Video Transcript
Well, hello again!
My book has 12 primary threads that will come to you naturally once you achieve the Systems Mindset. I discuss each one briefly at the end of The Preface to the 4th Edition.
Here’s the 9th one: “Mind the gap. Silence breeds paranoia. Don’t stop talking.”
Do you know the origination of this adage? Here’s Wikipedia’s take on it, slightly paraphrased:
“Mind the gap …is an audible or visual warning phrase issued to rail passengers to take caution while crossing the spatial gap between the train door and the station platform. The phrase was first introduced in 1968 on the London subway system (there, more often called the ‘underground’). Its become a popular term among tourists because of the particularly British word-choice (this meaning of the verb mind has largely fallen into disuse in the United States, for example). Because some platforms on the London underground are curved and the trains that use them are of course straight, an unsafe gap is created when a train stops at a curved platform. Some form of visual and auditory warning is needed to advise passengers of the risk of being caught unaware and sustaining injury by stepping into the gap. The phrase ‘mind the gap’ was chosen for this purpose and can be found painted along the edges of curved platforms as well as heard on recorded announcements played when a train arrives at many of the Underground stations.”
But I’ll repeat this segment of the paragraph, again slightly paraphrased, “Mind-the-gap is an auditory warning advising passengers of the risk of being caught unaware and sustaining injury by stepping into the gap.”
Mind the gap really is a perfect analogy for interpersonal relationships that are going downhill, ones that could end with the parties being caught “unaware and sustaining injury.” The point is that if there is an interpersonal disagreement, both parties should try hard to keep talking!
Silence breeds paranoia, and even contempt. Silence is the enemy. This is true for personal relationships, in corporate board rooms and in world affairs.
I talk more about this in my book at the end of Chapter 18, Hyper-Communications: Grease for the Wheels. It’s an illustration of how SO many people don’t perform even the very basics of good interpersonal communications.
That’s it for today! Thanks!
See you next time!