Leadership teams are falling short of their strategic objectives—and the reason is hiding in plain sight. When asked about their organization's readiness to achieve its goals, nearly 80% of leadership teams demonstrate significant misalignment, either among themselves or with their direct reports. More troubling? Many don't even know this gap exists.

"What kills success is not the knowns, it's the unknowns—or worse—the ignored."

Over three years of deploying CMG's ThriveNumber™, we've witnessed this reality repeatedly. Our simple visualization tool reveals the stark difference between leaders' confidence in their organization’s readiness and their direct reports' views—those responsible for day-to-day execution and results. The gaps exposed are often startling.

Consider a recent ThriveNumber session. As leaders examined their visualization, the room fell silent. Then, a single expletive broke the stillness, quickly followed by a cascade of voices as the leadership team processed the revelation: their direct reports had fundamentally different views about the organization's ability to succeed.

While such misalignment might seem like a barrier to success, our experience suggests otherwise. These moments of discovery—what we call "gaps of opportunity"—become catalysts for transformation. Why? Because making the unknown known and the ignored visible empowers leaders to accelerate organizational improvement. The sooner these misalignments are uncovered, the sooner they can be resolved.

Think of these gaps as weaknesses in your organization's connective tissue. Every enterprise possesses an inventory of strengths: strategy, technology, financial stability, or operational capabilities. But unlocking the full potential of these assets requires alignment across the organization. When connections are misaligned, performance suffers and goals remain unmet.

The highest performing organizations don't just accept these revelations—they celebrate them. They understand that exposed gaps not only explain missed financial targets and team frustrations but also present opportunities for growth. More importantly, they recognize that awareness creates choice: the power to act, resolve, and transform.

Ready to discover your gaps of opportunity? The path forward starts with asking the right questions to the right stakeholders. That’s why we developed ThriveNumber™—to illuminate the unknown, align your teams, and accelerate your success.

In 2025, thriving organizations won't be those without gaps, but those brave enough to expose and address them.