Seeing The Leadership Blind Spots

I have written and posted about ‘blind spots’ before in Overcoming Hidden Challenges in Leadership, Why You Should Read “What Are Your Blind Spots?”, and The Blind Spots Identified. Then yesterday I heard the phrase, “Overconfidence creates blind spots.” That creates an entirely new train of thought. As leaders we need to be aware that overconfidence can lead to a lack of awareness regarding potential risks and challenges.

This was a good reminder of the risks of excessive self-assurance. We must remain open to new ideas and perspectives. Overconfidence may cause us to dismiss valuable input from others, leading to missed opportunities for improvement. We need to be careful of overconfidence leading to confirmation bias, where we begin seeking out information that supports our own beliefs while disregarding evidence that contradicts them. This further entrenches our blind spots, as we may not actively seek diverse viewpoints or consider the full range of possibilities.

We need to be careful not to ignore feedback, dismiss others’ input, or fail to recognize potential risks. Further mitigation of the blind spots would be to cultivate humility, encourage open dialogue, and foster a community where questioning and constructive criticism are welcomed.

Byron's Babbles