One of the good ways of strategic thinking is using Hotshot Rule, which can be a self-coach tool to help with your team or business and drive your own growth.
A strategic inflection point at Intel
Back in the 80s, Intel had fierce competition from Japanese companies. “The Japanese started beating us in the memory business in the early eighties.”1 Here’s a conversation between Andy Grove and Gordon Moore:
I remember a time in the middle of 1985, after this aimless wandering had been going on for almost a year. I was in my office with Intel’s chairman and CEO, Gordon Moore, and we were discussing our quandary. Our mood was downbeat. I looked out the window at the Ferris wheel of the Great America amusement park revolving in the distance, then I turned back to Gordon and I asked, “If we got kicked out and the board brought in a new CEO, what do you think he would do?” Gordon answered without hesitation, “He would get us out of memories.” I stared at him, numb, then said, “Why shouldn’t you and I walk out the door, come back and do it ourselves?” 1
Hotshot Rule
“The Hotshot Rule is the act of thinking of someone I admire, then pausing, reflecting, and asking what they would do in my situation/shoes/role, then answering what that one thing is and acting on it. The answer tends to appear quickly because it seems to be clear when you think about it through someone else’s lens.”2
“Take a moment to think about your job or your product or your team. If someone took over for you today, what would they think? What things would they find that could be improved, or done away with completely, to be more efficient or make a bigger impact? What’s stopping you from making those changes right now?”
This process can be really painful. “I also learned that strategic inflection points, painful as they are for all participants, provide an opportunity to break out of a plateau and catapult to a higher level of achievement.” 1 It’s painful because of the gap between reality, now, and the ultimate goal. It’s a long torturous struggle to fight what you used to believe.
Action. This process alone won’t create change, it’s the initial step. What really matters is making a plan and taking action on it right away.2
Practice the Hotshot Rule
Questions
- If I left my job and a hotshot came into my role tomorrow, what is the first thing they would do? 3
- What is the one thing I would change about my life if I had a magic wand?
- What is one thing I want to change about my habits for the better?
- What one thing could you do (something you aren’t doing now) that, if you did it on a regular basis, would - make a tremendous positive difference in your personal life? 2
- What one thing in your business or professional life would bring similar results?
- What advice your mentor will give you for your current situation?
- What if you could give some advice to three years younger you, what would it be? If you live in the future, like 5 years from now, what advice will the future you give you?
- When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: “If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right.” It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.4
Some other variant questions:
- If today I were offered the job I have - with the same team, manager, role, scope, company, and compensation - would I take it?
- If the answer to this question is yes, then stay.
- If the answer is maybe, then change the things you need to change to make it worth staying.
- If the answer is no, then it likely time to explore something that maybe a better fit.
- If you could have your way, what would you eat for dinner?
- If you could have your way, what would your space look and feel like?
- If you could have your way, what would you do this weekend?
- If you could have your way, what would you do with a day off of work?