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A diagnostic I share 1:1 with leaders navigating high-pressure roles
The Pressure Gap Diagnostic
The Pressure Gap Diagnostic is a brief reflection tool
Most leadership strain under pressure does not come from a lack of effort or capability.
It comes from invisible mismatches between what the role demands and what the system is actually set up to support.
This diagnostic helps leaders pause long enough to see those mismatches clearly.
This is often a useful starting point before a Pressure Mapping Conversation.
What this diagnostic is
The Pressure Gap Diagnostic is a brief, self-guided reflection tool.
It helps leaders notice where strain is coming from when things feel heavier than they logically should:
Where expectations have expanded faster than capacity
Where clarity exists but execution still feels heavier than it should
Where pressure is being absorbed personally instead of structurally
It is not an assessment.
It is not scored.
Nothing is submitted or shared unless you choose to discuss it.
When this is most useful
Leaders tend to find this diagnostic most helpful when:
They are operating in a highly visible or newly expanded role
The business is growing, integrating, or changing faster than roles are adapting
They feel accountable for outcomes without corresponding authority or support
Things feel harder than they logically should, even when the strategy is sound
How I suggest using it
This works best when you:
Move through it once, without trying to get it “right”
Note where you feel tension or hesitation in your responses
Pay attention to what feels familiar rather than surprising
The goal is not to fix anything yet.
The goal is to name what is actually happening.
What usually happens next
Leaders often recognize themselves in the patterns that emerge before they know what to do about them.
That recognition is usually the signal.
If it feels useful to compare notes after reviewing it, a Pressure Mapping Conversation can help make sense of what you’re seeing.
Explore the diagnostic
Short reflection, approximately 3 minutes
Nothing is submitted, stored, or shared.