Last Tuesday, I watched someone waste 45 minutes fighting with ChatGPT.
They'd type something vague, get a useless response, try again with slightly different words, get another useless response, and eventually give up muttering 'AI is overrated.'
Then I showed them one simple trick. Five seconds of extra effort. Their next result was so good they literally said 'Wait, WHAT?'
Let me show you exactly what I did.
The Problem Everyone Has
Most people use AI like it's Google on steroids. They type in whatever pops into their head and hope for magic.
Here's a real example I saw last week:
❌ What they typed: 'Write an email to my boss'
What they got: Generic corporate nonsense that sounded like it was written by a robot having a stroke. Completely unusable.
They spent the next 20 minutes trying different variations. 'Write a professional email.' 'Write a good email to my manager.' 'Help me write an email.'
All rubbish. All wasted time.
The Science Behind Why This Happens
According to research from Oxford University, AI systems are only as good as the instructions you give them. Vague input = vague output. It's not the AI being stupid – it's us not knowing how to communicate with it.
BBC research shows that professionals who master 'prompt engineering' (fancy term for 'knowing how to ask AI properly') save 2-3 hours per week on routine tasks.
That's 150+ hours per year. Think about what you could do with an extra 150 hours.
The CRAFT Framework (The 5-Second Fix)
Here's what I teach in our Harnessing AI in the Workplace Mini Course. It's called CRAFT, and it takes literally 5 seconds longer than typing whatever pops into your head:
C - Context: What's the situation?
R - Role: Who are you in this scenario?
A - Action: What specifically do you want?
F - Format: How should it look?
T - Tone: What's the vibe?
Let Me Show You the Difference
Same person, same email, but this time using CRAFT:
✅ What they typed: 'I'm a project manager who needs to tell my boss that our website redesign is running one week behind schedule due to unexpected technical issues with the payment integration. Write a 150-word email that's apologetic but confident, acknowledging the delay whilst reassuring her of our commitment to quality. Include the new deadline of November 10th and offer a brief call to discuss. Professional but warm tone.'
What they got: A perfectly usable email that needed maybe two tiny tweaks. Done in 30 seconds instead of 45 minutes.
Their exact words: 'Wait, WHAT? Why didn't anyone tell me this before?'
Real-World Examples That'll Blow Your Mind
I use this every single day. Here's what it looks like in practice:
For meeting prep:
Instead of: 'Help me prepare for a meeting'
Try: 'I'm leading a 30-minute team meeting about Q4 sales targets. Create an agenda with 5 key discussion points, time allocations, and 3 questions to drive engagement. Professional but energetic tone.'
For report writing:
Instead of: 'Write a report summary'
Try: 'I'm a department head presenting monthly performance data to senior leadership. Summarise these key metrics [paste data] into 3 bullet points highlighting wins and 2 points noting areas for improvement. Executive-level tone, max 100 words.'
For data analysis:
Instead of: 'Analyse this data'
Try: 'I'm a sales manager reviewing customer feedback. Identify the top 3 recurring complaints and top 3 recurring compliments from this data [paste]. Present as a simple table with percentages. Actionable insights tone.'
See the pattern? Context, role, action, format, tone. Five seconds of thinking that saves you hours of frustration.
Why This Actually Matters
The Office for National Statistics reports that 67% of UK businesses now use AI. But according to The Guardian's technology coverage, only 23% of employees know how to use it effectively.
That gap? That's your competitive advantage.
Whilst everyone else is fumbling around getting mediocre results, you're getting professional-quality output in seconds. Guess who gets noticed? Guess who gets promoted?
The UK government's AI strategy emphasises these skills as critical for career progression. They're not wrong.
[Add your own example here – maybe a student who used this technique and immediately saw results at work]
Want the Full Toolkit?
This CRAFT framework is just one technique from our FREE Harnessing AI in the Workplace Mini Course.
In 30 minutes, you'll learn:
- The complete CRAFT framework with 10+ real examples
- Advanced prompting techniques for different tasks
- Common mistakes that waste time (and how to avoid them)
- How to refine prompts when you don't get it right first time
- Ethical considerations and GDPR compliance
- Templates you can copy and adapt immediately
It's CPD certified, officially UKRLP registered, and completely free. Professional voiceover narration, 24/7 AI tutor support, same-day certificate.
Try It Right Now
Seriously, try it. Next time you use AI for anything, spend 5 extra seconds using CRAFT.
Context. Role. Action. Format. Tone.
I guarantee your results will be 10x better. And if you want to master this properly, our FREE course gives you everything you need.
Because here's the truth – AI is a tool. A powerful one. But like any tool, it's only as good as the person using it.
Be the person who knows how to use it.