Newer cars have a safety feature to alert the driver when an oncoming car is in their blind spot. A blinking light on the side view mirror lets the driver know it’s not safe to change lanes. This is super helpful — because sometimes, no matter how hard we try, blind spots make it impossible for us to see a potential threat. It’s not until we hear someone’s blaring car horn and see their scowling face that we realize how close we came to an accident.
The concept of blind spots has been applied to leadership, describing the reality that all of us have habits, biases and personal traits we may not recognize in ourselves. But just because we don’t see them doesn’t mean they don’t impact our leadership. In fact, precisely because we don’t notice them, blind spots may have an outsized effect on the organization as a whole and on individuals we work with.
It’s vital that leaders understand that what might not be working well in the organization is not always someone else’s fault. It’s sometimes ours, in part because the weaknesses we may not see are often obvious to others. For example, we might be unaware of our bias in favor of a team member or key leader. When we give that person more opportunities for growth or show more appreciation to them than we do to others, people notice our actions and may find it difficult to trust us.
Another common blind spot is avoiding conflict. Once people see they cannot count on a leader to address high-stakes situations, they are likely to feel unsupported and less willing to go the “extra mile” for the team.
What’s important for leaders to remember is that we all have blind spots — and what you don’t see can create problems in the congregation. If you want to see what you don’t see, ask a trusted colleague for feedback and be willing to hear what they have to sa
Resources
Why listening is the faithful start to strategic leadership
Intentional listening is a form of spiritual discernment that helps us co-create with one another and with God.
By Elizabeth Tamez Méndez
How do you manage frustration?
With frustration rising, there are possibilities for containing the contagion and harnessing the energy generated for hope, writes the executive director of Leadership Education at Duke Divinity.
By David L. Odom
Why is it important to be an attentive leader?
Paying attention is the key to so many of the challenges in ministry, says a pastor and teacher.
Q&A with Jim Singleton
The problem with offering feedback
Offering constructive feedback takes time, preparation, courage and clarity. But it’s worth it — clear feedback leads to growth and change.
By Nathan Kirkpatrick
Before you go
To be human is to have blind spots. Identifying these habits and addressing them is not merely about leadership development. For Christian leaders, it’s a spiritual discipline. Think of David’s prayer: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24 NRSVUE). David understood that he needed to be more faithful to God in ways he did not fully understand. He wanted the Spirit to search him and reveal to him what he could not see — his blind spots.
It’s always a good idea for leaders to practice self-reflection. Review the decisions you’ve made in the past. Review your reactions to what people have or have not done. As you notice patterns in your decisions and reactions, you can begin to recognize some of your blind spots. Once you know your blind spots, you can make intentional choices and ask for support to help you reset your default ways of thinking.
You can always reach me and the Alban Weekly team at alban@duke.edu. Until next week, keep leading!
Prince R. Rivers
Editor, Alban at Duke Divinity