The Execution Gap - Where strategy becomes performance

Karen Griffin (MSc, MBA, Pgdip, FCIPD)

The Execution Gap is Space2BE's premium advisory podcast for Chairs, CEOs, Boards and Executive Teams. It exists to explore the space between strategy and execution - the decisions, dynamics and judgement calls that determine whether a good strategy gets delivered.

  1. 10h ago

    HeartMath with Gavin Andrews: Coherence and the Physiology of Judgement

    In this episode, I'm joined by Gavin Andrews to look at something that sits underneath almost every leadership decision but rarely gets discussed directly: the physiological state a leader is in when they make the call. Executives operate under near-constant load — competing demands, incomplete information, decisions made in real time, often under scrutiny from boards, investors or their own teams. That load doesn't just affect how someone feels. It affects how they think, how they read a room, and how well they hold their position under pressure. Gavin works with HeartMath, a body of research and practice built around a physiological state called coherence — a measurable shift in heart-rhythm patterns linked to clearer thinking, better emotional regulation and steadier decision-making under stress. We talk about what coherence is, the evidence behind it, and why it's increasingly used by executives and organisations who need people to perform reliably when the pressure is highest, not just when conditions are easy. One point worth sitting with: coherence widens the gap between stimulus and response. Instead of a leader's next move being dictated by whatever just landed in their inbox or their boardroom, there's more room to choose the state they operate from — and, by extension, the judgement they bring to what happens next. This isn't left as theory. Gavin walks through a couple of HeartMath techniques that can be used in the moment — before a difficult conversation or a high-stakes decision — to shift out of reactivity and back into a state where clear judgement is actually possible. If you've felt your own decision-making degrade under sustained pressure, or you're responsible for people whose does, this conversation gets specific about why that happens and what can be done about it. Gavin also points to where to find out more about HeartMath's research and tools for anyone who wants to take this further. What does coherence actually look like at the top of an organisation — and what's the cost of operating without it? HeartMath UK & IRL website: www.heartmath.co.ukHeartMath Experience – 90 min free online programme: https://www.heartmath.co.uk/product/experience/Inner Balance Coherence Plus: https://www.heartmath.co.uk/product/inner-balance-coherence-plus/

  2. 07/12/2024

    Podcast 32 - Leader as Healer with Nicholas Janni

    “Leader as Healer” - a great book with serious messages for leaders in the 21st century. We were delighted to interview Nicholas Janni, Author of Business Book of the Year 2023, Visiting Lecturer to the IMD in Switzerland and co-founder of Matrix Development. https://www.nicholasjanni.com/ https://www.nicholasjanni.com/book-leader-as-healer/ Key timings 6.45 mins – Why healing? 8.15 mins – What is the evidence that leader as healer is the right change for humanity to focus ...

  3. 07/01/2024

    Podcast 31 - Tailored Approaches to Self- Leadership with Grant ‘Upbeat’ Bosnick

    We are pleased to share our latest podcast: Tailored Approaches to Self-Leadership with Grant ‘Upbeat’ Bosnick, Award winning Author, Keynote Speaker and Founder of Upbeat®, a lively conversation with rich examples supporting anyone on a self or team leadership journey. *If you’re driving whilst listening- please ignore the invitation to practise the techniques! www.grantbosnick.com www.selfleadershipassessment.com www.linkedin.com/in/grantbosnick/ Book: https://grantbosn...

  4. 04/18/2024

    Podcast 30 - Leader Awakened with Samreen McGregor

    4.30 mins - How is trauma impacting organisation outcomes 8.00 mins - Defining trauma 14.30 mins – What can leaders do to support team members with trauma 18.45 mins – An introduction to the Trauma Spectrum 25.30 mins - What is flow in the workplace 28.45 mins - Ideas for creating a proactive system for trauma in an organisation 39.00 mins – Can an organisation be high performing if they don’t really know each other

  5. 02/29/2024

    Podcast 29 - Creating Thriving Work Places with Kate Lanz

    Key Timings 1.30 min – Kate’s top 3 prerequisites for a thriving business culture 5.45 min – How the importance of looking after yourself help you thrive 7.35 min – How can the London Protocol of Emotions diagram be applied in business 12.40 min – How can Rich Communication help all to thrive 16.45 min - What is Kate’s plea on the topic of Thrive

  6. 02/05/2024

    Podcast 28 - The Power of Introverted Leadership with Amanda Bolger

    2.15 minutes - What do we mean by introversion 5.05 minutes – What is the data between introversion and extroversion in leaders 8.25 minutes – What are the differences between those with a preferences in introversion or extroversion 12.20 minutes – Tips for introverts and extroverts to optimise work performance and get the best out of each other 15.55 minutes – Tips for introverts and extroverts in meetings

  7. 01/11/2024

    Episode 27: Authenticity with Bill Critchley

    Key timings: 1.45 min - Concerns about authenticity 8.05 min – Consistency with leaders 11.55 min – What can leaders focus on to improve their impact18.55 min – Is there such a thing as an ‘expert’ 20.15 min – Inclusive leadership

  8. 12/15/2023

    Episode 26: Self Awareness with Pamela Fay

    In this episode, we discuss self awareness and personal leadership with Pamela Fay. Some resources mentioned on the podcast: Dr Geoff Pelham talk on the responsibility of leaders to set the mood in teams: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFlCj6wM6CU Kahlers Drivers: https://learn.nes.nhs.scot/27427 Charlotte Sills Life Script Chapter in https://www.routledge.com/Relational-Team-Coaching/de-Haan-Stoffels/p/book/9781032351957# Relational Change: http://www.relationalchange.org/ Oscailt Se...

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The Execution Gap is Space2BE's premium advisory podcast for Chairs, CEOs, Boards and Executive Teams. It exists to explore the space between strategy and execution - the decisions, dynamics and judgement calls that determine whether a good strategy gets delivered.

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