In this post, you will:
Learn what are blind spots.
Ways to identify blind spots.
Practical strategies to uncover and overcome blind spots.
The term blind spot is used to describe the area just outside your peripheral vision. Used regularly within driving scenarios, blind spots refer to areas where you may be open to causing an accident because you could not see the other car.
Within life and leadership, blind spots refer to emotional areas in your life that you are not seeing.
These areas may cause ‘accidents’ that leave you puzzled at how it could happen.
Some time ago I was asked to give input into a certain issue within the organization that I serve. I was offended and responded harshly, thinking that the intent of the request was second-guessing my leadership within the area of question. One of the leaders responded, and seemingly out of nowhere, said that they asked for my input because they valued what I had to say. I sat back in my chair wondering what I had missed and why I responded like I did. At that moment I discovered a blind spot that almost resulted in an ‘accident’ that could have damaged my leadership and influence.
Grow in self-awareness:
One of the Reformers John Calvin said the following, “Nearly all wisdom we possess, that is to say, true and sound wisdom, consists of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves.” The Apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 12 about how Christ's power is perfected in his weakness. This speaks to me about leaning into Christ, especially in the areas we are weaker. This ties in with Calvin’s take on wisdom as having knowledge of God and self.
The key to overcoming blind spots is self-awareness.
Don’t get me wrong, we are not focusing here on weaknesses, but rather managing weak areas of ourselves to lead and live from strength. John Maxwell in his book The Self-Aware Leader makes a statement that most leaders fail because of a lack of self-awareness. Before we unpack practical steps to assist in growing our self-awareness we need to define self-awareness.
Self-awareness can be defined as the way we view ourselves, and the impact we have on others.
Take a step to grow self-awareness.
Examine your own work:
Galatians 6:3-4 “If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else...” (NIV)
By intentionally examining our own work we create opportunities for reflection to understand why we reacted the way we did while interacting with others.
It’s the principle of starting with the man in the mirror. As people, we tend to mask our own failings by highlighting the failings of others. When we start with ourselves, we take ownership and responsibility for ourselves, the good and the bad. When we fail to reflect on our own behavior, we set ourselves up for failure and disappointment.
Coaching yourself to examine yourself in a healthy way can uncover blind spots as well as create awareness of an appreciation for the work of others.
Coach U - Identify and grow
The first thing to uncover blind spots is to identify reactions instead of responses. Be on the lookout for reactions out of emotion or without consideration. Next, ask yourself, what made me react in that way? What is behind the emotional response?
The next step is to ask yourself, what can I do differently next time? We want to respond to people in a respectful way that builds trust and healthy relationships.
Keep an eye out for our next blog post which will share more tips on coaching yourself for growth in self-awareness and overcoming blind spots.
Want more coaching, why not consider 1on1 or group coaching? For more information be sure to contact us.
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© 2023 Ivan Venter, All Rights Reserved.
Photo by Osarugue Igbinoba on Unsplash
What an insightful post. I was prompted to think about some reactions I have had in past situations.