This AI Prompt Will Transform Your Tough Conversations with Teachers

THE RUCKUS MAKER ADVANTAGE

Your ChatGPT Prompts Are Killing Your Leadership Conversations (Here's How to Fix Them)

You're a principal staring down a tough conversation with a teacher whose classroom looks more like chaos theory in action than a learning environment.

Your palms are sweaty. Your coffee's gone cold.

And you're thinking, "Maybe AI can help me figure out how to handle this."

Smart move. Except...

Most principals are feeding ChatGPT prompts that are about as useful as a screen door on a submarine. 

They're typing things like "How do I have a difficult conversation?" and expecting leadership gold.

Exhibit A: Bad Prompts in the Wild

Let's look at a real example that's making rounds on LinkedIn:

The post went viral faster than a snow day announcement. Pretty graphics, monthly prompts, everything a busy principal could want.

Just one problem: it's about as useful as a Pinterest board of "classroom hacks" that never actually work.

Average prompt = average output

So I selected just one of the prompts:

"What are three ways to start a hard conversation about low performance?"

"What are three ways to start a hard conversation about low performance?"

ChatGPT's response? Generic fluff about "starting with positive feedback" and "creating a safe space." Thanks, Captain Obvious.

The Missing Ingredients

Here's what's missing from these prompts:

• School context and culture

• Specific situation details

• Core values that guide your decisions

• Real observations and data

• Desired expert frameworks

Think about it: You wouldn't walk into a classroom observation without knowing the lesson objective, student context, and success criteria. 

So why give ChatGPT less?

Core Values: Your Secret Leadership Weapon

Here's what most principals miss when preparing for tough conversations: Your school's core values aren't just wall art — they're your most powerful tool for culture building.

Every difficult conversation is actually an opportunity to reinforce what your school stands for. But most leaders treat these talks like isolated incidents, missing the chance to connect individual performance to collective purpose.

When you weave core values into feedback conversations, three things happen:

• The discussion shifts from personal criticism to shared standards

• The teacher sees how their growth impacts the whole school community

• You reinforce the culture you're trying to build, one conversation at a time

It's the difference between saying "Your classroom management needs work" and "At Memorial, we believe every student deserves an environment where they can thrive. Let's explore how we can better align your classroom with our commitment to excellence."

This is why the next prompt you're about to see doesn't just list problems — it anchors the entire conversation in core values that define your school's culture.

Excellent prompt = excellent output

Here's what a high-quality prompt looks like:

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