RESOURCES / TIPS & TRICKS

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Tips & tricks

Ideas for managing time, communication, travel, and using AI in your work. Search or choose a work area, then open a tip to see why it helps and how to try it.

TIME & PRIORITIES Hold every time slot you offer Protect proposed meeting times before another request takes them.

THE TIP

Place a private hold on every slot before sending availability. Add an expiration time so unused options do not remain on the calendar.

WHY IT HELPS

The recipient can select any offered time without starting another scheduling round.

TRY THIS

Add "Release after 3 PM Thursday" to each hold description.

RELATED: The crowded calendar →

TIME & PRIORITIES A free slot may still be unusable Calendar availability does not account for preparation, location, or transition time.

THE TIP

Check the commitments before and after a free slot before offering it. Include travel, preparation, recovery, and the executive's physical location.

WHY IT HELPS

The meeting fits into the actual day instead of fitting only into an empty box.

TRY THIS

Review the next external meeting and add the preparation or travel time it currently lacks.

RELATED: The crowded calendar →

TIME & PRIORITIES Compare the calendar with three priorities A full calendar can still leave the most important work untouched.

THE TIP

Choose the executive's three current priorities and compare them with the previous ten business days. Look for time spent, decisions made, and preparation completed for each one.

WHY IT HELPS

The comparison shows whether the problem is scheduling, delegation, meeting volume, or unclear priorities.

TRY THIS

Mark every calendar item from the last two weeks that directly supported one of the three priorities.

TIME & PRIORITIES Schedule the decision before the deadline External deadlines often fail because the executive's review happens too late.

THE TIP

Work backward from the final deadline and reserve the executive's decision time first. Leave enough time afterward for revisions and delivery.

WHY IT HELPS

Review becomes part of the plan instead of an urgent interruption at the end.

TRY THIS

Find one upcoming deadline and add the decision block that must happen before it.

TIME & PRIORITIES Put a cutoff on late changes Constant updates can consume the time needed to complete the work.

THE TIP

Set a clear cutoff for routine changes to a brief, agenda, itinerary, or packet. Handle later changes as named exceptions.

WHY IT HELPS

The team knows when the working version becomes final, while legitimate urgent changes still have a route.

TRY THIS

Add a submission cutoff to the next recurring meeting request.

TIME & PRIORITIES Define urgency by consequence "Urgent" becomes useless when everyone applies it to every request.

THE TIP

Define urgency using the consequence of waiting and the time available to recover. A senior sender or anxious message does not automatically make the work urgent.

WHY IT HELPS

Requests can be ranked using shared logic instead of volume, status, or pressure.

TRY THIS

Ask, "What happens if this waits until tomorrow?" before interrupting planned work.

MEETINGS & FOLLOW-THROUGH Write the decision before the agenda A meeting is easier to structure when its required outcome is clear.

THE TIP

Complete this sentence before adding agenda topics: "By the end of this meeting, we need to decide…" If no decision is required, name the specific output the meeting must produce.

WHY IT HELPS

Discussion can be organized around an outcome instead of a collection of updates.

TRY THIS

Rewrite one agenda item as a decision or output.

MEETINGS & FOLLOW-THROUGH Tell the room how the decision will be made People participate differently when they know who has the final call.

THE TIP

State whether the group is providing advice, seeking consensus, voting, or preparing a recommendation for one decision-maker.

WHY IT HELPS

The meeting avoids false consensus and last-minute confusion about authority.

TRY THIS

Add "Decision owner" and "How input will be used" to the next decision agenda item.

MEETINGS & FOLLOW-THROUGH Read back the commitment Confirm the outcome while everyone who heard it is still present.

THE TIP

Before moving on, read back the decision, owner, deadline, and next visible output. Give the room a chance to correct the record.

WHY IT HELPS

Misunderstandings are resolved before they turn into conflicting follow-up.

TRY THIS

Reserve the final two minutes of the next meeting for a commitment read-back.

MEETINGS & FOLLOW-THROUGH Send each action to its owner An action buried in meeting notes is easy to overlook.

