What is your leadership blind spot? We all have them – it’s just a case of knowing what it is and dealing with it.
Robert Shaw has written a new book called Leadership Blind Spots: How Successful Leaders Identify and Overcome The Weaknesses That Matter (Josey-Bass, 2014) which looks at this issue.
The book was recently reviewed in BusinessNewsDaily.com, which revealed the top 5 leadership blind spots and some strategies to overcome them:
1. The strategic thinking blind spot
You have been promoted because you are good at your job, but in leadership, that is not enough. Now you need to focus more on strategic thinking than operations. This blind spot is about being a short term rather than long term thinker, about meddling in operations rather than developing strategy.
2. The know-it-all blind spot
Do you always assume you are the smartest person in the room? Then you have this blind spot. Being too focused on your own views, always assuming you have the right answer to everything can mean you miss out on many other viable (and often better) options.
3. The unbalanced blind spot
What is more important – results or process? Both actually. It’s about getting the right balance between “winning at all costs” and ensuring you have positive teams and engaged employees.
4. The assumption blind spot
Not everyone is like you – thankfully. Or me for that matter (even more cause for relief). This blind spot occurs where leaders assume that everyone thinks like them, and is motivated by the same things. This only leads to poor decisions and often bad people relations.
5. The stuck-in-the-past blind spot
Have you, like me, been there and done that? This thinking leads to leaders mistakenly thinking they have been promoted because of how good they did things in the past, rather than for the potential they have for doing a better job in the future. It is important to see challenges in the light of current circumstances, not from the past.
Now that we know what our blind spots are, how do we deal with them? Shaw has strategies to do just that, and three of them are:
a. Have a warning system in place – trusted people who tell you when you are heading for trouble
b. Build a good team – a diverse group who can challenge and work together
c. Assess yourself – honestly and with feedback from those around you.
The Avondale Business School can help you and your team develop leadership skills – find out how by contacting Warrick Long at the Avondale Business School.
P: 02 4980 2168