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If you think you don’t have blind spots…That might be your first one.
Every leader has them.
The best don’t deny them.
They hunt them down and do something about them.
What’s a “blind spot”?
It’s what everyone else sees—except you.
In coaching, we often use Johari’s Window to explain it.
It has four parts:
• Open Area → what I know and others know.
• Blind Spot → what others see, but I don’t.
• Hidden Area → what I keep private.
• Unknown Area → what no one knows yet.
Simple. Powerful. Brutal.
Why blind spots matter
Because they silently stall great careers.
They:
• Limit effectiveness & executive presence.
• Erode trust and sponsorship.
• Create “career stall points” — things like interrupting, defensiveness, poor listening.
The higher you rise, the harder they are to see.
Stress, scale, and big transitions make them widen.
How to shrink them
1️⃣ Work with a mentor or executive coach
They’ve seen hundreds of patterns. You’ve only lived one.
2️⃣ Ask for real feedback
And make it safe for people to be honest.
3️⃣ Manage flaws intentionally
Fix what you can. Design around what you can’t.
(One exec I coached admitted he was a poor listener—then built a system so his team could flag when he slipped.)
Blind spots don’t disappear on their own.
They shrink when you get curious, stay humble, and do the work.
Your turn
What’s one blind spot you’ve uncovered—or are brave enough to start looking for? 👇