THE TIP

Send or assign each commitment directly to the person responsible, with the agreed deadline and context. The minutes can remain the record.

WHY IT HELPS

The commitment appears where the owner manages work rather than waiting to be rediscovered.

TRY THIS

Send today's highest-risk action directly to its owner.

MEETINGS & FOLLOW-THROUGH Carry forward the current status Open work needs a current status at the next review.

THE TIP

Carry forward the owner, deadline, current state, blocker, and next move. Leave the original discussion in the meeting record.

WHY IT HELPS

The next review focuses on movement and obstacles without rebuilding the history.

TRY THIS

Convert one overdue action into a five-field status line.

MEETINGS & FOLLOW-THROUGH Keep minutes and working notes separate Formal minutes and personal working notes serve different purposes.

THE TIP

Use formal minutes for required decisions, actions, votes, and governance records. Keep extra context in a separate working document with the appropriate access and retention rules.

WHY IT HELPS

The official record stays concise while useful context remains available where permitted.

TRY THIS

Ask the meeting owner which record is required before the next formal meeting.

RELATED: Decision Log →

INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION Forward the answer, then the thread Do the interpretation before asking someone else to read the history.

THE TIP

Put what changed, what is needed, the deadline, and your recommendation above the forwarded thread. Include the thread as supporting context.

WHY IT HELPS

The recipient can act quickly and open the history only when needed.

TRY THIS

Rewrite the next forwarded email into four lines before sending it.

INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION Label why the executive needs to see it Importance is easier to judge when the reason is visible.

THE TIP

Mark an item as a decision, approval, preparation, relationship issue, risk, or information only. Add the date by which attention matters.

WHY IT HELPS

The executive sees the expected response before opening the full material.

TRY THIS

Add a one-line purpose label to the next document you send for review.

INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION Lead with what changed Repeating the whole story can hide the one thing that changed.

THE TIP

For a continuing issue, lead with what changed since the last update. Link to the full record for history.

WHY IT HELPS

The reader can update their understanding without reprocessing familiar material.

TRY THIS

Begin the next recurring update with "Since the last update…"

INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION Put a date beside changing facts A correct update can become misleading when nobody knows when it was checked.

THE TIP

Add an "as of" date to changing information such as headcount, budget, travel status, project health, and availability.

WHY IT HELPS

Readers can tell whether the information is current enough for the decision.

TRY THIS

Add an "As of [date and time]" line to the next status report.

INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION Prepare the person brief from public, verifiable sources A useful pre-meeting brief gives the executive relevant context without becoming invasive.

THE TIP

Research the person's current role, company, relevant prior work, recent public activity, and any known relationship history. Keep a source beside each material fact. Leave out sensitive personal information that has no legitimate reason to be in the meeting preparation.

WHY IT HELPS

The executive can enter the conversation informed, while the preparer can quickly verify or update the brief.

TRY THIS

Build a five-bullet brief for one upcoming external meeting and link every bullet to its source.

INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION Keep nonurgent questions in one place Small questions create constant interruptions when they have no waiting area.

THE TIP

Maintain one shared list for questions that can wait until the next check-in. Remove each item after it is answered or converted into work.

WHY IT HELPS

The executive receives fewer scattered messages, and the questions remain visible.

TRY THIS

Move three nonurgent questions into the next one-to-one agenda.

INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION Give every request a follow-up date A due date tells you when work is late; a follow-up date gives you time to prevent the delay.

THE TIP

Set the follow-up date when you send the request. Choose a date that leaves enough recovery time before the actual deadline.

WHY IT HELPS

Follow-up becomes planned work instead of a last-minute search through sent messages.

TRY THIS

Add a reminder to the next request before closing the email.

INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION Use AI to prepare the case before you escalate Refunds and vendor disputes are easier to handle when the evidence and request are organized first.

