Stop Talking At AI & Start Thinking With It

Welcome to The Logical Box!

Your guide to making AI work for you.

Hey,

Andrew here from The Logical Box, where I break down AI so it’s easy to understand and even easier to use.

Let’s be honest, most people treat AI like a vending machine. You put in a command, press a few buttons, and hope something useful comes out.

That works for small tasks. But if you want AI to actually think with you to help you solve problems, test ideas, and uncover better strategies you need to start using it as a thought partner, not a tool.

Here’s how to do that step by step.

1. Share the “Why” Behind Your Request

When you give AI a task, don’t just tell it what to do, tell it why you’re doing it.
That simple detail completely changes the quality of the response.

Example:

❌ “Write a summary of this client meeting.”
✅ “Write a summary of this client meeting so I can share the main decisions and next steps with my team in under 5 minutes.”

The “why” gives AI purpose. It now knows the summary needs to be concise, actionable, and team-ready, not just a transcript.

2. Give It a Seat at the Table

AI becomes a true collaborator when you ask it to reason with you, not just produce for you.
Instead of giving orders, try inviting it into the discussion.

Example:

“Here’s my current plan for onboarding new clients. I think our biggest slowdown happens between proposal and kickoff. Can you analyze this plan and suggest ways to speed things up?”

You’re not telling it what to write => you’re asking it to think. When you frame it this way, you’ll start getting answers that feel more like insight than automation.

3. Use the R.E.A.D. Framework to Structure Thought Partnership

When you’re collaborating with AI, structure matters.
Here’s a simple framework I teach in my workshops to guide better collaboration:

R – Reflect:
Start by sharing your current understanding of the problem.
“Here’s what I think is causing our client delays…”

E – Explore:
Ask AI to explore different angles or perspectives.
“What other causes might be contributing that I’m not seeing?”

A – Analyze:
Have AI break down each option and weigh pros, cons, or impacts.
“Compare which of these would save the most time if fixed.”

D – Decide:
Ask it to help you summarize your best next step.
“Given our discussion, what’s the single best action to start with?”

This framework turns every AI chat into a guided problem-solving session, not a one-way prompt.

4. Challenge the AI’s Thinking (and Your Own)

A good thought partner should push back.
AI can do that, but only if you ask it to.

Try prompts like:

• “What’s the weakest part of this plan?”

• “Where could this idea fail?”

• “If you disagreed with my approach, what argument would you make?”
  

This simple habit uncovers blind spots before they cost you time or money.
You’ll start building a stronger sense of clarity because you’re learning how to question your own assumptions with AI beside you.

5. Use Reflection Mode to Turn Output into Insight

After every session, pause and ask:

“What are the three key takeaways from our discussion?”
“How could I apply this idea in a real situation?”

AI doesn’t just generate text it helps you learn faster when you use it to reflect.
By summarizing insights and next steps, you turn casual chats into ongoing learning systems.

Real-World Example

Let’s say you’re building a new client onboarding process.
You could use this exact sequence:

1. Reflect: “Here’s how we currently onboard new clients and the delays we’ve noticed.”
   

2. Explore: “What other businesses might be handling this better? What could we learn from them?”
   

3. Analyze: “Rank the top three fixes by time saved and cost impact.”
   

4. Decide: “Create a one-week test plan to apply the top improvement.”
   

In under 10 minutes, you’d have a mini strategy session with AI as your co-planner.

Why This Matters

AI isn’t just a shortcut. It’s a mirror for your thinking.
Used well, it helps you:

• Spot assumptions you didn’t realize you had

• Generate ideas that align with your real goals

• Build strategies faster, with fewer mistakes
  

The difference is simple:
People who talk at AI get answers.
People who talk with AI get direction.

Here's the thing about AI implementation:

You can read every newsletter, watch every tutorial, and still feel stuck when it's time to actually use it in your business.

The gap between knowing what to do and actually doing it? That's where most businesses get trapped.

If you're ready to close that gap for yourself or your team, reach out to me on LinkedIn. Let's talk about what's possible for your business.

Thanks for reading,

Andrew Keener
Founder of Keen Alliance & Your Guide at The Logical Box