Getting More from GenAI with Role-Based Prompting
- Aman Khajanchi
- Jun 11
- 3 min read
Introduction: One Size Never Fits All in Business
When it comes to leveraging Generative AI at work, many users get frustrated.
Why?
Because their prompts are too broad. Too vague. Too… vanilla.
What if the key was to simply tell the AI who to be before asking it to generate anything?
That is the magic of Role-Based Prompting.
What Is Role-Based Prompting?
It is the practice of asking AI to respond as a specific persona—a CFO, Marketing Manager, HR Leader, or Operations Head.
Why does this matter? Because context changes everything.
AI trained to think like a finance executive will focus on ROI.
As a marketer? On brand tone and engagement.
As an HR leader? On empathy and clarity.
Real-Life Spark: Yes Bank & Role-Based Prompting for Finance
During a training session with the finance team at Yes Bank, we noticed a pattern.
Generic prompts were producing generic outputs.
We shifted gears.
We asked ChatGPT to:
“Act as a Risk Analyst at a mid-sized bank. Prepare a 2-minute summary of how recent RBI regulations may impact SME lending policies. Use formal tone and include data-driven insights.”
The output was sharp, contextual, and usable in a boardroom. The team saw how changing the role changed the game.
Why Role-Based Prompting Works
✅ AI behaves more intelligently when given clear context
✅ Helps eliminate vague, surface-level outputs
✅ Aligns AI's tone, focus, and structure to match real-world expectations
✅ Empowers managers and executives to work faster and better
Examples: Role-Based Prompts You Can Try Today
🧑💼 For an HR Manager:
“Act as an HR Business Partner. Draft an internal communication explaining new hybrid work guidelines. Keep the tone warm and clear.”
💼 For a Sales Director:
“Act as a B2B sales director. Create a 5-slide pitch to convince a client to shift from manual data tracking to our AI dashboard solution.”
📊 For a CFO:
“You are the CFO of a retail company. Generate a Q2 summary note for the board, highlighting cost savings and inventory optimization using GenAI.”
📢 For a Marketing Head:
“Act as a brand strategist. Rewrite this product description to appeal to eco-conscious millennials in 2 lines.”
Pro Tip: Stack Roles + Objectives for Sharper Prompts
Instead of:
“Write a plan to improve team productivity.”
Try this:
“Act as a Learning & Development Head at a logistics company. Create a 30-day skill development plan for blue-collar workers using mobile-first content.”
This layered role clarity helps AI produce nuanced, business-ready content.
Best Practices for Role-Based Prompting
Be Specific – Role, industry, and audience make a big difference
Set the Tone – Should the tone be formal? Persuasive? Friendly?
State the Outcome – Tell AI what the end goal is
Use Real Scenarios – The more grounded the prompt, the better the response
Iterate and Refine – Improve the prompt till the output clicks
Closing Thoughts: Every Role Can Be AI-Enhanced
Whether you are in HR, Finance, Marketing, or Operations—Role-Based Prompting can help you move faster, work smarter, and lead better.
At its heart, prompting is not about writing.
It is about thinking with clarity.
📣 Want to Train Your Teams in Prompt Crafting?
I offer practical, hands-on workshops to help executives and managers master Role-Based Prompting.
Let us equip your teams to do more, with less.
📌 Aman Khajanchi
📞 +91-99453 74115
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