BusinessHard message

Write a difficult professional message

Use when you need to deliver bad news, push back, or say no while keeping the relationship intact.

The prompt
prompt.txt
Help me write a difficult message.

Situation: {{situation}}
Who I am writing to and our relationship: {{recipient}}
What I need to convey: {{message}}
The outcome I want: {{desired_outcome}}

Write a message that is:
- Clear and direct, with the main point near the top.
- Respectful and free of defensiveness or passive aggression.
- Honest without over-explaining or over-apologizing.
- Focused on facts and the path forward, not blame.

Give me two versions: one slightly warmer, one more firm. Then add a one-line note on which to choose and what to expect in response.

Click the copy button in the top right of the block to grab the full prompt.

Variables

Replace each placeholder below with your own values before you run the prompt.

  • {{situation}}
  • {{recipient}}
  • {{message}}
  • {{desired_outcome}}
Recommended models
Claude Opus 4.xGPT-5
Tags
#communication#email#leadership

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