In leadership, what you don’t see often matters more than what you do. Blind spots—unconscious patterns that shape behavior—can derail even the most skilled executives. According to Dr. Martin Dubin, clinical psychologist, executive coach, and author of Blindspotting, these blind spots aren’t isolated mistakes. They are deeply ingrained habits tied to identity, motives, and emotions that leaders often overlook. Understanding them is the first step toward self-awareness in leadership, a skill that’s increasingly seen as non-negotiable in today’s high-stakes business world.
Blindspotting and Self-Awareness in Leadership
Dubin’s framework maps six concentric zones of blind spots, ranging from visible behaviors to hidden motives. At the surface, a leader may appear decisive, but that same strength can cross into arrogance. A detail-oriented manager may slide into micromanagement. As Dubin puts it: “Just add the word ‘too’ in front of your strengths—too confident, too organized, too creative—and you’ll see where blind spots emerge.” This perspective reframes blind spots not as flaws but as overextended strengths, making them both harder to detect and more damaging to teams when left unchecked.
Feedback as a Tool for Self-Awareness
The path to addressing blind spots lies in cultivating self-awareness through feedback. Yet, feedback can be difficult for leaders to absorb. Intent and impact often diverge: a leader may think they’re being assertive, but their team experiences it as controlling. Dubin likens effective coaching to adjusting a golf grip by a fraction—small corrections can deliver significant results. His five-tier framework of emotional intelligence—self-awareness, awareness of others, emotional management, general awareness, and strategic emotional use—offers leaders a way to diagnose and address blind spots with precision.
From Individual Blind Spots to Team Awareness
Blind spots don’t just affect individuals; they influence entire organizations. Dubin warns that group blind spots fuel groupthink, as seen in historic failures like Apollo 13’s early crisis response. Leaders set the tone by modeling openness: “Disclosure breeds disclosure,” Dubin emphasizes. When leaders acknowledge their blind spots, they create environments where vulnerability is normalized and innovation thrives. Ultimately, self-awareness isn’t a luxury—it’s a leadership imperative that protects against repeating patterns, turning liabilities into strengths, and building cultures of trust.
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