Are You Blind?

“We all have our strengths, our weaknesses, our styles of learning, our personalities. Developing introspective sensitivity to these issues is critical to long-term success.” – Joshua Waitzkin

Joshua couldn’t have said it better. We all have areas in which we know we shine and we all have our blind spots, or parts of us that we might not be aware of, but could greatly benefit from recognizing.
Ignore these blind spots and you’re harming your ability to lead effectively. Why? Blind spots left unchecked can hurt your team and even the entire organization. They will stunt growth and prevent you from reaching your full potential as a leader.

Now, just because you have blind spots, doesn’t mean you’re not already a great leader. But if you could become a better leader just by paying more attention to yourself, why wouldn’t you?
So what are blind spots, exactly? They are areas of your personality or life where you don’t see your own faults or where you’re not seeing things realistically and they can stunt your growth if left unattended. To get a better idea, let’s look at three common blind spots and how you can begin to address them to improve your leadership abilities.

1. Ego
This is a big one. An out-of-control ego can wreak havoc in many areas of your life, especially in a leadership role. Ego can cause you to think only of yourself, but leadership is about the bigger picture. Ego can also cause you to assume that everyone else is, thinks, or should think the same way you do. This mindset is dangerous and leads to tunnel vision and closed mindedness, which can cause you to pass on good ideas or fail to recognize feedback that you should take into consideration. And possibly the worst effect of an unchecked ego? It can result in lowered morale and a loss of respect.

Start to address it: Express gratitude often, give credit where credit is due, listen to the ideas and concerns of others (and actually consider them), accept blame when you should, recognize that others have skills and talents you might not have and that’s a good thing.

2. Insecurity
Do you feel threatened by the success or growth of others? Do you find yourself limiting your followers’ access to information, other leaders, or resources? Is it difficult to say thank you or give credit where credit is due? Or maybe you don’t have these specific problems, but you’re just not as confident as you should be. If this sounds like you, you might have some work do around your insecurities.

Start to address it: Seek out a mentor, coach, or counselor, pay attention to when insecurities come up so you can get to the root of the insecurity and do the work to overcome it, recognize that everyone has insecurities and things they can work on – they’re an essential part of growth and you shouldn’t let them get in the way.

3. Communication
This can be a hard one to spot. Often times, we think we’re communicating enough information effectively when in reality, we’re not. Or at least not for everyone. Some people naturally want and need less information, but some want and even need more to feel like they’re in the know. Poorly communicating strategic direction, feedback, expectations, and priorities will not only affect your team, but can ultimately have an impact on the entire organization. Under-communicating during times of change can also be detrimental – leaving employees uncertain and wondering if they should jump before the ship sinks.

Start to address it: Ask for feedback from your team and from mentors, make a conscious effort to communicate important initiatives or changes and be very specific and straightforward (yet positive) when giving direction or feedback.

Bottom Line
To become the best leader possible, you must work on your blind spots. First, you’ll need to identify and understand them. Even that first step of acknowledging them, will start you on your way to improvement.

Once you know your blind spots, pay attention to where they come into play. That awareness will allow you to reflect on why they’re doing so and help you understand them even more.

If you have a hard time identifying your blind spots, that itself might be a blind spot. Or you just may need more time to reflect or pay attention to where you can improve.

One quick way to find out is to ask those you trust for feedback to help you identify them. Then, look for ways to increase your awareness and make proactive changes by seeking out personal growth resources or enlist the help of a business coach. Happy growing!