Maximizing personal effectiveness is a crucial skill, but blind spots can often hinder your progress. Beware the impact of your blind spots--they can decrease your effectiveness and damage your work relationships, whether you're a business owner, executive, manager, or frontline worker. The good news is that you can learn how to identify and eliminate these blind spots, for yourself and others.
Do you have trouble getting things done and out of your way? If so, you're not alone. Mastering the art of personal effectiveness is crucial in today's fast-paced world. However, the biggest obstacle to success often lies within ourselves. We unknowingly hinder our own progress due to blind spots that go unnoticed. I know because I've struggled with this myself. I, too, have made these mistakes and understand how we sabotage ourselves—our blind spots at work.
But fear not! At JRCI, we have delved into the complexities of blind spot management, discovered effective strategies, and witnessed their transformative impact on individuals and organizations.
At JRCI, we teach that effectiveness is all about creating a repeatable and measurable process or system. Blind spot management is no exception to this rule.
It's a practical skill that can have a significant impact on your personal, professional, and organizational success. It's essential to proactively address these blind spots for optimal outcomes.
However, the key to successfully managing blind spots lies in trust, commitment, accountability, and full engagement within your organizational culture. This requires vulnerability, which may not be comfortable for everyone.
"However, the key to successfully managing blind spots lies in trust, commitment, accountability, and full engagement within your organizational culture"
- Jeff Rogers, CPMBC
As a result, many individuals and organizations struggle in this area. To help you navigate blind spot management, we have developed a method that can be applied for both yourself and your team.
By implementing a scalable system, you can finally overcome these blind spots and unlock your full potential. Allow me to break down the JRCI Blind Spot Management Tool for you, so you too can navigate this path to personal effectiveness. I hope you find the same value in this process that I have experienced.
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JRCI 8-Step Blind Spot Management Process |
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1. |
Identify Your Known Blind Spots from the Past: |
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2. |
Remove the need to be correct: |
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Listen to Understand: |
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4. |
Engage the feedback of others: |
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5. |
Set the rules of engagement: |
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Harvest and catalog all input received: |
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7. |
Devise a meaningful action plan implementing learned information: |
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8. |
Measure impact: |
Identify Your Known Blind Spots:
Own up to what you and others have identified you do not currently register or accept as accurate. Look for themes and concepts. Extrapolate from there.
Remove the need to be correct:
Often as leaders, we expect ourselves to be correct and, therefore, right. Unlearn that expectation of yourself. Instead, develop a curious mindset looking to uncover all required known or unknown information or behavior that could lend overall value.
Listen to Understand:
Drop any requirement to respond and listen. Take notes, and ask follow-up questions. Get at the heart of what you are hearing. Repeat back to the speaker for maximum clarity. Listen to gain clarity without a defensive posture.
Engage the feedback of others:
You are looking for engagement and suggestions for better outcomes. I suggest you ask, "What can I do better?" "What would you do if you were in my position?" "What have you done in similar situations?" Actuarial, not theory, is my recommendation from your valued mentors and advisors. Be sure to include a diverse group here. Do not include a similar team. Instead, a complimentary squad is necessary for your success.
Set the rules of engagement:
Set formal rules of engagement appropriate for the unique situation. How will you all communicate? How will you listen? What are the expectations of this exercise? What is the desired outcome? Everyone must know the score and hold accountable for the process.
Harvest and catalog all input received:
How will you harvest and document all the information received? Plan and be accountable for the harvesting and documentation of what you learn. More for future reference as well.
Devise a meaningful action plan:
Organize what you will do and the timeline to work within. What will you do with this information, and when? Stay true to the calendar.
Implementing learned information:
How will you implement your action plan? What resources will be required? What are people necessary? Think it through for maximum effectiveness.
Measure impact:
Now the fun begins. How will you measure your success in eliminating your blind spot? Remember, the comfort zone is calling your name. How will you stay the course on this huge adjustment elevating your performance?
To learn to manage your blind spots effectively, you should fill in the blanks on this basic but applicable system. Further develop it only where more complexity is prudent. I believe in keeping it simple—the more complex, the more challenging to communicate and others to grasp.
Recognizing the influence of our thinking and learning styles on managing blind spots is also key in building relationships. Unfortunately, many individuals tend to ignore this blind spot and face the negative consequences as a result.
There are various modes of thinking, which impact how we make decisions and look at the world. Understanding yourself and others can help you to communicate more effectively and build better relationships.
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How We Think: Convergent Analytical Thinking Making decisions by using memory, resources around us, or logic Divergent Thinking Opposite of convergent, making decisions when there is no single correct answer. Critical Thinking Analyzing information to form a judgment about it. Creative Thinking Finding alternative methods to generate new ideas on established topics. Using multiple unconventional perspectives. |
Similarly, there are 4 types of learners.
Have you ever tried to understand something described in words, and completely lost focus, but see that same concept drawn on paper and understand it completely?
Understanding learning styles of yourself and your colleagues can help to ensure your communication is effective and clear across your team and all your relationships.
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How We Learn: Visual Prefer the use of images, maps, and graphic representations. Auditory Learn by listening and speaking, recordings, and group conversations. Kinesthetic Learn through tactile approaches and hands-on styled learning. Traditional Reading/Writing Like to learn reading/writing techniques. |
Your personal effectiveness is a developed skill set, and you have the tools now to make an impact and build the relationships you desire. The good news is that you can learn this valuable skill and scale it in your organization. Identify and remove those blind spots holding you back!