The Blind Spots Sabotaging Your Leadership
I was shocked.
A senior leader asked me point blank:
“Steve, what do you see in my leadership that’s a blind spot — something holding me back, and holding my team back?”
My first thought was, wow.
I’m not sure I’ve ever heard a leader initiate a conversation this courageous.
So I flipped the script.
Rather than surveying his strengths and weaknesses for him, I asked, “What do you think are one or two of your blind spots?”
And to my surprise, he named exactly what I was already thinking.
Blind spot number one: micromanaging.
He genuinely cared about his team and the culture. Unfortunately, that care had curdled into control — too much supervision, stifling creativity and demotivating his very best people.
Blind spot number two: hero recognition.
He consistently spotlighted the same two or three key leaders. That preference bred quiet resentment among everyone else, who felt overlooked and undervalued.
Here’s the good news:
What you can identify, you can change.
Together we went to work reversing these trends — building greater self-awareness, micromanaging less, spreading recognition around, and lifting team morale.
And here’s the beautiful part: every one of these is reversible. What you can name, you can change.
So here are the 10 blind spots I see most often.
Read them slowly, and ask yourself which one or two are yours:
Every leader has blind spots.
The great ones just have the courage to name them — and the humility to grow.
You’ve already taken the first step: awareness.
Now take the next one. This week, pick one blind spot and reverse it. Just one.
Your team is waiting for the best version of you.
It’s closer than you think.
If this hit home, share it with a leader who needs it today.
— Steve
As a master storyteller, Steve has unparalleled ability to communicate dynamic business and leadership truths through stories, anecdotes and humor. Harness the power of the “number one” predictor of professional success, impact, leadership, high performance and sustainable relationships in business and life. Steve’s highest rated keynote presentation.
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“The purpose of Leadership Quest is to help professionals develop their personal leadership, vision and emotional intelligence. Everyday I strive to help leaders and teams achieve their desired goals in sales productivity, leadership, time maximization, and life-balance. ”
About the Author
Steve Gutzler is the President of Leadership Quest, a premier leadership development company based in Scottsdale. As a dynamic and highly sought-after speaker, Steve has delivered over 2,500 impactful presentations to renowned organizations such as Microsoft, Starbucks, the Seattle Seahawks, Spotify, Boeing, Cisco, Starwood Hotels, Ritz-Carlton, and the U.S. Department of Commerce.
A published author and thought leader on leadership and emotional intelligence, Steve lives near Scottsdale with his wife, Julie. Together, they cherish time spent with their three adult children and six grandchildren.
