There are often areas within a business where the traditional rules of operation breakdown and continuing to do what you’ve been doing no longer works, places without structure, without defined roles & responsibilities, a place of uncertainty…a gap.
Very few people can operate in the gap, most need structure (processes/roles/responsibilities) to be effective and when thrust into the gap become overwhelmed and fall into a state of paralysis/inaction. Others rail against the gap (nature abhors a vacuum as they say), desperately trying to create the structure they crave. Their actions become divisive as their focus shifts to closing the gap instead of the job at hand. They no longer see the forest for the trees.
Which brings us to the rare few who are able to operate in the gap, they don’t become overwhelmed, they don’t fall prey to their fears, uncertainties and doubts, they don’t try to close the gap, they simply get on and do and by doing fill the gap. With each step forward the fog begins to clear and structure (process/roles/responsibilities) emerges that then allows others to come join them.
There are gaps in any business and if you’re starting a new one, then by its very nature, you’re in the gap. So mind the gap.