Carefully Consider Which Chasm You Choose to Cross

Originally published September 19, 2006.

I’ve been writing about The Chasm. The Chasm is the skills gap that must be crossed to move from one area of practice into another area of practice—specifically the move from specialist competencies (like teaching, engineering, programming, and law) into general business competencies.

I like the metaphor of The Chasm because it visually depicts the challenge that you face when moving from one area of competency into another. However, as a metaphor it has its limitations. It doesn’t accurately represent the fact that there is no clear "other side" in learning as there is when you reach the other side of a natural chasm. Learning is a series of steps forward and steps backward—a set of accomplishments and failures—the aggregate of which is a new destination. In this respect, learning is more like climbing a mountain. But, the learning process is never complete—unlike climbing a mountain you never achieve perfect competency in an area of practice. At this point I run out of ideas for metaphors...

In any event, what I want to point out is that you need to carefully consider which chasm you choose to cross, because there is more than one chasm out there, and they don’t all lead to the same place.

Consider management as the destination on the other side of the chasm. The reality is that in many many companies today, management consists of meetings, budgets, performance reviews, interviews, spreadsheets, presentations, and administrative minutia. You didn’t set out to do this when you started working because, to be frank, it didn’t turn you on then and it doesn’t turn you on now. You’d do better to find another chasm to cross.

The good news is that the needs of business are changing. In today’s world, innovation is more important than administration. Companies from GE (large, multinational, and diversified) to the law firm Pinsent Masons (small, international, and specialized) understand that innovation drives growth (Pinsent Masons created OUT-LAW an online legal help website to expand the reach of its brand). Stated another way, value is no longer created primarily by optimization but instead by innovation.

With these thoughts in mind, your path becomes more clearly defined. Instead of becoming a manager focused on administration, become a manager focusing on innovation. Combine your deep specialist skills with a solid command of business fundamentals. Cross a different chasm.

- Bandit