THE TIP

Give AI the receipt, timeline, correspondence, and the vendor's official policy. Ask it to identify the exact basis for the request, missing evidence, appropriate escalation route, and a factual message you can send as yourself. If a legal rule matters, verify it through an official regulator or qualified counsel before relying on it.

WHY IT HELPS

The request is clearer, and weak or unsupported arguments are easier to remove before they damage credibility.

TRY THIS

Prepare a one-page case with five headings: purchase, problem, policy, requested resolution, and supporting evidence.

INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION Treat the first no as a routing question A refusal may come from policy, system limits, missing authority, timing, or simply the wrong contact.

THE TIP

Ask what specifically prevents the request, who can approve an exception, and what legitimate alternatives exist. Try a different date, location, method, vendor, or decision-maker when appropriate. Do not misrepresent the situation or bypass a safety, legal, or compliance control.

WHY IT HELPS

The next move becomes clearer, and a solvable routing problem is less likely to be mistaken for a final answer.

TRY THIS

When the next request is denied, ask: "Is this a policy, a system limitation, or an approval issue?"

INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION Close the loop with people who helped A specific thank-you is part of maintaining a dependable operating network.

THE TIP

Thank the person promptly and name what they did that helped. When a small gift is appropriate, confirm company policy first. A thoughtful note or direct call is enough when a gift would be awkward or prohibited.

WHY IT HELPS

People know their effort was noticed, and the working relationship does not become purely transactional.

TRY THIS

Send one specific thank-you today to someone who solved a problem behind the scenes.

INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION Keep recurring relationship dates in one reliable view Birthdays, work anniversaries, renewals, and other recurring dates should not depend on memory.

THE TIP

Store the date, relationship, preferred notice period, owner, and any useful context in one calendar, spreadsheet, or lightweight database. Use only information the organization has a legitimate reason to keep, and limit access when the details are personal.

WHY IT HELPS

Important dates become planned relationship work instead of last-minute surprises.

TRY THIS

Create a 30-day upcoming view for one type of recurring date.

TRAVEL & EVENTS Read the itinerary backward Start with the commitment the traveler cannot miss.

THE TIP

Work backward through arrival, ground transportation, baggage, connection time, airport processing, and departure. Add the buffer required at each step.

WHY IT HELPS

The plan is built around the business outcome instead of the most convenient flight listing.

TRY THIS

Recheck the next trip from the first fixed commitment back to departure.

TRAVEL & EVENTS Check the whole flight chain The departure board may look normal while the incoming aircraft is already delayed.

THE TIP

Check the operating carrier, inbound aircraft, connection, terminal change, and final ground route. FlightAware can help you check flight and airport activity. Keep the airline’s own alerts active as a direct source of schedule changes.

WHY IT HELPS

A problem may become visible before the traveler reaches the airport.

TRY THIS

Look up the inbound aircraft for the next important flight.

TRAVEL & EVENTS Use the airline's 24-hour option correctly A short booking window can preserve a fare while a decision is still moving, but the rule is narrower than it sounds.

THE TIP

For qualifying flights booked directly with an airline at least seven days before departure, check whether the airline offers a free 24-hour hold or 24-hour cancellation and refund. U.S. rules require one of those options, not both, and they do not require third-party booking sites to follow the same policy. On eligible American Airlines itineraries, look for "Hold for 24 hours" before paying.

WHY IT HELPS

The traveler can secure an option without assuming every booking has the same escape route.

TRY THIS

Before booking, record the purchase channel, policy, deadline, and exact time the option expires.

TRAVEL & EVENTS Reconfirm everything after a travel change Changing the flight does not automatically update the rest of the trip.

THE TIP

Reconfirm the driver, hotel arrival, meeting host, traveler, and any security or local support after an itinerary change. Record who confirmed each update.

WHY IT HELPS

Every party works from the same version of the trip.

TRY THIS

Create a five-item reconfirmation list for the next changed itinerary.

TRAVEL & EVENTS Keep recovery contacts beside the itinerary A general support number is a weak plan during a disruption.

