The people getting promoted aren’t using AI to "write me an email." These 10 prompts turn Claude into your chief of staff. Copy, paste and watch what changes at work.
Each prompt below tells you when to use it and what you get back. They work in any current Claude model.
For the strategic ones (pre-mortem, steelman, deck critique, A vs B), use Opus 5.5 if your plan has it and turn the effort up. Click the model name next to the send button, then Effort, and pick High or above. Thinking is always on in the 5 family, so there’s no separate toggle to find. (Model and effort settings)
The Power Move
Give your favorites their own Claude Project. Make a Project called "1:1 Prep," click Set project instructions, paste the prompt in and save. Now it’s one click away, and you can add files like your job description and goals so every chat starts with that context.
When to use it: Before every 1:1.
You get your wins, blockers, asks and the one moment that shows next-level thinking, organized so you walk in as the most prepared person in the room.
When to use it: Before you kick off any new project.
You get the 5 most likely ways it fails, the early warning signs, the fix to put in place this week and the one metric to watch weekly.
When to use it: Before a big proposal or ask.
You get the strongest case against your idea, the one your boss will actually make, plus where to push back, where to concede and a 30-second answer.
When to use it: New role, new manager or a final-round interview.
You get a plan tailored to your role that shows senior thinking before day one. Claude asks you a few questions first.
When to use it: Before any exec presentation. Paste the slides or attach the file.
You get a slide-by-slide read on where a tough CFO tunes out, what’s missing, what to cut and the questions you aren’t ready for.
When to use it: Once a month, with your last 5 sent emails.
You get the pattern in your writing that costs you authority, quoted back to you, with rewrites and one habit to fix this week.
When to use it: Any A or B decision.
You get both options scored on 7 dimensions, a forced pick with no "it depends," what would flip the answer and the hidden risk in the winner.
When to use it: Any email that matters.
You get your draft rewritten as if you had 5 more years of experience, still in your voice, plus the 3 edits that teach you the pattern.
When to use it: Once a week, with your to-do list.
You get 3 tasks that don’t move your goals, how to drop, delegate or automate each, the exact words to hand them off, and the one thing to spend more time on.
When to use it: Before meeting a senior leader. Keep web search on.
You get a chief-of-staff briefing on their priorities, style, recent moves and sensitive topics, plus one smart question to ask. Check what it finds before you rely on it.
Save the rest as Projects. The payoff shows up in a few weeks, when you keep walking into meetings more prepared than everyone else and the people above you notice.