In every pursuit there are two fundamental performance markers for leaders:
- What am I contributing now?
- What am I capable of contributing?
There are many conversations to be had about the gap between these two points, but let’s focus on one: Honesty.
What you do with your potential gap is your decision. Close it, procrastinate about it, contemplate it, challenge it, quantify it.
Whatever you do, just don’t pretend it doesn’t exist.
We all have potential-gaps. They’re what give growth and development fuel.
The danger is that you fool yourself into thinking that you don’t have one, and then make a ‘false-peace’ with yourself around it:
“I’m doing well enough”.
“It doesn’t hold me back”.
“It’s not worth thinking about”.
“I’m tired from the year – that’s all it is”.
This lack of awareness or acknowledgement isn’t acceptable for a system leader. You have an inordinate influence over many people’s fortunes. As you go, they go. And that puts a different spin on your potential-gap.
In light of that, you owe it to yourself (and them) to:
- Know your gaps.
- Assess their impact.
- Choose – consciously – what you are, or are not, going to do about it.
Doing nothing is a valid choice. Just be honest with yourself about your reasons for doing so.
Rowan Belchers