THE TIP

Store the airline, travel agency, hotel, driver, local host, and after-hours support contacts with the working itinerary. Include the reservation references needed to locate the trip.

WHY IT HELPS

The person handling the problem can start immediately without searching old email.

TRY THIS

Add one missing recovery contact to the next travel plan.

TRAVEL & EVENTS Confirm hotel payment instructions before arrival Putting a company card into the reservation does not guarantee that the guest will avoid a charge at check-in.

THE TIP

Contact the property directly and ask whether it accepts third-party card authorization. Use the hotel's secure form, specify whether it covers room and tax, incidentals, parking, or all charges, and confirm that the authorization is attached to the reservation. The guest may still need a card for incidentals.

WHY IT HELPS

The payer, hotel, and guest know which charges are covered before anyone is standing at the front desk.

TRY THIS

Reconfirm the authorization with the property one business day before arrival.

TRAVEL & EVENTS Check the pickup rules before booking a rental car for someone else Making the reservation and paying for the rental are not always the same thing.

THE TIP

Put the reservation in the traveler's name and verify the exact pickup location's license, age, deposit, and payment requirements. The traveler will usually need an accepted card in their own name, and prepaid bookings can be stricter. Use an approved corporate or travel-agent billing arrangement when the company needs to pay directly.

WHY IT HELPS

The traveler is less likely to reach the counter with a reservation they cannot use.

TRY THIS

Confirm the renter name, card requirement, deposit, and after-hours procedure before choosing a nonrefundable rate.

TRAVEL & EVENTS Work the official reservation channels before paying a reseller Hard-to-get restaurant reservations often have several legitimate paths.

THE TIP

Join the restaurant's waitlist, call it directly, and check alternate times, seating, or related locations. If the executive has an eligible American Express Platinum Card, add it to the Resy profile and check Global Dining Access and Platinum Nights, then use Concierge as an additional request channel. Availability is never guaranteed, and dietary requirements should be confirmed directly with the restaurant.

WHY IT HELPS

The search uses legitimate access and cancellation inventory before taking on the risk of an unfamiliar resale site.

TRY THIS

Set alerts and try three acceptable time windows instead of searching only one exact reservation.

TRAVEL & EVENTS Walk the event like an attendee Review the event from arrival through departure.

THE TIP

Trace parking or transportation, entry, registration, seating, restrooms, accessibility, food, device charging, and the trip home.

WHY IT HELPS

Operational gaps appear more clearly when the review follows the attendee's actual path.

TRY THIS

Complete one physical or virtual walkthrough before the next event.

TRAVEL & EVENTS Give every event risk a decision owner A backup plan is incomplete when nobody has authority to use it.

THE TIP

For likely problems such as weather, transportation, speaker cancellation, catering failure, or venue access, name the person who can approve the response. Set any spending or timing limit they must follow.

WHY IT HELPS

The team can respond quickly without searching for an approver while the event is already disrupted.

TRY THIS

Assign an owner and approval limit to the highest-risk issue in the next event plan.

AI & AUTOMATION Start with a problem that has never been worth fixing A small recurring annoyance is a useful first AI experiment.

THE TIP

Choose a problem that wastes time but has never justified a formal project. Ask AI to map the current process, suggest the smallest useful fix, and explain whether a prompt, template, automation, or small internal tool is actually necessary.

WHY IT HELPS

The experiment stays bounded and useful instead of turning into a large build with no clear payoff.

TRY THIS

List three mild annoyances and test the one that repeats most often.

AI & AUTOMATION Describe what finished looks like A task is easier to complete when the result and the acceptance test are clear.

THE TIP

Describe the finished file, required behavior, important constraints, and how you will know it is correct. For a spreadsheet, that may include accurate data, working formulas, usable formatting, and no formula errors.

WHY IT HELPS

The AI can work toward the actual outcome instead of interpreting a vague instruction literally.

TRY THIS

Add three lines to your next request: "The finished result should…," "It must…," and "Before you finish, check…"

AI & AUTOMATION Talk through a prompt when typing would cut out the context Voice is useful when the explanation is longer than you would ever bother to type.

