Focus on the Gains and not just The Gaps
Bridging Operational Gaps: The Power of Focusing on Gains, Not Just Gaps
In leadership, especially in operational management, the pressure to close gaps can be overwhelming. Leaders are often tasked with achieving ambitious goals, fixing underperforming areas, and driving continuous improvement. It’s easy to fall into the mindset of constantly measuring yourself or your organisation against an ideal that seems far off. This “gap-focused” thinking can create frustration, stress, and even a sense of failure.
But there’s another way to look at progress—one that’s just as important as identifying gaps: focusing on the gains. Let’s explore how leaders can shift their mindset to see both the gaps and the gains, and why this shift is crucial for long-term success.
What Are the Gaps?
In the context of operational management, gaps are the areas where performance doesn’t meet expectations. These might be gaps in efficiency, team skills, strategy execution, or even organisational culture. Identifying gaps is essential for growth. After all, knowing what’s not working helps you direct attention to the right areas for improvement.
However, problems arise when leaders become too focused on the gap between where they are now and where they want to be. This is particularly common in high-pressure environments where progress often feels slow or insufficient. When you constantly measure your business or your leadership against an ideal, the focus on what’s missing can quickly overshadow what’s been achieved.
The Gain: Celebrating Progress
The “Gain” is all about measuring progress based on how far you’ve come, not how far you still need to go. In leadership, recognising gains means acknowledging the incremental improvements and victories along the way. It’s about celebrating the fact that your organisation is more efficient, better resourced, or more agile than it was a few months ago—even if it hasn’t yet hit the ultimate target.
This doesn’t mean ignoring the gaps, but rather ensuring that progress is given its due weight. Too often, leaders move the goalposts without taking the time to acknowledge how much ground has already been covered. By regularly shifting focus to what has been gained, you create a more balanced, optimistic, and productive approach to leadership.
Why the Gap vs. Gain Mindset Matters
- Boosts Morale and Motivation
Focusing solely on gaps can lead to burnout—for both you and your team. It fosters a culture where nothing is ever quite good enough. But when you take time to acknowledge gains, it reinforces a sense of achievement. Leaders and teams who feel their progress is noticed are more motivated to continue pushing forward. Research shows that focusing on strengths and positive accomplishments leads to higher employee motivation and performance (Luthans & Youssef, 2007). - Strengthens Resilience
Leadership, especially in interim roles or during times of change, can feel like an uphill battle. If you only see the distance still to go, you risk becoming discouraged. By regularly reflecting on gains, you build resilience, giving yourself and your team the psychological fuel needed to tackle future challenges. Carol Dweck’s work on the growth mindset illustrates that individuals who focus on progress are more likely to embrace challenges and persist in the face of setbacks (Dweck, 2006). - Creates a Growth-Oriented Culture
When you model a “gain” mindset, it encourages others to do the same. It shifts the culture from one of perfectionism to one that values continuous improvement. It helps your team focus on learning and growing, instead of feeling inadequate or overwhelmed by goals they haven’t yet reached. - Improves Strategic Focus
Celebrating gains doesn’t just improve morale—it sharpens your strategic focus. When you assess what’s working and what progress has been made, it helps clarify where to direct your next efforts. Understanding your gains makes it easier to fine-tune your strategy based on proven successes rather than just focusing on fixing problems.
How to Build the Gain Mindset into Your Leadership
- Regular Progress Reviews
Incorporate regular check-ins that specifically highlight progress made, not just areas of improvement. These could be formal reviews or simple team discussions that take a moment to reflect on what’s working. This habit keeps the gain mindset front and centre in your leadership approach. - Break Large Goals into Milestones
To help teams focus on gains, break down big, long-term goals into smaller milestones. Celebrate each step forward. These incremental wins are important for maintaining momentum and preventing the overwhelm that often comes from only seeing the big gap ahead. - Embed Reflection into Your Routine
For yourself as a leader, set aside time—perhaps on Buffer Days—to reflect on gains. Use this time to consider how far you’ve come, the challenges you’ve overcome, and what you’ve learned. Regular reflection helps internalise the gain mindset and keeps you motivated for future challenges. - Balance Feedback
When giving feedback, balance your discussion of gaps with recognition of gains. Acknowledge the team’s progress before diving into what still needs to be done. This keeps the tone constructive and empowers people to approach problems with confidence, rather than discouragement.
Bridging Gaps by Building on Gains
At NorthCo, our approach to leadership is about more than just fixing problems and closing gaps. We believe the key to effective leadership is in finding the balance between recognising where improvements are needed and celebrating how much progress has already been made. It’s this “Gap vs. Gain” mindset that allows leaders to grow without burning out, to stay resilient even when the road ahead seems long, and to build cultures of growth that are sustainable over the long term.
By integrating this mindset into our operational management services, we help leaders not only bridge the gaps in their business but also build on the gains they’ve made to drive lasting success.
References
- Dweck, C. (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.
- Luthans, F., & Youssef, C. M. (2007). Positive Organizational Behavior in the Workplace: The Impact of Hope, Optimism, and Resilience.
- Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The “What” and “Why” of Goal Pursuits: Human Needs and the Self-Determination of Behavior.
- Amabile, T. M., & Kramer, S. J. (2011). The Progress Principle: Using Small Wins to Ignite Joy, Engagement, and Creativity at Work.
- Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ.
About the Author
Trevor is the Managing Partner of NorthCo, a fellow of the Institute of the Motor Industry and a member of the Institute of Interim Management. Trevor is a respected C-Suite leader, Chairman and professional Interim Leader. For over a decade, he has provided interim leadership solutions to private equity, venture capital, and asset-backed firms. Whether it’s to stabilise a business during a turbulent trading period, fill a temporary skills gap or support a management team to navigate challenging situations, Trevor’s wealth of experience and proven track record in delivering value creation and retention plans demonstrate his ability to lead and support operational management teams effectively. To find out more about his approach, explore his LinkedIn profileand read what others say about Trevor.
