The Globe & Mail Spotlights the Six Blind Spots That Can Derail Leaders
I was honored to be featured in The Globe & Mail discussing the hidden forces that can quietly derail even the most successful leaders. The article, “Beware of these six blind spots. They can sink your career,” dives into the core insights from my book Blindspotting: How to See What’s Holding You Back as a Leader.
Why identity, motives, and superstrengths can become your greatest liabilities
In my work with executives, I’ve seen how leaders rise to great heights by leaning on their strengths—only to stumble when those very strengths turn into liabilities. The Globe & Mail feature explores six recurring blind spots—identity, motive, traits, emotions, intellect, and behavior—that can cloud judgment, sabotage decision-making, and undermine trust if left unexamined.
We are all acutely aware of the importance of being emotionally intelligent since journalist Daniel Goleman popularized the term in his best-selling 1995 book, but that doesn't mean we aren't bodychecked by emotions at work. Are you managing your feelings, Mr. Dubin asks, or are your feelings managing you?
As I shared in the article, leadership is not about becoming someone else—it’s about becoming the most self-aware, adaptable version of yourself. Recognizing your blind spots allows you to grow without losing the magic that made you successful in the first place.
Our identity, motive, traits, emotions and intellect all inform our behaviour, so it can be challenging at times to isolate this element. We must guard against negative behaviours in three crucial fields for leaders: Communication, influence and making priorities. Many of us stumble more than we will admit.
I’m grateful that The Globe & Mail chose to highlight these ideas from Blindspotting. When leaders take the time to examine the blind spots that shape their decisions and relationships, they open the door to more resilient careers and healthier organizations.
