Here are the BIG questions everyone asks at various points in their business career. “How do you get from here to there and how long will it take?”
Entrepreneurs are especially curious about ways to “cross the gap from now to new in a single leap.”
The traditional GAP Analysis is a 3 step process where first you identify your future state. Imagine, vision, dream. Think about what you want to achieve. Go there in your mind, with your team. Write it down. Be specific, use data, make a statement in terms of percentage of production change, number of new clients by when.
Ask yourself, what real success looks like for you. More money, more time to chill, more recognition. Think, “What’s in it for me.”
Next, analyze your current situation. Kinda basic, what’s working and what’s not working. Consider who has the information you need to get an accurate picture of what is going on right now. Absolutely use data and also have brainstorming session to get out the good, bad, ugly and beautiful.
Now wait, before you leap to the end point, to define the action steps that will bridge the gap there are two more steps that will make all the difference, And that’s a promise.
Pattern Aware Observation is a must.
Take the time to identify and chart the common themes that keep showing up. This is where emotional intelligence is needed. It’s about personal behaviors that show up as well as patterns that have become part of the business culture.
Is it faced with determination or brushed under the rug?Are people acknowledged or just seen as those who do their job and only need to get a paycheck to be happy. Do you celebrate successes or is it just another day on the wheel? How do you give room for others to make contributions? Are you a bully, pleaser, avoider or procrastinator?
Next is critical: I like to call it Integrity Crossroads, for short “IC.”
This is the time when a powerful choice is made. It’s the window of opportunity that separates the boys from the men, the girls from the women. Here is where you commit to real transformation.
This is where you make an informed choice to change the underlying areas that keep showing up every time you are ready for great success and is rarely talked about when change is in the air.
The Integrity Crossroads is where you do a deeper self-analysis and a team analysis. Remember Bill Murray, as a newscaster caught in a time loop repeating the same things over and over day after day. Please, don’t keep doing a variation of the film “Groundhog Day” ad nauseam.
Now, you and your team are ready for the final stage of the Gap Analysis. You are in a great position to define the action items. This is where you develop a road map. It includes day to day processes, such as who will take responsibility for new technology, for social media, for personal outreach.
Remember that the Gap Analysis is both cyclical and interactive.
Each time you stand at the edge of a cliff because what you have been doing will no longer work as effectively, please consider that this 5 part plan, including revamping patterns and pausing at the integrity crossroads will enhance strengths and eliminate barriers to success.
Originally published at Inc