April 11, 2011

Meaning: If you have traveled on subways in the U.K., where this phrase originated, you will have heard someone say, “Mind the Gap” in a lovely, lilting British accent. It calls us to pay attention to the physical gap between the edge of the platform and the train car. There is a similar gap between intention and action which great leaders understand is their job to bridge. Passion, great ideas and hope only carry us so far; true achievement rides on putting these imperatives into practical action.     
 
Idea for Action: Passion and hope are wonderful attributes for a leader. They inspire others and compel them to follow. But passion alone is not enough. Like Icarus, the mythological Greek character whose desire to reach the sun on his wax wings proved his undoing, those whose passions and intentions are not translated into real plans that others can follow run the risk of burning out themselves – or their team members.
 
Recognize first that your passions, intentions and hopes are not plans. Effective, results-oriented leaders understand the gap between knowing what to do and actually doing it. They engage their teams in conversations about “how will we make that happen?” and follow their enthusiasm for a great business idea with demands for plans that detail the specifics of execution. They track progress on goals, encourage their teams to develop contingency plans and help them adapt and adjust as they encounter inevitable obstacles and unknowns. 
 
Ask yourself, “What do we need to do to mind the gap? Where do we need a bridge between what we believe we need to do and our plans for execution? Where do we have passions and dreams in place with no plans behind them?” By engaging your team in truly minding the gap, you will spark others to achieve great things in reality and keep your collective passions from flaming out. 

For further reading on this topic, we suggest the book, “Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done,” by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan.

Best regards,
Sandra Davis, CEO