Page 47 - Fearless Leadership

34 FEARLESS LEADERSHIP

This chapter begins with how unidentified blind spots undermine lead-
ers and business results. We will examine the 10 most common blind spots
and how they not only limit one person’s success but everyone’s success.
Your blind spots affect everyone you work with, whether you intend to
impact others or not.

WHAT PREVENTS FEARLESS LEADERSHIP:
UNIDENTIFIED BLIND SPOTS
Blind spots are automatic behaviors that people readily see in others yet
avoid confronting in themselves. If I told you what blind spots you have,
you would deny them, or you would argue, debate, and defend why you
do what you do. At best, you might intellectually agree you have a blind
spot or two.
But let me be clear: you have blind spots. It does not matter how suc-
cessful you are. In fact, most successful leaders are unaware of two things:
(1) the impact of their blind spots on others and (2) the degree to which
others work around them and avoid confronting the real issues. What these
leaders fail to realize is how their behavior works against them in achiev-
ing the very results they want.
For many of us, the very idea that we might have a blind spot—some-
thing we cannot see—is uncomfortable and threatening. Behavioral blind
spots sound like character flaws, defects, or something that is wrong about
us. Even the language we use—such as “I was blindsided by what hap-
pened”—reinforces our dislike of not being in total control. We are social-
ized to believe we should not have any glaring weaknesses, especially those
that are concealed from our view.
Blind spots are not flaws, nor are they deliberate; they are unconscious
behaviors. For example, Joe, a leader of a business unit, was known for his
dual personality that went from being charming to having a sharp bite.
After learning about a serious financial problem in his area, he cornered
a direct report in the hallway, and while others watched, he ranted,
“What were you thinking about—how could you allow this to happen?”
By the end of his tirade, everyone within earshot had the energy drained
out of them and walked away in a daze. Joe felt better having expressed
his anger, but he was completely unaware of his detrimental impact on
his direct report and everyone else. He was blind to his blind spots.