THE TIP

Dictate the goal, background, constraints, and desired output in one pass. Say that the transcription may contain mistakes and ask the AI to flag anything ambiguous before it proceeds. ChatGPT Dictation is one option when you want to review and edit the transcription before sending it. Review names, dates, amounts, and other details that cannot be guessed safely.

WHY IT HELPS

Speaking makes it easier to include the context people often remove when a typed prompt starts feeling tedious.

TRY THIS

Give the same assignment once in four typed lines and once in a two-minute voice note. Compare what each response understood.

RELATED: ChatGPT →

AI & AUTOMATION Give AI a research brief, not an open-ended search Research improves when the question, boundaries, and proof standard are explicit.

THE TIP

Define the question, geography, date range, acceptable sources, exclusions, required fields, and how claims should be cited. Ask the AI to separate confirmed findings from items that still require a call, email, or human judgment.

WHY IT HELPS

The output becomes easier to verify and less likely to mix strong evidence with plausible-looking filler.

TRY THIS

Add "What could not be verified?" and "What still requires direct confirmation?" to your next research request.

AI & AUTOMATION Ask for gaps before the polished draft A polished answer can hide missing or conflicting information.

THE TIP

Ask AI to list missing dates, unclear owners, conflicting sources, and unsupported assumptions before it drafts the final output.

WHY IT HELPS

The reviewer can resolve weak inputs before they become confident-looking prose.

TRY THIS

Add "List the information you cannot verify" to your next drafting request.

AI & AUTOMATION Ask for the exact source, not a list of links A citation is useful only when the reader can find the claim it is supposed to support.

THE TIP

Ask AI to place the source beside every material date, number, commitment, and factual claim. For long pages or documents, require the relevant section, page, or quoted line, then open the source and confirm it. Use a highlighted screenshot only when it makes verification or handoff materially faster.

WHY IT HELPS

Unsupported claims and mismatched citations are easier to catch before the work is shared.

TRY THIS

Take the three most important claims in your next research output and verify each one against the exact source passage.

AI & AUTOMATION Test models on work you actually repeat Model reputations are less useful than results on your own recurring work.

THE TIP

Give the same real task to the models you already have access to. Score the outputs for accuracy, usefulness, editing required, speed, and cost. Save the preferred model by task, not as one permanent overall winner, and retest after major product updates.

WHY IT HELPS

Different models can perform differently across research, writing, image work, analysis, and interface building, and those strengths change.

TRY THIS

Run one recurring assignment through two models and grade both with the same five criteria.

AI & AUTOMATION Edit AI-assisted writing in a separate pass A correct draft can still sound generic, repetitive, or unlike the person sending it.

THE TIP

Finish the substance first, then run a dedicated editing pass for specificity, sentence rhythm, repeated structures, inflated wording, and unsupported certainty. A rewriting tool such as Grammarly's Humanizer can help, but the final review should still belong to the sender.

WHY IT HELPS

Editing style separately makes it easier to preserve the facts while removing wording that sounds automated or impersonal.

TRY THIS

Read the next AI-assisted message aloud and replace every sentence that you would never say naturally.

RELATED: Grammarly Business →

AI & AUTOMATION Capture first, let AI propose the sorting A useful brain-dump system lowers the effort required to capture an idea without letting AI silently organize your life.

THE TIP

Send voice notes or quick text into one capture inbox. The inbox can live in Notion, a spreadsheet, or the task system already used by the team. Let AI propose actions, categories, dates, and related projects, then review those suggestions before anything becomes a deadline, reminder, or assigned task. Start with manual review before connecting the system to other tools.

WHY IT HELPS

Ideas are captured while they are fresh, and the human review prevents a transcription or interpretation error from becoming an operational commitment.

TRY THIS

Collect one day of notes in a single document and have AI return only four groups: act, schedule, reference, and discard.

AI & AUTOMATION Test read-only work first Start with work that cannot change or send anything.

THE TIP

Test searching, summarizing, classifying, or drafting before allowing an automation to edit calendars, send messages, delete records, or make purchases.

