The One Question That Reveals a Process Gap Instantly

Nov 23

There’s a simple question I like to ask when I’m helping teams assess how strong their systems really are:

“If you were out sick for a week, how would this task get done?”

You know where we’re going with this…
If the answer is “I’m not sure,” you’ve got a process gap.
And it’s probably costing you more than you think.

Why This Question Works

It cuts straight to the point. If work depends entirely on one person, you don’t have a process, you have a hero.

If that person disappears for a week?

The work slows down.
The questions pile up.
The quality drops.
And now your team is guessing.

What This Reveals

Ask this question about any task, and it will show:

Missing documentation
Lack of shared understanding how things are done
Bottlenecks caused by key people
Wasted time answering unnecessary questions

This one question shows you exactly where you’re vulnerable.

The Real Cost of These Gaps

When you rely on a hero instead of documented processes:

You lose time every time someone asks, “How do I do this again?”
You lose margin when work gets redone because of errors
You lose consistency, especially with customers or clients, when the experience varies by who’s doing the work

It’s not just inefficient.
It erodes trust everywhere you look.

How to Close the Gap

You don’t need 100-page SOPs.
You need lightweight, accessible documentation that shows:

What the task is
Who owns it
When it gets done
How it should be done
Where to find the right info

You need a system that works when team members are away.

Using the 111 SCALE Framework, this is exactly what we help teams do: define the core processes that matter and build alignment across departments.

Want to Find the Gaps Before They Cost You?

Start with this one question:

“If you were out for a week, would this still get done?”

Then make a list of everything that wouldn’t.

Need some help? 👉 Book a Discovery Call to get started.

Let’s make sure the work that matters most doesn’t depend on memory, luck, or one person holding it all together.

Joe Gleason