High-growth companies rarely stumble because of a weak market or a slow product team—they stumble because leaders fail to see the thing everyone else can. Blind-spots are the hidden tax on strategy, culture and profit. When you spot them early, you reclaim speed, trust and margin; ignore them and they compound into reputational headlines and missed quarters. Below is the field-tested process I use with CEOs to surface, name and neutralise blind-spots before they chew through the P&L.
Self-aware leaders deliver stronger returns, yet most executives materially overestimate their own clarity. Blind-spots distort decisions, crush psychological safety and create “ghost costs” in rework, turnover and brand damage. The fix isn’t another competency grid—it’s a disciplined practice of detection, feedback and habit rewiring.
Step 1 – Gather unfiltered data
Start with 360° interviews, pulse surveys and a fast psychometric scan. Raw, multi-angle input collapses debate and proves that “gut feel” is not the same as reality.
Step 2 – Spot the pattern, not the anecdote
Look for recurring themes: hero syndrome, selective listening, overconfidence in intuition, silo loyalty. Label those patterns in plain English so your team can call them out without ceremony.
Step 3 – Build psychological safety around the truth
Candour feels risky unless leaders reward it. Open every exec meeting with a “blind-spot check”: What am I missing? Over time the question moves from awkward to expected, signalling that truth beats harmony.
Step 4 – Install visible trip-wires
Pair each blind-spot with a behavioural cue and a public guard-rail. Example: if optimism drifts into denial, mandate a pre-mortem for every major capital request. If charisma tips into dominance, set a two-question minimum before approving any decision.
Step 5 – Convert insight into scoreboard movement
Track lead indicators—decision cycle time, engagement scores, rework rates—against the blind-spot you’re attacking. When the numbers improve, shout about it; visible ROI turns feedback culture from “soft skill” to competitive advantage.
Quick wins for this week
- Reverse the agenda. Start the next leadership meeting with “What could derail us?” instead of updates.
- One-line mirror. Ask a trusted peer to text you the behaviour they notice most—you’ll see if intent matches impact.
- Red-team hour. Assign someone to argue the opposite of your favourite strategy; reward the best counterpoint.
Final word
Blind-spots thrive in comfort zones. The moment you invite, normalise and act on hard feedback, you transform hidden risk into visible leverage. Ready to put your leadership under a sharper lens? Book a 30-minute call and we’ll build your first blind-spot dashboard.
Sources
- Forbes Coaches Council – “14 Common CEO Blind Spots That Result in Big Leadership Mistakes”Forbes
- Journal of Applied Leadership & Management – “The Impact of Self-Awareness on Leadership Behavior”journal-alm.org
- PeopleElement – “10 Manager and 360-Degree Feedback Statistics”People Element
- PsychSafety – “Google’s Project Aristotle” (psychological safety & team performance findings)Psych Safety
- Forbes – “Biases, Bubbles, and Blind Spots in Strategic Decision-Making”Forbes
- Big Think – “7 Leadership Blind Spots and How to Remove Them”Big Think
- Forbes – “How Self-Awareness Elevates Leadership Effectiveness”Forbes
- Forbes Coaches Council – “Unlocking Leadership Growth: The Power of 360-Degree Feedback”Forbes
- Financial Times – “How to See Past Your Leadership Blind Spots”Financial Times
- Harvard Business Review – “Don’t Get Blindsided by Your Blind Spots”Harvard Business Review
- Strategy+Business – “Revealing Leaders’ Blind Spots”Strategy+business
- The West Peak – “Leadership Blind Spots: How to Identify and Address Them”West Peak
