Find your clueless zone -- it's a goldmine!
Do it, and you will blow the ballast of self-limiting beliefs and behaviors, and rise up to the next level of success. A bold statement, maybe, but it's a winner -- well-tested and proven. Here are some practical ideas and suggestions to support the claim.
If you're not completely sure how you limit your own upside potential, then you're not alone. Here are four leader profiles, each of whom is successful by conventional standards, knowledgeable in their field, skilled at doing their job, and leading good people.
- The leader who is stuck on transmit, talking so incessantly that it's a thing people mention about them.
- The "get it done" leader who seems hostile and overly demanding, even though it's not intentional -- people follow this leader warily.
- The leader who is a friendly, social type -- seems like one of the gang, but isn't very effective because they are too busy trying to be liked.
- The leader who has to be "in control" and have their hand in everything, imagining that if they stop giving orders, the ball will stop rolling.
Wait ... these are so OBVIOUS ... didn't anyone tell them? Probably not. In fact, odds are heavily against it. You'd be surprised at how often those working for a moderately well-functioning leader DO NOT mention the contents of the leader's blind spot to their face.
"Uh, Jack, you talk constantly, and nobody else gets a word in edge-wise. You don't take a meeting, you take hostages. You aren't listening, you're pausing to reload. Please change."
Not going to happen, unless the leader seeks it out. But if that was your issue, wouldn't you want to know about it? Yes, it would be tough on the ego. But after that? Pure gold! You are already doing well, and this little bit of disturbing news would simply help you rocket up to the next level. Hence my suggestion, "embrace your inner dummkopf."
How? Seek it out. Get a 360 evaluation. Or ask people you trust to tell you:
"What am I not seeing about myself as a (boss / leader / co-worker / peer / person) that I should know?"
and
"Tell me something about me that you don't want me to know, but would be constructive."
Be prepared: when we first get wind of something in our blind spot -- it's embarrassing because it's so obvious to others, and we missed it ourselves. Ego hates that.
But it's worth it ... that is, only if you want to be better at what you do.
Comments