How to Find and Fix Your Leadership Blind Spots
Every leader has them. They’re the traits, behaviors, or decision-making patterns that we cannot see in ourselves, even when they’re painfully obvious to others. In the world of performance management, these are known as blind spots. They can stall growth, damage team morale, and limit your potential.
If you’re looking to take your career to the next level, leveraging business coaching services is one of the most effective ways to identify these gaps. But before you bring in an expert, there is work you can start doing on your own to increase your self-awareness.
The Four Pillars of Self-Awareness
The temptation to “fix” blind spots is a misnomer. The strength of a team does not come from us changing who we are to attempt to be more effective, rather we honestly support each other by openly discussing our blind spots and utilize the strengths of one another to meet the need in the moment. That requires us to be proactive. By adopting a proactive mindset, you can turn your liabilities into areas of growth. Here’s how you can get started.
1.) Chase Feedback (and Listen!)
This is a difficult step, but it’s also rewarding. You must ask the people you trust (your team, your mentors, and your peers) and specific questions like: “What am I missing about myself?” or “What’s it like to be on the other side of me?”
The key here is not just asking, but listening. Don’t explain away your behavior, don’t justify your actions, and don’t get defensive. Simply listen to their perspective and thank them for their honesty. Most people are terrified to tell a boss the truth. When you invite it, you gain access to information that you quite possibly could not have gained on your own, and more than likely a lot less painful.
2.) Audit Your Results
We’re often so busy running from one deadline to the next that we never look back at the trail we leave behind. Carve out time (ideally once a month) to reflect on your recent decisions. Look at your communication logs. Analyze the results of your major projects.
Are there recurring struggles? Are you noticing a pattern of friction in certain departments? When you treat your leadership as data, you can spot the trends that are holding you back.
3.) Diversify Your Perspective
We often surround ourselves with people who mirror our own thoughts, values, and decision-making styles. This is a comfort zone, but it’s also a breeding ground for blind spots. If everyone in your inner circle thinks like you, nobody is challenging your assumptions.
Make a conscious effort to surround yourself with people who hold different viewpoints (e.g. life, work, family, finances). When you’re exposed to different ways of solving problems, you become much better at recognizing the limitations of your own.
4.) Be a Habitual Learner
Leadership is not a static destination. It’s a lifetime of discovery! Stay curious and seek out new leadership insights, tools, and resources. Elevate your emotional and leadership IQ by reading widely, attending workshops, and continuously refining your approach. This will always give an opportunity to increase self-awareness.
When you adopt a “student of leadership” approach, you create a buffer against stagnation. You can approach your work with a sense of humility, recognizing that even the most successful leaders have room to grow. This curiosity also models behavior for your team, encouraging them to pursue their own professional development goals with the same fervor.
Why External Support Matters
While the steps above are important, having an objective partner is often the final piece of the puzzle. This is where professional business coaching services can become transformative. A coach helps you identify what you’re doing wrong and then helps you understand why you’re doing it, providing a structured framework toward change.
Without an external mirror, it’s easy to fall back into comfortable, ineffective routines. A coach acts as that mirror, holding you accountable for your growth and pushing you to lean into the discomfort of change. A coach helps you navigate the unknown and find those blind spots that are so deeply ingrained into your personality that you cannot spot them on your own.
Blind spots can rear their ugly heads when we’re not consciously focusing on them. But we can continue to work at our mental processes and habits to mitigate their potential liability. Diversifying your perspective, getting good feedback, and committing to lifelong learning will all help you build a better and more effective leadership style.
Are you ready to stop ignoring your blind spots and start growing? Has this helped you recognize that your blind spots may be limiting your impact and growth? Reach out to us today to learn how business coaching can help you reach your full potential.