Library › Leadership AI › Executives

Screen three acquisition targets by a rule, then score the rest

  • For Executives
  • You practice Setting limits and rules
  • Time about 5 minutes
  • Level Advanced

About this exercise

Screen and score the three targets. Step 1: disqualify any target whose largest customer is over 30 percent of revenue. Step 2: score the rest as growth x 2 + margin x 1 + fit x 3 using the latest scores, showing the working like "4 x 2 + 3 x 1 + 3 x 3 = 20". Break a tie by lower integration cost. Output a table with the header Target | Screen | Score | Result, then a last line "Pick:" with the target and the reason in at most 12 words. Plain text, under 130 words.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Scoring the disqualified target. The AI picks A on score. Try: Say: "Disqualify first; do not score a disqualified target."
  • Using the old margin score. The AI keeps C at 22. Try: Say: "Use the latest scores from the diligence update."
  • Missing the tie-break. The AI picks C for its higher fit. Try: Say: "Break a tie by lower integration cost."
  • Wrong table. The AI adds columns. Try: Say: "Exactly this header and three rows."
  • Markdown. The AI bolds the pick. Try: Say: "Plain text."
  • Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total word limit and it often lands over it. Try: Cap each part instead, for example: "each line under 15 words."

What a strong prompt includes

  • Gives the header
  • Screen rule
  • Score formula
  • Latest scores and tie-break
  • Pick line

Practice this now ↑

Related exercises