Thinking in loops, not lines

Key idea: Good thinking is iterative. So is working with AI. The best ideas emerge when you bounce back and forth, refining as you go.

Scenario: You've been asked to create a draft proposal for a new initiative - say, launching a wellbeing program at work. You've got a rough idea: some mix of online tools, lunchtime sessions, and peer support. You just need to write something people will get behind. But instead of spending hours polishing the first version, you're going to work in loops.

Your task

Open ChatGPT or Copilot Chat.

Step 1. Give it your rough idea - bullet points or a few messy paragraphs. Then:

Turn this into a one-page proposal.

or

Write this as a short internal pitch to the leadership team.

Step 2. Read what it gives you. Now ask for feedback:

How could this be clearer?
What might confuse a sceptical exec?
Where are the weak spots in this?

Step 3. Take that feedback and ask it to rewrite. Repeat once or twice:

Now make it more persuasive.
Now try it with bullet points and a stronger opening.
Now write it like it's coming from our head of people and culture.

Why it works: Too many people stop at the first decent draft. The best work comes from iteration - from thinking with the AI, not just through it. So don't treat the first draft as finished. Treat it as the start of a conversation.

💬 Reflection

Think of a project where you stopped after the first version because it was "good enough." What might have changed if you'd worked in loops, even just once or twice, with AI as your reviewer?