Mind the Gap Model

Big change projects stumble not because the plan is wrong but because managers overlook three fundamental failure modes. The Mind the Gap Model forces you to ask whether stakeholders truly understand the change (clarity), whether the organization can actually do it (ability), and whether they want to do it (willingness). By framing the problem this way you stop treating every obstacle as a generic risk and start targeting the root cause.

Clarity issues surface when the change message is vague, unrealistic, or conflicts with existing priorities. Specificity ambiguity leaves people unsure what to do, credibility ambiguity makes the effort seem impossible, and consistency ambiguity creates competing focus. Ability barriers appear as locked-in contracts, missing resources, or an inability to learn new ways quickly. Willingness resistance shows up as political pushback, cognitive disbelief, or emotional fear. Each of the nine challenges is a concrete symptom you can observe and address.

The model's value is in its checklist nature: as you rollout a transformation, watch for signals of each ambiguity, barrier, or resistance and tailor your response-clarify the vision, unlock resources, or address the emotional concerns. If the gap remains too wide, consider scaling back the scope. This pragmatic approach lets technical leaders keep change initiatives grounded in reality rather than abstract plans.