This week I attended a fabulous AI conference run by Nuix at Sydney’s Opera House. See my key takeaways here.
I expect huge organizational value will come from using AI agents, and embedding AI into products and services. Not from Generative AI alone.
But here’s the complication: many leaders aren’t yet convinced of Gen AI’s value; they’re dragging their heels at going beyond chatbots. Some tell me their organization’s chatbots only generate bland information and think AI is mostly hype.
So if you aren’t already blown away by chatbots, or you’re keen to use them smarter on your strategic projects, then today’s newsletter is for you.
Getting More from Chatbots
If you’re someone that thinks their organizational-installed chatbot provides vanilla advice, then you aren’t alone. See this post for what could be wrong with it. If it’s not the model itself or the way it’s installed, the issue could be the way you’re using it.
When used well, Gen AI tools (eg ChatGPT) can significantly change the way you approach strategy and execution. Let’s turn to today’s tips that focuses on these personal foundational models. I’ll cover other AI, such as agents (like those I’m building) another time.
3 Smarter Ways to Use Gen AI for Strategy
1. Critique your strategy
Ask your Gen AI model to critically review your strategy from different viewpoints: your Board Chair, your boss, a marketing expert, a global B2B leader, or an industry insider. Ask it to get each persona to pokes holes from these different perspective, so you can pressure-test your assumptions, and spot potential before others do.
2. Compare documents to sharpen thinking
Upload your strategy draft and another strategy document that you think is excellent. For example, it may be a past strategy from your previous company, or an older McKinsey strategy document that you have. Ask the AI to highlight differences, gaps, and potential blind spots with your strategy by comparing it to the other document. You’ll quickly see where your thinking or analysis hasn’t evolved enough.
3. Provide sufficient context for your query
By providing background information, you will get better results. For example, my client work often begins with their strategy document, and then helping them getting up and running with an implementation plan. The strategy itself provides some context, and my conversations with the clients fill in the rest. Likewise, AI needs to know other contextual information that is critical to implementation, for example your organizational culture and stakeholder information.
Gen AI becomes powerful when we go beyond surface-level use. I find my strategic work has become more creative, besides saving me time. Critique, comparison, and context turn chatbots into a way to multiply human effort with AI-powered strategy.
If you want more
If you want to know more about tools, my next monthly express Turbochargers masterclass October 21 covers “Tools to Accelerate Strategic Projects”. These aren’t only AI tools, but also fit-for-purpose strategic project and change tools – email me for info, I’d love you to join us.
Upcoming sessions for October, November and December 2025
”You’ll never be bored when you try something new. There’s really no limit to what you can do.”
Dr Seuss
PS More Ways to Accelerate your Strategy
Looking to move your strategy forward? Lisa Carlin works with selected clients directly to go from strategy to plan to result. Email Lisa.
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About Lisa Carlin
Lisa Carlin is a Strategy Execution Specialist. She works with business leaders to go from strategy to plan to result with culture intelligence and AI.
Lisa is author of the globally acclaimed newsletter, Turbocharge Weekly, read by 8,000 business leaders.
Lisa’s career includes roles at McKinsey and Accenture, then running her own business since 1999. Over this time she has delivered over 50 implementations with a 96% success rate.