Blind spot: Take another look
“Have a mother’s look”. This is a common statement used in households around the world because children have trouble seeing things that they are meant to find. Magically, mothers can find them because they appreciate the need to look harder and think more intuitively about the location or whereabouts. What appears to be impossible to be seen by one person can be seen by another. Does this sound familiar?
I can think of a couple of instances, of when I was driving on a highway and about to change lanes, when, out of nowhere another vehicle was occupying the space that I was moving into. Where did it come from? I would ask myself. The fact is, the vehicle was always there, I just didn’t see it, because it was in my blind spot. Swerving towards another vehicle at 100kmh is very scary and something to be avoided.
Thankfully these days I drive a vehicle that lights up and beeps if I am attempting to move into a space already occupied by another vehicle.
“Unable to see what is going on”
Driving a vehicle is one of the best examples I can think of that explains blind spots. We can look in our mirrors, search, yet still not see the other vehicle pulling in beside us.
In Conquer your blind spots, Gustavo Razzetti (2018) writes:
Your blind spots lie at the intersection of how you perceive yourself and how others perceive you. That’s precisely what ‘The Johari Window’ helps uncover. This tool was developed by Psychologists Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham to help you understand what you are unaware of.
Don’t let the simplicity of this model deceive you. I’ve applied it various times when coaching teams to increase both self and team awareness. The Johari Window exercise is potent — it uncovers the gap between the team’s realities and everyone’s assumptions.
Download the Johari Window Template
https://liberationist-change-leadership.ck.page/a09cc6a0cc
ARENA: Traits and behaviours that both yourself and others are aware of. It includes anything about yourself that you are willing to share. This area drives clarity and builds trust.
MASK: Aspects about yourself that you are aware of but might not want others to know. It can also include traits that you are not sharing with others without you being aware of. What you show to others is a mask that hides your authentic being.
BLIND SPOTS: What others perceive, but you don’t. Important to note: not valuing your strengths can also be a blind spot. Feedback from others can make you more aware of your negative traits but also of the positive ones you are missing.
UNCONSCIOUS: What’s unknown to both you and anyone else.
Full article: https://www.fearlessculture.design/blog-posts/how-to-conquer-your-blind-spots
We all have blind spots. These occur because innately we go about doing what we do because that is who we are. Blind Spots are caused by our own bias and lack of self-awareness. Blind Spots usually are easier for others to see in us.
My 5 Learnings:
· There are things I do that other people see and I’m not aware of
· Ask other people to help me see in myself that which I can’t see
· Don’t rely just on my own instinct when approaching a new situation
· Don’t make assumptions of others and their actions and behaviours
· Being unaware of my strengths can also be a blind spot
We don’t need to make excuses for our blind spots, but we do need to accept that they exist for all of us.
My 3 Questions for you:
· What do you need to share with other people that will help them understand you better?
· Who can you ask, that you trust, to help you understand your blind spots?
· What can I do to grow personally?
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” — Marcel Proust
If you need help in identifying blind spots, or if you have questions, please talk to me. I would be happy to help and chat with you.
Remember daily to, “Find value in your influence”
