Blind Spots Can Be Managed, Right?
How do you recognize blind spots? It seems realistic that you don’t know what you don’t know, but what should you do?
Everyone probably has some blind spots. Something with their personality, their drive, or their leadership ability that they just don’t see or else they fail to acknowledge.
First Steps
If you’re looking for personal improvement you might consider that you have at least two areas to assess. You’ll have to manage what you know that don’t know, and you’ll have to learn more about what you don’t know that you don’t know.
Sounds a little tricky but consider thinking about it like this.
You might recognize that you need to learn more about being an effective communicator or managing conflict. You’ll also probably recognize that you’ll have to set some specific goals to improve your skills and reduce wasted time, effort, or other inefficiencies. This is what you recognize that you don’t know, or that needs improvement.
Blind spots are different because they represent something you don’t know or recognize. Otherwise, they fall into the first category and they aren’t really a blind spot, right? Blind spots might require you to become more socially aware, ask others for feedback, or consider some careful self-reflection.
Recognizing Blind Spots
In the workplace we might have some common areas for blind spots. Here are a few of them:
- Ineffective Decisions. You jump in too quickly, or you fail to consider data, input, and benchmarks. Of course the opposite can be true too. You overanalyze or inappropriately anchor to input, observations, or past experiences.
- Goal Management. You set unrealistic goals or goals that might be attainable but only with increased resources, capital investments, or time, none of which you might have. This results in chronic failures, setbacks, and reduced morale.
- Perfectionism. A belief that you have to be perfect at everything. Causing burn out for yourself, your team, or creating a feeling of nothing is ever good enough. Time might be wasted or misused.
- Poor Listening. Failure to solicit input from others, or a belief that others have little to offer. Failure to discern fact from opinion. Listening to respond instead of listening to understand.
- Wrong Focus. A chronic focus on issues or problems that aren’t directly connected to the goals or mission. Perhaps being concerned only with a personal agenda instead of what is best for the group.
Managing Blind Spots
No joke, the first step might be admitting or recognizing that a blind spot exists, this is often half of the battle. Once you know of a blind spot you’ll need to take the appropriate corrective action.
Consider how you might learn more. Find articles, books, podcasts, or videos that relate to appropriate corrective actions.
Attend workshops, seminars, or select related sessions at an annual conference or convention. Too often people attend sessions that they like which may not be what they need.
Get coaching, mentoring, or otherwise seek feedback and recognize that although sometimes painful, others might have a point or they might be right. Stay open minded and reflective, not all feedback is well constructed or appropriate but be receptive to listening more.
Be committed that there is more to know and ways to grow. Focus on developing your greatest talents while also improving some weaknesses.
Can blind spots be managed? Yes, when they are recognized.
– DEG
Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and corporate trainer that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is a four-time author and some of his work includes, Forgotten Respect, Navigating A Multigenerational Workforce and Pivot and Accelerate, The Next Move Is Yours! Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.
