My personal belief is that as leaders, our journey is a perpetual learning curve.
I believe we are never “done” and that there is always something we could be more effective at whether that is building and honing a current strengths or learning how to do something we don’t yet know how to do.
Acknowledging that we have blind spots is a first crucial step towards continuous growth, not only personally, but also for our teams and our business.
Here are the 5 blind spots that I believe leaders often overlook:
- Self-awareness gap: A lack of self-awareness can lead to misguided decisions, hinder personal development and will ultimately harm relationships, undermine trust and doom the culture in your business. Being unaware of your impact on yourself, your peers and your team and not understanding how others experience you, is one of the biggest causes of stress, frustration and overwhelm I see when working with leaders. This is only followed by becoming more aware…. and then choosing to do nothing about it. Those who regularly invest time in self-reflection, seek feedback from peers, subordinates, and mentors and embrace tools like personality assessments, 360-degree feedback, coaches and mentors to gain insights into their leadership style and impact, are more confident, less stressed and overwhelmed and have happier teams. And better business results.
- Failure to communicate effectively: Communication is the lifeline of leadership. Leaders often underestimate the impact of clear and transparent communication. I often hear things like “well I told them and they didn’t listen”, or “it was in the memo”, or “it’s obvious isn’t it, I shouldn’t have to spell it out” . The best Leaders will avoid assumptions and ensure their messages are not only heard but also understood by everyone on their team. Prioritising clear, transparent, and consistent communication, actively listening to team members, and ensuring that your messages are tailored to the audience using various communication channels to reach different team members effectively, is key. Invest in communication training for yourself and your team.
- Overemphasis on authority: Effective leadership isn’t about wielding power; how senior your are or how many stripes you have on your badge. It’s about inspiring, motivating and empowering others. Leaders who rely on their authority risk alienating their teams and creatin toxic cultures. When you nurture collaboration and actively seek input from team members, you build relationships and learn to trust, you create an environment where everyone’s contributions are valued. Empowering others to make decisions within their areas of expertise and creating open channels for communication, where team members feel comfortable expressing their ideas and concerns without fear of ridicule or retribution will get you much more that using the power of the badge..
- Resistance to change: In today’s dynamic world, adaptability is crucial. Leaders who resist change hinder business progress. Embrace a mindset that sees change as an opportunity for improvement, fostering innovation and resilience within your team. Stay informed about industry trends and emerging technologies. Encourage a culture of experimentation and learning from failures. Communicate the benefits of change clearly and involve the team in the decision-making process.
- Neglecting employee well-being: Leaders sometimes focus so much on achieving business goals that they overlook the well-being of themselves and their team members. This leads to issues like micromanagement, presenteeism, high sickness, high turnover, stress and more. Prioritise a healthy work-life balance, provide support, and cultivate an environment where mental and emotional health are valued. Encourage breaks, (including taking them yourself) flexible schedules, and time off when needed. Actively promote mental health awareness and provide resources such as counselling services. Lead by example by demonstrating a healthy work-life balance.
What other blindspots have you encountered?
Share your thoughts and strategies on addressing blind spots in the comments.
Together, we can build stronger, more resilient leadership. 💪
Points to ponder:
- What are your blind spots? and how are they hindering your current personal and business performance?
- What are your strengths and how are they supporting your current personal and business performance?
- What thoughts and actions might you have to change in order for you to get there?
- What will you be saying in January 2025 about the year you have just had?