If you’ve been to London and traveled by train, you know that while there, it’s important to “MIND THE GAP”.

First day there, as I heard “MIND THE GAP” over and over and saw it painted on the edge of train platforms, I thought, “well of course I’m going to mind the gap”.  It seemed like a no brainer.  Much ado about nothing.

During the next few days, I saw that the gap between platform and train varied quite a bit from station to station.  Sometimes the platform was  straight and sometimes curved.  Height varied too.  So sometimes  it required a baby step onto or off the train.  And sometimes a giant step.  Sometimes up and sometimes down.

For many years, drivers and station attendants reminded passengers but then it became impractical.   They needed a new way  – a short message for signs and automated announcements – to keep passengers from tripping or even worse, falling into the gap.   And that’s how the phrase “MIND THE GAP” came to be over there.

By the time I left, it hit me how useful the phrase could be here as well.   For a different type of gap.

People set lots of goals for themselves and their team members.   They want to get from here to there.   Sometimes it just takes a few  baby steps.   Sometimes a giant step or  maybe even a leap of faith.  And then sometimes they trip.  Or they get tired.  Or discouraged.  Or distracted.  And they end  up staying on the platform.  Or staying on the same train even though another route would be better.  Maybe even forgetting all about the gap….the gap between where they are and where they wanted to be.

That’s a shame.

Just imagine the difference it would make for productivity, morale and overall performance if  they had frequent and consistent reminders, plus appropriate  coaching, to help them MIND THE GAP.

How to do that?

Read:  10 Tips for Minding the Gap

And post:  Quote of the Week:  MIND THE GAP

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2011-2012