Overview
Most important decisions at work are not made on instinct alone.
Whether you're presenting an idea, pushing back on a proposal, or explaining why something needs to change, people are going to ask the same question:
“What makes you say that?”
This is where AI can help.
Give it the reports, spreadsheets, dashboards, notes, or other information you're using.
Tell it the decision you're leaning toward.
Then ask it to help you find the facts that support it, the evidence that challenges it, and anything important you may have overlooked.
The goal is not to make your argument sound stronger than it deserves.
The goal is to make sure your reasoning is backed by the information you actually have.
What to Tell AI
Give AI the information you're using, the decision you're considering, and what you're trying to explain.
Try Something Like
Show AI the reports, spreadsheets, dashboards, survey results, meeting notes, or other information you're working from. Explain the decision you're trying to make and ask it to identify the strongest evidence that supports it, the evidence that points another direction, and anything that deserves another look before you walk into the meeting.
Example Conversation
I'm recommending that we stop running this campaign next month. Here are the last six months of reports. Before I present this, help me find the strongest data that supports that decision, anything that weakens it, and anything I should be prepared to answer if someone disagrees.
The data supports your recommendation in several places. The campaign has produced steadily lower returns over the last four months despite increased spending, while two comparable campaigns improved during the same period. One thing to prepare for is that last month's results were better than the previous three, so someone may ask whether the recent improvement changes the picture. We should look at whether that improvement represents a real trend or a one-time event.
Helpful Variations
“Don't just support my conclusion. Tell me where the data disagrees with me.”
“If someone challenged this recommendation in a meeting, what questions would they probably ask?”
“Group the strongest supporting facts together instead of making me hunt through the reports.”
“What information would make this recommendation more convincing—or completely change it?”
Next Steps
Once AI helps organize the evidence, ask it to:
- Separate facts from interpretations
- Rank the strongest supporting evidence
- Point out weak assumptions
- Highlight important exceptions
- Build a simple outline for your presentation
- Explain the recommendation in plain language
- Suggest questions you should be ready to answer
- Tell you where your confidence should be lower
- Identify what additional information would strengthen the decision