Between what you intended and what they experienced.
Between what you said and what they heard.
Between what you think is clear and what they’re still trying to figure out.
That gap exists in almost every leadership interaction.
Most leaders don’t know it’s there.
Not because they don’t care.
Because they concluded the gap didn’t exist.
The leaders who consistently get the most out of their people aren’t the ones with the fewest gaps.
They’re the ones who stay curious about the gap instead of assuming it’s been closed.
The gap isn’t a failure.
It’s where the work is.