WHY IT HELPS

You can evaluate accuracy and usefulness without creating external consequences.

TRY THIS

Run the next automation in draft-only mode for five real cases.

AI & AUTOMATION Connect the smallest useful source Broad access can expose unnecessary information and dilute the useful context.

THE TIP

Start with one approved folder, calendar, mailbox label, or project. Expand access only when a real use case requires it.

WHY IT HELPS

The workflow receives cleaner source material while fewer company records enter its scope.

TRY THIS

Remove one unnecessary source from an existing AI connection.

AI & AUTOMATION Use AI to find exceptions A targeted exception check can be more useful than another general summary.

THE TIP

Ask AI to flag missing owners, approaching deadlines, conflicting dates, unusual changes, or unanswered requests. Review the flagged items against their sources.

WHY IT HELPS

Attention goes to the records most likely to require judgment.

TRY THIS

Ask for only deadlines within seven days that lack a confirmed owner.

AI & AUTOMATION Give the automation a stop rule A safe workflow needs a defined point where a person takes over.

THE TIP

Stop the run when sources conflict, required information is missing, the recipient is unknown, sensitive material appears, or the same step fails twice.

WHY IT HELPS

The system fails visibly instead of guessing or repeating the wrong action.

TRY THIS

Write one stop condition into the next automation before testing it.

AI & AUTOMATION Use a real icon set before asking AI to invent one Consistent icons make an internal tool easier to scan and less visually improvised.

THE TIP

Choose one reputable icon library, confirm its license, and use a consistent weight, size, and style. SVG files work well for interfaces because they stay sharp at different sizes. Ask AI to place and label the selected icons, not to recreate a company's protected logo or generate a different style for every screen.

WHY IT HELPS

The interface looks more coherent without adding a large design project.

TRY THIS

Replace the mixed icons in one screen with a single set such as Phosphor, then check the page on mobile.

RELATED: Phosphor Icons →

CONTINUITY & CONTROLS Give every recurring invite a backup A recurring meeting should remain manageable when its usual organizer is unavailable.

THE TIP

Use the executive's delegated calendar or an approved shared account when that matches company practice. Confirm that at least one backup person can edit or cancel the series.

WHY IT HELPS

Leave, turnover, or an urgent schedule change does not strand the invitation.

TRY THIS

Check who can modify the next recurring executive meeting if the organizer is absent.

CONTINUITY & CONTROLS Date every executive preference A temporary request can quietly become a permanent rule.

THE TIP

Record when a preference was given, the context behind it, and whether it should be reviewed later.

WHY IT HELPS

Future decisions can distinguish a stable preference from a response to one situation.

TRY THIS

Add the date and context to one existing calendar or travel preference.

RELATED: Working Together playbook →

CONTINUITY & CONTROLS Give reversible decisions a review trigger "We can revisit this later" rarely defines when later arrives.

THE TIP

Record the date, threshold, or event that will trigger review when a decision is meant to be temporary or experimental.

WHY IT HELPS

The team can revisit the choice based on an agreed signal rather than memory or politics.

TRY THIS

Add a review trigger to one current trial or temporary policy.

RELATED: Decision Log →

CONTINUITY & CONTROLS Handoff the open loops A list of duties does not show what is currently at risk.

THE TIP

A handoff should identify open commitments, waiting items, upcoming decisions, sensitive relationships, recurring deadlines, and known exceptions.

WHY IT HELPS

The incoming person can protect active work before learning every routine.

TRY THIS

Add the five highest-risk open loops to the current handoff document.

CONTINUITY & CONTROLS Verify changed payment details outside the thread A familiar email chain can still contain a fraudulent payment change.

THE TIP

Confirm new banking or payment instructions with a known contact using a phone number or channel already on file. Do not rely on the contact details inside the change request.

WHY IT HELPS

Independent verification reduces the risk of acting on an impersonated or compromised message.

TRY THIS

Add out-of-channel verification to the vendor payment procedure.

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