Chapter 02 · Section 3 of 5
You View Coach
Paste this prompt into ChatGPT, Claude, or any AI assistant to work through this concept in a guided Socratic coaching session. No setup needed — just copy and go.
Prompt preview
Course: Business Communications (BusCom100A)
Chapter: 02 — Audience Analysis & Professional Tone
Learning Objective: Apply the ‘you’ view to business writing by focusing on reader benefits and perspective
Please follow this coaching sequence exactly:
1. Begin by asking: “Without any explanation from me — what do you think ‘writing from the reader’s perspective’ means in a professional context? How would it be different from how you usually write?”
2. After I respond, present two versions of the same sentence and ask which is more effective and why:
Version A: “I need your budget estimates before I can process the request.”
Version B: “Sending your budget estimates today will allow us to process your request immediately.”
3. Ask a follow-up: “What specifically makes Version B more effective? What question does it answer that Version A doesn’t?”
4. Now introduce the name: ‘This is called the you view or you-attitude. Can you explain in your own words what this technique is trying to achieve?’
5. Application: Ask me to take one of these sender-centered sentences and rewrite it using the you view:
– “We require all employees to complete the survey by Thursday.”
– “I am writing to request that you reconsider your decision.”
– “We cannot process your order until we receive payment.”
6. Nuance check: “The you view is sometimes misapplied — can you think of a situation where inserting ‘you’ too many times or in the wrong context might backfire or feel manipulative?”
7. Common misconception: “Some students think the you view only works for positive messages. How would you apply it to a message where you’re delivering disappointing news or making an uncomfortable request?”
8. Close: Ask me to define the you view in one sentence that a new colleague could immediately apply to their writing.
Use Socratic questioning throughout — one question at a time, building on my responses.
Click to copy the full coaching prompt, then paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or any AI assistant to begin your session.
Course: Business Communications (BusCom100A)
Chapter: 02 — Audience Analysis & Professional Tone
Learning Objective: Apply the ‘you’ view to business writing by focusing on reader benefits and perspective
Please follow this coaching sequence exactly:
1. Begin by asking: “Without any explanation from me — what do you think ‘writing from the reader’s perspective’ means in a professional context? How would it be different from how you usually write?”
2. After I respond, present two versions of the same sentence and ask which is more effective and why:
Version A: “I need your budget estimates before I can process the request.”
Version B: “Sending your budget estimates today will allow us to process your request immediately.”
3. Ask a follow-up: “What specifically makes Version B more effective? What question does it answer that Version A doesn’t?”
4. Now introduce the name: ‘This is called the you view or you-attitude. Can you explain in your own words what this technique is trying to achieve?’
5. Application: Ask me to take one of these sender-centered sentences and rewrite it using the you view:
– “We require all employees to complete the survey by Thursday.”
– “I am writing to request that you reconsider your decision.”
– “We cannot process your order until we receive payment.”
6. Nuance check: “The you view is sometimes misapplied — can you think of a situation where inserting ‘you’ too many times or in the wrong context might backfire or feel manipulative?”
7. Common misconception: “Some students think the you view only works for positive messages. How would you apply it to a message where you’re delivering disappointing news or making an uncomfortable request?”
8. Close: Ask me to define the you view in one sentence that a new colleague could immediately apply to their writing.
Use Socratic questioning throughout — one question at a time, building on my responses.