May 3, 2025
Blind spots are personal traits or aspects we demonstrate, but are not aware of. If the traits appear as weaknesses, they can then limit the way we react, behave, or believe that could limit our effectiveness. These blind spots can negatively impact career advancement and overall professional success.
Cynthia Orduna of Career Minds describes a professional blind spot to an area of leadership or personal behavior that an individual is unaware of, which negatively impacts their work effectiveness. She adds, these blind spots can stem from deeply ingrained habits, biases, or perspectives that can go unchallenged.
According to leadership coach Ramonda Shaw, there are nine core blind spots:
- avoiding conflict,
- being a “know it all”
- blaming others or circumstances
- underestimating workload
- ignoring feedback
- not truly listening
- being insensitive
- conspiring against others/playing favorites
- driven by personal agenda
Writer Erica Lamberg points out workers are faced with career blind spots that can catch them by surprise.
Examples of blind spots in the workplace:
If you avoid conflict and hesitate to address uncomfortable situations, this can lead to unresolved issues and damage work relationships. If you refuse to take responsibility for your actions or mistakes, including constructive feedback, you are risking your personal growth and development. It can hinder the progress that you could be making in your job.
Leadership Strategist Sara Canaday states that we all have blind spots. The only way to identify them is to ask someone has a different perspective. Select someone that will be honest enough to tell us the truth about ourselves.
If you take on a project without understanding the full extent of its requirements and complexity, then you could miss deadlines. If you do not ask for help, this could add to the trouble that leads to miscommunication and frustration.
It’s not just workers that show blind spots, according to Orduna. Even seasoned leaders can have blind spots. These blind spots can cause a misalignment with their perceptions and actions with reality. It does not just affect the leader’s growth, but also impacts team dynamics and overall organizational success.
In what ways can blind spots impact a leader?
The leader could excel at functional tasks like technology or accounting, but falls short of building relationships. The person could have a detached personality and show little, if any, emotion. In fact, internally, the person may look down on others who show emotion in the workplace. Leaders who lack empathy and sensitivity hurt their team.
A leader micromanages by constant supervision that could stifle creativity and demotivate their employees. The employees may feel that they are not trusted to do their jobs. Who wants a leader that is constantly looking over our shoulders?
A leader could use direct or blunt communication that they may believe is efficient and clear. Yet, the style of communication is actually harsh and insensitive. The team could become demoralized or feel disrespected. Here, the work environment would become toxic.
What if this same leader sees themselves as approachable, but then dismisses feedback from their team? Eventually, team members may become frustrated, then stop sharing ideas and their concerns.
The leader that gives the top, high visibility projects to certain team members only, this can cause resentment among the rest of the team. Who wants to feel overlooked and undervalued?
Being unaware of how you come across or are perceived could lead to miscommunication and misunderstandings. It is important to be aware of and understand various perspectives of co-workers. Being insensitive to how your behavior impacts a teammate could damage relationships and morale.
“As in many areas of our lives,” wrote author K. Scott Griffith, “blind spots are everywhere, often hiding in plain sight.”
Remember, we will have blind spots. If you can become aware of them, understand them, then learn to manage them, you can grow. First, we have to look in the mirror and assess ourselves. One of the things that I learned as a leader and club officer in my Toastmasters club is to conduct a 360-degree assessment of my skill set, communication skills, and other traits. It is part of the Toastmasters International leadership development process. It allows members and fellow club officers to gain a better understanding of their strengths and areas for improvement. Take the time to create a plan to improve. Invite someone who knows you well, will be honest with you, and become your accountability partner. This will help you stay on course. Don’t let blind spots deter your success.
Resources:
Image retrieved on 5/3/2025 from <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/strict-boss-concept-illustration_40467506.htm”>Image by storyset on Freepik</a>
Canaday, Sara. “Are Your Blind Spots Killing Your Career?” 4/7/2014. Retrieved on 4/24/2025 from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140407232101-15105969-are-your-your-blind-spots-killing-your-career/
Griffith, K. Scott. The Leader’s Guide to Managing Risk: A Proven Method to Build Resilience and Reliability. Harper Collins Leadership. ©November 2023.
Lamberg, Erica. “These career blind spots could be holding you back at work.” Fox Business. Retrieved on 4/27/2025 from https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/career-blind-spots-could-be-holding-you-back-work-gain-control-author
Longnecker, Clinton O. and Robert D. Yonker. “Leadership Blind Spots in Rapidly Changing Organizations. Retrieved on 4/24/2025 from https://www.iise.org/details.aspx?id=44285
MacGregor, Basis. “5 Top Leadership Blind Spots That Are Killing Your Performance.” 9/20/2019. Retrieved on 4/24/2025 from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/5-top-leadership-blind-spots-killing-your-performance/.
Orduna, Cynthia. “Leadership Blind Spots: What They Are and How to Fix Them.” 9/19/2024. Retrieved 4/24/2025 from https://careerminds.com/blog/leadership-blind-spots#:~:text=A%20professional%20blind%20spot%20is,missed%20opportunities%20in%20the%20workplace
Shaw, Ramona. “9 Common Blind Spots That Plague Even the Best Leaders.” Retrieved on 4/27/2025 from https://www.ramonashaw.com/9-common-blind-spots-that-plague-even-the-best-leaders/
Toastmasters International. Club Officer 360 Degree Evaluation. Retrieved on 4/27/2025 from https://www.toastmasters.org/resources/club-officer-360-degree-evaluation
Vozza, Stephanie. “How to Recognize Your Blind Spots Before They Derail Your Career.” 10/16/2017. Retrieved on 4/24/2025 from https://www.fastcompany.com/40477399/how-to-recognize-your-blind-spots-before-they-derail-your-career
Curious and Creative 