For Learning & Development Managers ·
What you'll accomplish
A sales director says her team needs "better negotiation training" and gives you fifteen minutes. You walk in with the same five questions you always ask, and you leave with a request but no problem statement. A Gemini Gem loaded with your interview guide gives you tailored questions and follow-ups before each intake, so the conversation gets to the business problem faster. You do the interview. The Gem does the preparation.
What you'll need
Check before you paste: You do not need to paste anything sensitive to prepare an interview. Describe the request in general terms and leave out names of the requesters' employees, performance details and any unannounced reorganization or product plan that is driving the request. If a work or school Google account is involved, its own terms and your company's AI policy apply. Do not upload interview notes that name individuals to the Gem's knowledge.
Heads up on the name: Google's help page says Gems will transition to skills in Gemini Apps, and that existing Gems will be recreated as skills automatically. The page gives November 2026 for personal Google accounts and March 2027 for Workspace business accounts. The steps below are for creating a Gem today. If your account already shows Skills under Settings, the same instructions text works there.
Open a blank document and list the questions you ask in every intake. Include the follow-ups that usually get you to the real problem, such as "What are people doing today that you want them to stop doing?"
What you should see: A one-page list of questions, grouped loosely by theme. Troubleshooting: If you do not have a guide, skip to the Gem instructions. You can have Gemini help you write it later.
On a computer, follow the path on Google's Gems help page.
What you should see: A form with a name field, an instructions field and a Knowledge section. Troubleshooting: You may need to scroll down to find Knowledge.
You are an interview coach for a Learning and Development manager.
I will give you a training request from a business leader. Your job is to help me prepare for a 30 minute stakeholder interview.
Produce: (1) five to eight open questions that separate a training need from a process, tooling or management problem, (2) three follow-up probes for each likely answer, (3) two questions that ask what business result the leader wants and how they would know it happened, (4) a short list of things not to say.
Never assume training is the answer. Never suggest course content.
If the request is vague, ask me two clarifying questions before you write anything.
What you should see: The instructions in the field. After a few words, Google's page says a Use Gemini to re-write instructions option can appear. Troubleshooting: Rewriting is optional. If it changes your "never assume training is the answer" rule, restore that line.
What you should see: Your guide listed under Knowledge. Troubleshooting: Google's page says a Drive file must be connected through Workspace settings. If a Drive file is added, Gemini uses its latest version. Upload a copy instead if that concerns you.
What you should see: Your Gem appears under My Gems in the sidebar. Troubleshooting: To change it later, open the Gem under My Gems, make your edits and submit.
After the interview:
Here are my rough notes from the interview, with names removed. List what I still do not know, and give me three follow-up questions for a short second conversation.
Second stakeholder, different view:
The first interview was with the operations director. Now prepare me to interview a front-line supervisor about the same request. Keep the questions safe and non-judgmental.
Saying no politely:
Based on the interview notes, the problem looks like a scheduling issue rather than a skills gap. Draft three sentences I can say in the meeting to explain that without sounding dismissive.
Interview opener:
Give me a two-sentence opening that explains why I am asking questions before agreeing to build anything.