Leadership Blindspots
Leadership blind-spots is not a new or recent phenomenon, they have existed since man started to work collectively to achieve goals. What’s most profound about leadership blind-spots is that they’re not often recognized, much less understood. Arguably, they’re recognized most obviously by those being led, hence “blind-spot”. That begs the question, how does an individual or even an organization identify and become more aware of their current and potential blind-spots? More importantly, why is that important or beneficial to the leader, organization and follower? This post will seek to shed a bit of light, or dare I say, understanding of this ongoing concern.
I’ll start with vision/direction, more accurately not sharing either. The literature is rife with articles describing direction being more of a management function and the destination a leadership function. Go North, turn right at the stop sign, after 3-blocks…stop! Where does that take us? Recall driving and not being told where, exactly, you were going. Not a comfortable recollection, do you remember what it felt like behind the wheel wondering where you were going and what was going to be there? Google Maps (management) did a great job of directing you there, but where is there? Leadership’s job is to share, at the beginning of the journey; where you are going, why you are going and what you will find when you get there. Sharing the vision can be a far reaching, impactful practice. It can absolutely affect both internal and external stakeholders.
Not behaving in a genuine, authentic manner will be identified immediately, and a frequent “blind-spot” for many in a leadership role. We’ve all heard the saying, “It’s not what you say…it’s what you do.” Sharing your vision is more than just words. Are you “living” the vision? Are you behaving as a leader in ways that support that vision? Easier said than done right? This step requires understanding and forethought. Behaviors need to be genuine and come from a place true belief. Belief in the vision, and in the people (managers & staff) selected to be on that journey. You won’t get there alone. If you’re not familiar with Servant Leadership (SL), I highly recommend doing a bit of research to familiarize yourself with it. SL is a leadership concept developed by Robert Greenleaf, inspired by a novel (Journey to the East) written by Herman Hess.
The first step in any development activity is to assess the current landscape. We don’t know what we don’t know. There are many, many leadership assessment instruments/tools. Starting with your own to gain a better understanding of yourself, leadership capacity and your own “default settings” (leadership perceptions) is a good first step. Do due diligence and research various, vetted tools. If you’re going to invest the time, spend that time wisely. The Myers-Briggs (MBTI) or the Keirsey Temperament Sorter (KTS) is a good place to start.
Early in this post I wrote, “It’s not what you say…it’s what you DO.” I’ll extend that to another critical behavior…communication. “It’s not what you say…it’s HOW you say it”. Poor communication skills account for significant work dissatisfaction in the workplace & is a common blind-spot. Again, also affecting both internal and external customers. One of the best things a leader can do to mitigate and avoid being labeled as a “poor communicator” is seek feedback. Be intentional and action oriented is eliciting feedback form those you lead and others around you. Soliciting this kind of feedback comes with a “fair warning” statement. Recognize the source, and their relationship with you and your position. Are they just telling you what they believe you want to hear? Remember, it’s not what you say, it’s how you say it. Couple that with your behavior (“…what you do.”). Solicit feedback and be genuine as to why. You want the good, the bad, and the ugly if your intention is to develop yourself and your skills. You have to be willing to develop yourself and take advantage to learning opportunities, especially if you ever hope to develop and improve the skill-set of others.
I’ll end this post with another blind-spot for leaders…not utilizing the whole team - effectively. Team dynamics is a fascinating concept to study and witness when it exists. Many different aspects of leadership come into play in capitalizing on team dynamics. Stay-tuned, more on this topic in subsequent posts. I will state my notion that one of the most (if not the most) crucial factors in highly effective team work is TRUST. Trust is a two-way street, it can be given and received. It can also be eroded and just taken away! How do you build trust? You start by offering trust first! If your expectation is that trust is automatic based on your role or positional authority, the team is already doomed.
Oye! So much more to share on this. I find myself getting pulled on many side streets on blind-spot avenue. What I’ve chosen to highlight is by NO means exhaustive, merely what I’ve noticed as the most prevalent and easily recognized. What are your thoughts and experiences with leadership blind-spots? As always, thanks for reading and feedback is greatly appreciated…the good, the bad and the ugly. Happy Day J
