Title: Overcoming the Capability Commitment Gap: Strategies for Bridge Building
In the realm of high-pressure, always-on careers, individuals often complain about feeling like they're constantly playing defense, unable to tackle issues that truly matter, and spending their energy addressing problems instead of solving ones that could positively impact their team. This predicament is what Andrew Deutscher, the founder of Regenerate, refers to as the capability commitment gap - the chasm between leadership demands and the time and energy required to meet those challenges.
Navigating work and life sustainably necessitates mental and physical energy to tackle challenges with clarity, focus, and a strategic mindset. However, with a constant barrage of stressors, identifying viable areas for improvement becomes challenging. One indicator of this gap is when you instinctively tackle the first task that comes your way due to limited energy. This approach isn't productive and can contribute to scarcity, causing you to feel as if you're lacking rather than merely struggling with time and capacity.
Individuals who are most prone to this challenge are:
- High-capacity achievers who struggle to manage their time effectively.
- Leaders who focus on authority rather than influence.
- Leaders working in organizations where energy isn't valued, and people aren't aligned.
To locate this gap in your life, consider your initial reaction when offered a new project – is it defensiveness or frustration? The reason isn't a lack of work ethic; it's the capability commitment gap.
To bridge this gap, internal and external self-reflection and influences will be required. Possible solutions include:
- Formal Coaching: Investing in coaching can help uncover the root causes of issues you're facing versus only addressing symptoms.
- Informal Coaching: Consider organizing team coaching sessions or seek mentorship and sponsorship opportunities.
- Feedback: Set the expectation that feedback is crucial for success, both in soliciting and delivering it. This will create a shared understanding of what truly matters within your team and organization.
- Greater Consciousness and Capacity: Develop greater mindfulness to tap into your best self – a leader who is empathetic, trustworthy, and able to think beyond themselves.
In today's demanding environment, making conscious efforts to close the gap and prioritize development can be challenging. Nevertheless, focusing on inputs instead of outputs will help you and your team perform consistently at your best.
When you reach a pain point, take a step back and determine which capability you need to handle it. By addressing these gaps and prioritizing development, you can enhance your performance, improve your leadership skills, and thrive in a high-pressure environment.
Andrew Deutscher, the founder of Regenerate, has highlighted this capability commitment gap in his work, emphasizing the disparity between leadership demands and the time and energy required to meet these challenges. Furthermore, leaders who often find themselves tackling the first task that comes their way due to limited energy may be experiencing this gap.
