Leadership Blindspots: How Successful Leaders Identify and Overcome the Weaknesses That Matter

Are You Getting in the Way of Your Own Success? Leadership Blindspots is packed with detailed case studies examining how blindspots operate, using examples from firms like Apple, Amazon, Hewlett–Packard, JC Penney and JPMorgan Chase. These cases show how a leaders blindspots can lead to devastating mistakes if they arent recognized and acted on. Author Robert Bruce Shaw examines the most common types of blindspots and provides worksheets and assessment tools to help individuals at all levels of a company avoid being blindsided by weaknesses and threats that they dont see or fully understand. Praise for Leadership Blindspots The best leaders are brutally honest with themselves and their team members, seeing reality for what it is and then taking action to address any weaknesses. Robert Shaw, who has extensive experience working with successful leaders, provides insight into how to avoid fooling yourself about what is really going on in your company and markets. Michael J. Thomson, president and chief operating officer, SunCoke Energy Robert Shaws book Leadership Blindspots underscores the need to be both confident in your leadership capabilities and, at the same time, open to hearing contrary points of view, including feedback about your leadership impact. Individuals at all levels of a company will benefit from Roberts clear advice on how to lead effectively. Sylvia Montero, author, Make It Your Business Optimism is both necessary and problematic for those leading a company. This book is particularly useful for entrepreneurial leaders who need to be careful that their drive and passion does not blind them to the challenges they face in growing their business. Leadership Blindspots helps you surface what you need to know to be successful. Michael J. Kelly, chief executive officer, On Call International Leaders are sometimes blinded to the opportunities to grow their firms because they cant see beyond their current business model. Robert Shaw highlights the need to test ones core beliefs and assumptions. In particular, he offers pragmatic advice on building a leadership team that can look at a firms vulnerabilities and think beyond the status quo. Mark Ronald, former president and chief executive officer, BAE Systems, Inc.

Introduction ix Section 1: Why Blindspots Matter Chapter 1: The Dangers and Rewards of Being Blind 3 Chapter 2: How to Spot Blindspots in Yourself and Others 17 Chapter 3: The Common Blindspots Holding Leaders Back 35 Chapter 4: Why Blindspots Are an Ever–Present Challenge 55 Section 2: How to Surface and Overcome Blindspots Chapter 5: See It for Yourself: Customers, Colleagues, and Outsiders 71 Chapter 6: Seek Out That Which Disconfirms What You Believe 91 Chapter 7: Develop Peripheral Vision and See What Others Miss 117 Chapter 8: Build a Network of Trusted Advisors in Critical Areas 131 Chapter 9: Promote Productive Team Fights on the Vital Few Priorities 145 Conclusion 163 Section 3: Additional Resources Resource A: Blindspot Q&A 173 Resource B: Leadership Blindspot Survey: Self–Assessment 177 Resource C: Common Leadership Blindspots: Feedback Worksheet 183 Resource D: Readings on Leadership Blindspots 187 Notes 189 Acknowledgments 205 About the Author 207 Index 209

ROBERT BRUCE SHAW is a management consultant specializing in organization and leadership performance. He has worked closely with leaders and their teams in a wide range of industries and is the author of several books, including Trust in the Balance: Building Successful Organizations on Results, Integrity, and Concern.