Blind spots take many forms. Your blind spot may be a tendency to put yourself down, to resist data contrary to your desires, or to avoid conflict. Your blind spot may show up in a pet project that you protect far after its lack of value is clear to everyone else. Your blind spot may be physical, such as an annoying laugh, or social, such as appearing arrogant by checking texts during meetings. Blind spots are not necessarily inherently bad traits, but as long as you are not aware of them you are at their mercy.
Don’t ask whether or not you have a blind spot—everyone has one, or many! The tip-off is that sinking feeling that you are going down the same maze that never has cheese at the end, but you can’t stop walking. Or, you notice that your expertise or approach is no longer effective, it is bankrupt and its results are unreliable. If so, it may be time to ask, “What am I missing? What is my blind spot and how can I correct it?
Another way to ask these questions is, “Why do I make the same mistakes more than once?” The answer is often a blind spot. Here are a couple of actions you can take to reveal your blind spots to yourself:
- Pay attention to what people are saying. If three people have commented on the same trait or behavior, either casually or in anger, consider that it is probably true, even if it seems impossible to you! “What, me? Short tempered?” If they say you walk like a duck, start quacking like a duck.
- Notice what irritates you most in others. It is a psychological truism
that we dislike most in others what we cannot see in ourselves. When you say “I can’t stand it when she….” or “I hate it when people are….”it’s like a big red flag waving: “Look over here! This trait is likely to be your blind spot.
Remember that the fastest way to take of the blinders is to ask your spouse, partner and friends and listen—really listen—to what they say.
FROM GTST CHAPTER 11 page 109