pattern) that costs me the most authority in writing. Use my actual examples to prove it. Tell me what to do instead. RULES - Be brutal. Vague feedback is useless. - Quote my words back to me when calling out weak phrases. - Don't critique tone for tone's sake — some emails should be soft, some should be sharp. Calibrate to the relationship. Now I'll paste the 5 emails:

Any A vs B decisionUse Extended Thinking

What you get: A scored comparison across 7 dimensions, a forced pick (no "it depends"), and the secret biggest risk of your top option that everyone else misses.

Prompt 7 — Pressure-Test Two Options

I'm choosing between [Option A] and [Option B]. Pressure-test both like a sharp consultant would. Score each option 1-10 across these 7 dimensions, with reasoning (not just the score): 1. SPEED TO VALUE — when do we see results? 2. COST — real cost AND opportunity cost 3. REVERSIBILITY — how hard is this to undo if wrong? 4. RISK — what's the worst case for each? 5. SECOND-ORDER EFFECTS — what does this make easier/harder in 6-12 months? 6. WHO BENEFITS / WHO LOSES — which stakeholder wins/loses with each option? 7. WHAT IT SIGNALS — what does picking each option say about us as a team or leader? Then: PICK ONE Don't give me "it depends." Don't give me a tie. Pick. DEFEND THE CHOICE 3 sentences. Why this option survives scrutiny. WHAT WOULD CHANGE YOUR ANSWER Tell me what would have to be true for you to flip and pick the other one. THE SECRET BIGGEST RISK The ONE thing about your top pick that's secretly the biggest risk — the part everyone misses when they choose this option. RULES - Be specific. Don't say "Option A has higher risk." Say "Option A has 30% higher cost variance because of vendor concentration in the supply chain." - If you don't have enough context to score a dimension, ask me what you need. - Don't soften the pick. The whole point of this prompt is to force a recommendation. Here's my context: [paste options + relevant context]

Use dailyCompounds in 90 days

What you get: Your draft email rewritten as if you had 5 more years of experience — same voice, more conviction. Plus the 3 edits that taught you the pattern.

Prompt 8 — Senior-Level Email Rewrite

Below is my draft email. Rewrite it as if I had 5 more years of experience in my role. The senior version should: - Get to the point faster (cut throat-clearing) - Use fewer hedge words (no "just," "sorry," "I think," "maybe," "kind of," "I'm wondering if," "would it be possible to") - Show confidence without arrogance - Make the ASK clear and unambiguous - Use shorter, more declarative sentences where appropriate - Trust the recipient with context (don't over-explain what they already know) - End decisively (a clear next step, not a fade-out) Keep what makes me sound LIKE ME — my warmth, my specificity, the things that make this feel personal not robotic. The senior version is still me, just with 5 more years of conviction. OUTPUT FORMAT 1. THE REWRITE (full email, ready to send) 2. THE 3 MOST IMPORTANT EDITS — for each edit, show: - The original phrase - The rewritten phrase - WHY this version is more senior (the pattern I should learn) 3. THE ONE THING I DO HABITUALLY THAT MAKES ME SOUND JUNIOR — based on this email and any others I've shared. Tell me the habit and the fix. RULES - Don't make the email cold or corporate. Senior ≠ sterile. - Don't fabricate context. Only work with what's in my draft. - If my draft is already strong, say so — and tell me what would push it from "good" to "best." Here's my draft:

Run weeklyFrees 5+ hrs/week

What you get: 3 things on your plate that don't move the needle — with the exact words to drop or delegate them. Plus the one thing you should be spending MORE time on.

Prompt 9 — Drop The Busywork

Below is my current to-do list (or weekly priorities, or project list). Audit it like a CEO who needs to make me 3x more impactful in 30 days. Surface 3 things on my list that don't move the needle on my actual goals. For each: 1. THE TASK Name it specifically. 2. WHY IT DOESN'T MOVE THE NEEDLE Be specific. Is it busywork, theater, low-leverage, low-priority right now? Or just out of date? 3. WHAT IT COSTS ME Time, attention, energy, mental load. How much per week roughly? 4. THREE WAYS TO HANDLE IT - DROP entirely (and why this is the right call if applicable) - DELEGATE (to who or what — team member, AI, freelancer, etc.) - AUTOMATE (with what specific system or workflow) 5. THE EXACT WORDS TO USE A 2-3 sentence script for telling whoever asked me to do this that I'm dropping or shifting it. Graceful, professional, no awkward apologies. After all 3: THE UNDER-INVESTED THING Surface ONE thing on my list that I'm spending TOO LITTLE time on — the high-leverage work that's not getting enough attention. Tell me what would happen if I doubled the time on it. RULES - Be ruthless. Most of what I'm doing isn't moving the needle. I need to know WHICH 3. - Don't suggest dropping things that are obviously load-bearing (compliance, key relationships, etc.) - If you need more context about my goals or role, ask before auditing. Here's my list: [paste tasks/projects/priorities]

Before any exec meetingUse web search

What you get: A chief-of-staff-grade briefing on any executive — their priorities, communication style, recent moves, red flags, and the one smart question to ask that signals you've done your homework.

Prompt 10 — Brief Me on the Executive

I have a meeting with [executive name + their company + their role]. Brief me on them like a senior chief of staff would prep their boss. Use web search where helpful. Pull together: 1. WHO THEY ARE Title, company, tenure, background, how they got there. Brief LinkedIn-style summary. 2. WHAT THEY'RE WORKING ON Current strategic priorities, recent moves, public quotes from the last 6 months. What are they being measured on right now? 3. WHAT THEY CARE ABOUT Based on their public commentary, decisions, and writing — what KPIs, themes, or beliefs matter most to them? What's their professional center of gravity? 4. THEIR COMMUNICATION STYLE Direct or diplomatic? Data-driven or vision-driven? Fast-pace or deliberate? Based on their public talks, podcasts, interviews, written content — how should I match their style? 5. WHAT'S CHANGED RECENTLY Promotions, organizational shifts, public successes, public failures, departures around them. Any recent context that would shape their headspace going into this meeting? 6. CONNECTIONS Anyone they know in my world that I should mention or be mindful of? Mutual connections, past colleagues, advisors I should know about? 7. RED FLAGS Topics they've gone hostile on publicly. Controversies they're connected to. Sensitivities I should avoid. 8. THE ONE QUESTION TO ASK A smart, specific question tied to something they've recently said or done — that signals I've done my homework without being a suck-up. 9. THE 3 THINGS NOT TO SAY Based on what you found, the 3 topics or framings I should avoid in this meeting, and why. RULES - Cite your sources where it matters (LinkedIn, recent podcast, interview, article). - If the executive is low-profile and you can't find much, say so — don't fabricate. - If something I should know is uncertain, flag it: "Based on [source], it appears X — but worth confirming."

If you have a 1:1 this week, start with Prompt 1. If you have a presentation, start with Prompt 5. If you have a hard decision in front of you, start with Prompt 7.

Save the rest as Claude Projects so they're always one click away. The compounding starts in week 2 — when you walk into a meeting prepared in ways your peers aren't, and the people upstairs notice.

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10 Claude PromptsThat'll Get YouPromoted in 6 Months

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10 Claude Prompts
That'll Get You
Promoted in 6 Months