Every one of us, regardless of position, has blind spots; even for the self-aware, there are areas that you don’t see but others can.
Every leader has natural strengths and aspects of leadership that we know we are good at and which set us apart from the rest, as well as areas that we know we need to work on and improve.
However, there are also many qualities and aspects about us that are not known to us; these unrecognised weaknesses can hinder our success and, over time, create patterns of behaviours and beliefs that get in the way of our success.
To truly be effective, a leader must unearth what the habits and attitudes that drive how they lead, yet that invisible to them.
But by the very nature of blind spots, they are difficult to see. In fact, it can be incredibly challenging to see ourselves as we actually are.
Even our physical form is distorted by the reversed and often disproportionately sized image of ourselves in the mirror. In practice, this means that we make assumptions about how we are and act based on our memories and experiences throughout our lifetimes. And a gap can open between the image of ourselves we’ve spent our life creating and the reality of who we really are.
And in practice, we believe we are acting one way when, to others, it is perceived quite differently.
Building true self awareness isn’t simply about building insight into your strengths but also getting a broader and objective view of your approach, and it is one of the biggest gaps for leaders today.
The more senior you get, the more entrenched your style and approach become, and the less likely you are to receive feedback on what you need to work on. Because there is always work to do. The best leaders don’t make assumptions that they know everything about the way they lead and the impact on their business.
“We can be blind to the obvious, and we are also blind to our blindness.”
Daniel Khaneman
Time after time research shows that leaders who fully understand their impact on those around them are more effective and successful leaders. But you can’t fix what you can’t see.
Because weaknesses that we know about are manageable. It’s the weaknesses we don’t know about that are the biggest threat.
To get you started, here are four things to help you discover what you’re not seeing about the way you lead.
Model: The Johari Window Model is a simple tool that highlights the complexity of your relationship with yourself and others. The most valuable and uncomfortable insights focus on the right-hand side, rather than the left.
Think about what you have learned about yourself over the last 6 months, as well as the feedback you have received.
Which quadrant of the grid did it centre on the most? Was it based on things that you were already aware of, or highlighting potential blind spots?
What could be driving that?
What can you change in your quest for feedback that would introduce a different focus?
Reflect: Research by Dale Carnegie & Associates found that there are four common blind spots that leaders experience.
Showing appreciation - with either the genuinity of it or the frequency falling short
Admitting when they are wrong - a quality found to be essential to team motivation, yet demonstrated far less than required by leaders
Truly listening - less than 50% of respondents said they were confident that their leader truly listened to them
Honesty with self or others - honesty can take many forms, and often linked with a team members perception of openness with others
Some of these areas are ones that you may feel are natural strengths or others may be areas where you know in your heart there is work to do. What does your gut tell you?
Learn: Your instincts are useful, but we know they are distorted. Asking for feedback from those around you is one of the best ways to get a clearer picture.
You may have access to formal channels - through 360 exercises or coaches like me can facilitate a more personal 360 feedback exercise for you - drawing out through conversation what the people you lead really think.
For a DIY approach, ask yourself:
Who do I really trust to give me feedback? Who are my core circle of advisors?
What questions do I need to be asking them to go deeper and learn more about the things I can’t see?
Who will I start with?
Culture: Creating an environment where people can share with you what they see - and what you don’t - is critical. This means creating a deeper level of trust in which people to take the risk and feel comfortable doing so. If you’re not hearing true honest feedback from your team you need to explore why, remove the blockers and then find it - because it is there.
And individual leadership blind spots can multiply exponentially when combined; especially if you all share similar working styles. Think about your existing leadership team.
What collective strengths do you have?
What then are the natural flip sides and risks associated with those strengths?
What could be a first step to understanding how your leadership team or Board perceived by those around you relative to how you want to be seen?
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