Diary of a She-E-O: Vibe writing with invisible thought partners

Dear Diary,

Today’s ponderable: What is it like to engage in vibe writing with an invisible thought partner?

Last week, a long-time member asked me about my writing process. I shared that more and more I’ve been using a selection of AI tools as thought partners. This is less to “write for me” and more to help me surface what I already know but haven’t quite shaped yet. He smiled and said: “Ah – so you’re vibe writing.”

When he came out with “vibe writing”, I knew exactly what he meant. Equally, I also wanted to define it in my own terms.

Developers talk about “vibe coding” as the flow state where intuition leads and the code follows. Increasingly, that’s how I work with AI in my role as She-E-O: I start with a signal – a spark, a question, a mood – and use these tools to help me find the shape of what I’m already reaching for. It’s become a creative rhythm, a thinking partnership, a second pulse that runs alongside mine.

The dance of the first draft

Every strategic idea begins with a spark that’s half‑formed – and often inconveniently timed. Before AI, I would stare at a blank document until either it surrendered or I did!

Now I just drop that spark into AI like I’m whispering a secret in a quiet room. Sometimes that takes the form of a single phrase or a mood. Other times, it’s a fragment that hasn’t earned its shape… yet, e.g.

• “Channel a She‑E‑O who refuses beige thinking.”
• “Give me crisp altitude – high-conviction, high-clarity, zero drag.”
• “Write this like I’m 30,000 feet up: sharp, decisive and fast-moving.”
• “Elevate the language: clear thesis, strong verbs and an energized cadence.”

The output isn’t the answer. It’s the momentum. Because momentum is everything.

It’s not that the AI is smart. But it’s always game!

AI never sighs.

AI never tells me to be more specific.

AI never asks for bullet points first.

It just says: “Sure, Nancy, let’s explore that.”

AI meets my level of audacity then quietly lifts it.

Thought partnership in a parallel universe

Sometimes AI feels like my twin from a parallel universe. It’s a version of me that’s has had a full eight hours’ sleep, and has an empty inbox and a fresh notebook – with a side of espresso that’s just for taste.

So, I ask ‘her’ the questions I might not ask anyone else:

• “What angle have I stepped around?”
• “What am I not yet saying out loud?”
• “How would a master strategist distill this thought?”
• “Is this bold enough? Ambitious enough?”

She hands back something that feels familiar yet refined, like my own thinking but with less turbulence.

When the vibes wobble not every draft lands.

Sometimes it feels like corporate wallpaper from the late 90s.

But vibe writing is jazz.

The first take is only a warm‑up.

So I steer her:

• “More edge.”
• “Less safe.”
• “Add some She‑E‑O energy.”
• “Think Jerry Maguire meets Iron Man.”

Then the rhythm returns.

The secret advantages no one talks about

Here are some truths that I feel compelled to share as part of this Diary:

• AI lowers the cost of experimentation.
• It makes courage cheaper.
• It makes big thinking faster.
• It makes creativity feel less of a high‑stakes activity.
• It allows you to test ideas you aren’t ready to show the world.
• It prototypes narratives that might go somewhere.
• It surfaces the phrasing that helps unlock the future.

AI doesn’t replace me; it expands me.

Vibe writing with AI is like having a second brain that is always awake, endlessly curious and never too tired to play. It doesn’t decide for me, but it sharpens my ability to write with clarity and intent. That might just be the most strategic partnership of all.

Final thought

AI certainly has its part to play in our ways and means of working, but if you want your organization to vibe higher, DWG is built for this moment. It offers research, expert guidance and a trusted community to help you think boldly and act decisively in the age of AI. Let DWG to be your next thought partner in uncovering a new rhythm for the future of work.

Don’t journey alone! Get in touch.

🔒 For DWG members: Bring your key question of the moment to AskDWG.

🔓 For our wider circle: Don’t vibe alone. Become a DWG member.

Nancy

Categorised in:   → Diary of a She-E-O