Leaders: Are you checking your blind spots?

I can recall times in my road trips over the years when I landed in one of two undesirable scenarios. Sometimes, my mind wanders while driving, and I arrive at my destination without any clear recollection of the trip. Other times, I set out for one destination but ended up at another, wondering how I got there. This usually happened because I wasn’t paying attention to catch a turnoff I needed to take or didn’t check my map frequently enough. In both cases, I missed the opportunity to manage my journey proactively. This can occasionally lead to interesting new experiences, but usually, it's just disruptive and discouraging.

As we travel the pothole-filled “highway” of our career development, we can forget to check our leadership “blind spots,” and we end up somewhere we didn’t intend to go. These “blind spots” are the gaps in our leadership capabilities and behaviors that everyone sees but us.

I polled my LinkedIn network a couple of weeks ago with the following question: What percentage of senior leaders (VP+) are aware of their “blind spot” issues that could become derailers for their careers? The majority of respondents (86%) believed 50% or more of leaders are unaware of their most critical gaps, and most of those (50%) believed 70% or more of leaders are unaware of their blind spots.

Consider these results in combination with data from Zenger Folkman (2018) that suggests that 30% of leaders have a fatal flaw that will likely have a dramatic and negative effect on their career. 

Consider your last leadership team meeting. Based on this assumption, 1/3 of the leaders in that room currently exhibit a major potential career derailer they likely don’t know about. The research also suggests that one significant blind spot can outweigh all other positive strengths in how others perceive a leader and their effectiveness overall.

Blind spots can include many issues, like overused or misused strengths or behaviors that arise when you are under significant stress. They can also be leadership areas where you haven’t built skills or don’t have interest or focus, but others want to see from you.

Over the years, I’ve seen leaders with many great strengths struggle to fulfill their potential because they weren’t aware of (or wouldn’t address) some key gap(s) in their skills or behavior. They get stuck at their current level, or even worse, they get promoted and fail at the next level.

The more senior you become, the less likely you are to hear honest feedback about your most significant opportunities. You may end up stalled in your career and wondering why.

It’s safe to assume you have at least one blind spot, likely more. So, how do you identify and address them?

• Ask a trusted colleague. Give them a safe space to be honest with you. Even then, assume you are getting a friendly version of the truth. In a previous article, I suggested asking others about your reputation “bumper sticker” in the organization. This can be a great way to start. You don’t just want to identify the issues; you also want to know how frequent or severe they are.

• Participate in 360 assessments and other psychometric assessments that provide reliable, valid data and insights you can use that reveal areas for development and describe how others likely perceive you. Some assessments will provide insights on your specific likely career derailers.

• Work with a coach (internal or external) who can provide independent feedback, gather input from your key stakeholders, and create a safe space and dedicated time for personal reflection.

• Consider the themes in the feedback you’ve received over the years. Is there anything you’ve often been told you need to do or do too much of?

As food for thought, the Center for Creative Leadership recognizes these five most common career derailers:

• Lack of resilience and ability to change

• Struggling to build and lead a team effectively

• Failure to deliver business results

• Unable to think and act strategically

• Difficulty working with others

Of course, it can be tough to ask for and receive a respected colleague's feedback on overlooked gaps. Here are some tips for receiving constructive input with grace:

• Listen without interrupting and reflect on what they are saying.

• Ask questions to ensure understanding and request examples, but avoid sounding defensive.

• Keep an open mind. Remember, these are gaps that you may not see, but others do, so your initial and natural reaction may be denial.

• Watch your body language, expression, and voice tone. If they believe you are not receiving their feedback well, they will likely stop sharing or soften the message too much to be valuable.

• Express your gratitude and ask for suggestions on what actions you could take.

If you feel yourself reacting emotionally, take a break and return to them when you are better prepared to accept the feedback with composure. A trusted advisor willing to tell you the truth is a valuable asset, so be careful not to shoot the messenger. 

Once you have identified potential blind spots, use that information to gather input from other trusted coworkers. Gathering different perspectives, confirming themes, and collecting more examples is helpful. The more input you have, the better you will understand the leadership skill or behavior you need to address or mitigate.

Give yourself some time to process and internalize the guidance you’ve received. This feedback can catalyze your growth and help you stay on track with your career goals. 

After receiving the gift of honest feedback about your potential career derailers, the hard work begins to address them proactively. In a future article, we'll discuss strategies for addressing blind spots in a structured way that enables you to keep your career on the road and avoid those potholes.