Leadership Blindspots

• Blindspots stem from overconfidence, inexperience, too much information, emotional thinking, cognitive dissonance, poor incentives and “hierarchical distortions.”
• Every leader has blindspots. Understanding yours is a valuable insight.
• Blindspots can be good or bad. Figure out which ones to focus on and which to ignore
• Leadership requires asking the most revealing questions in the most effective way.
• To correct your blindspots, try to see things for yourself, look for contrary data, be aware of information others don’t see, get outside advice and test your ideas.

“Awareness of a blindspot doesn’t mean it disappears.”

“Blindspots are worthy of attention because the costs of neglecting them can be so high. A single blindspot in a critical area can undercut even the most talented leader.”

• “Review your mistakes for reoccurring weaknesses” – Ask yourself, “What are the most significant mistakes I have made?” “What were the causes of each mistake?” “Are there patterns or common elements across these mistakes?” “Do the patterns suggest reoccurring blindspots?” “What actions are needed...to prevent these mistakes from occurring again in the future?”
• “Solicit feedback from those with insight about you” – Ask your colleagues to evaluate your potential lack of awareness with regards to your staff, your company or its markets.

• "Self" - In the realm of "your own beliefs and behaviors," you fail to understand how you affect those around you.
• "Team" - When you evaluate "the capabilities and motives of your team," you do not accurately see members' strengths and weaknesses.
• "Company" - Your opinion about "the capabilities and culture of your organization" is flawed.
• "Market" - Leaders afflicted with this blindspot cannot judge "the trends and competitive threats in [their] industry" reliably or conceive future changes.

The main root causes of blind spots are:

• Experience gaps
• Information overload
• Emotional bias
• Cognitive dissonance
• Misaligned incentives
• Hierarchical distortions
• Overconfidence

Use these five techniques to increase your awareness of your blind spots:

• "See it for yourself" - Build your attention to your customers and markets.
• Seek out that which disconfirms what you believe - Act as a devil's advocate and question your own decisions.
• Develop peripheral vision - Meet one-on-one with your team members.
• Build a network of trusted advisers - Gather people to counsel you on markets and strategy, new technology, political dynamics, and your impact on your organization and workforce.
• Promote productive team fights - To recruit the right team members, seek the smartest

Our best leaders can serve two important roles: insiders who know how to make things happen, and outsiders who can see the bigger picture. They understand that blindspots can come back or be replaced, so they stay vigilant.

Key takeaways:

• Effective leaders play dual roles: insider and outsider
• Blindspots can reemerge or be replaced, so leaders must stay vigilant
• Being balanced is crucial for success