Closing the Gap

Before there were cameras placed on the back center, and the front and side of

every corner of a vehicle, and before there were sensors that sounded the alarm if a

collision was about to happen, there were family and friends that served as a driver’s

sight and sound when backing up. Phrases like, “Come on back,” “Keep coming,” “a

little further” or “a little more to the left,” or “to the right some more,” or “Almost there”

were quite common.

I learned another phrase from my oldest teenage daughter helping me to back

my truck up to a trailer and she somehow became distracted during the process. The

phrase came after the loud bumping and grinding sound that shook both the truck I was

driving and the trailer I was seeking to connect to that truck. Best phrase ever, in my

mind, which I still laugh about to this day…“YOUR THERE!!” Other than being a blinding

flash of the obvious, it was a phrase that left no ambiguity, and no doubt that I had

arrived at my destination much sooner than anticipated and with great force.

Wouldn’t it be nice if as leaders there were phrases like that, that help us know

that we hit the mark successfully, and even nicer if we could just develop a “dream

trailer” hitch with an app that worked with a solar powered, battery operated, power

pack that would thrust the trailer forward, closing the gap, and connecting the trailer with

the truck hitch on its own. Many leaders expect people to be like my dream trailer and

connect with their leadership practices, but reality clearly proves otherwise.

Every leader knows that they have responsibility for everything “leadership,” and

most especially with setting the course to a promising future and staying connected with

people on their way to success. Staying connected is learning and practicing the fine art

of closing the gap and keeping the gap closed with those on the journey. During a

leadership conference, a person once asked me, what can a leader do to close the gap

of connection. I answered, “Practice Generosity.”

Generosity closes the gap and is the primary leadership practice that makes

connections happen more efficiently and effectively than any other practice. Generosity

is a learned behavior, and available to all leaders who choose to learn and practice it.

Generosity is the motivation behind every giving, caring or random act of kindness

offered by authentic leaders. There are many other professional benefits that come with

the practice of generosity ranging from mining for potential to writing formal evaluations.

It behooves any leader to learn the power and practice of generosity. Will you be one of

these leaders?