Life in Western New York is full of hidden gems and warm-hearted people who’ll point you to them if you ask. On a recent hike, my kids and I found one of those gems: a rocky ledge with a small gap and a 30-foot drop below. We stopped, held hands, counted to three, and crossed.
That little jump reminded me how business really works. Progress isn’t a movie montage. It’s a series of small, safe jumps made together when the footing is solid, the roles are clear, and the plan is simple.
The moment (fast vignette)
We paused. We checked the landing. One kid went first while I anchored, then we switched. We used the same words each time: “Set—Ready—Go.” No speeches. No drama. Just a clear call, a firm grip, and a safe landing.
“Teaching teamwork, trust, and preparation one small jump at a time.”
Field note: in high-consequence moments, short scripts beat long explanations.
The business translation
1) Teamwork = role clarity in the moment
- Anchor, Jumper, Spotter. Three roles, one move.
- In a project: Owner, Doer, Reviewer. Same idea.
- Before the jump: confirm each role in one sentence.
2) Trust = small promises, kept
- Trust isn’t a vibe; it’s a stack of kept micro-promises.
- “I’ve got you.” “Same words every time.” “My hand won’t slip.”
- In business: “I’ll send the scope by 5,” “We’ll baseline metrics today,” “We’ll decide Go/No-Go Friday.”
3) Prepared = recon, risk, redundancy
- Recon: check the landing.
- Risk: name the hazard out loud.
- Redundancy: second grip, second check, second way out.
- In projects: see the checklist below.
The GAP Method (a 3-step mini-framework)
Use this whenever you’re crossing from idea → first proof, or from plan → delivery.
G — Ground the reality
- What is the “terrain” as-is? One metric, one screenshot, one quote from the front line.
A — Anchor the safety
- Who is the anchor (decision-maker)? What’s the second grip (fallback/backup)? What will not be attempted?
P — Proceed in small, safe moves
- One move per sprint. Same words each time. Debrief in 5 minutes: keep/stop/start.
Tape this next to your team board: Ground → Anchor → Proceed. Repeat.
A quick checklist you can steal
- Roles set? Owner / Doer / Reviewer named.
- Go/No-Go rule? One line (e.g., “If we can’t get baseline data by Wednesday, we move the date, not the goal.”)
- Baseline captured? Screenshot or export saved.
- Redundancy? Backup plan, backup person, backup time.
- Script? 3 words max: “Set—Ready—Go.”
How this applies to founders (Idea → Pre-Seed)
Your first “gap” is moving from Foundation (Idea) to Design-Partner Fit (Pre-Seed):
- Ground: pick one ICP and name the problem in one sentence.
- Anchor: define the MVPromise (a 90-day outcome) and who signs the renewal decision.
- Proceed: run 10–15 discovery calls with one script; offer a 60–90 day pilot; measure before → after on two metrics.
Proof precedes pitch. The point isn’t a perfect leap it’s a safe, repeatable step you can make again tomorrow.
Sidebar: the 5-minute team huddle
- What’s the next “gap” we’re crossing?
- Who’s Anchor / Jumper / Spotter?
- What’s our Go/No-Go rule?
- Where’s the baseline screenshot saved?
- What’s our three-word script?