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Capability Gap

Plain English

The gap between what you can do and what you need to do.

Definition

A gap is the difference between the capabilities an organisation currently has and those it needs to achieve its goals.

In practice

Used to identify areas where investment, hiring, or changes are required.

In context

Naming it changes the conversation from blame to procurement. The team is not underperforming; they have been asked to do something the organisation cannot yet do.

The reality

gaps are often known but ignored until they become critical blockers.

Compared with

Capability Gap vs Skills Gap

A skills gap is missing expertise in people and can be hired or trained. A gap can also come from , tooling, or structure. Hiring into a structural gap frustrates the people you hired.

FAQ

Common questions

A few practical answers to the questions that usually come up around this term.

What is a capability gap?

It is the difference between current and required capabilities.

Why are capability gaps important?

They highlight where improvement or investment is needed.

How do you identify capability gaps?

By comparing current abilities with business goals.

How do you close a capability gap?

Through training, hiring, or improving and .

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