Do you have a blind spot? – Part 1
There are certain things that others know about us but we don’t know about ourselves. Sometimes these can be unimportant matters but sometimes they can be impediments to our ability to achieve our desired outcomes. For example, you may not recognise how certain behaviours you engage in have a negative impact on others resulting in conflict with others or avoidance by others of you. Such behaviours that we are unaware of are blind spots. The concept is simple and powerful. Becoming aware of your blind spots enables you to actively do something about them to avoid negative consequences.
An example of a blind spot might be a person who is self-righteous and seeks to impose their beliefs or will on others. A person who doesn’t accept that he/she could be wrong and argues their point to the bitter end. Such behaviour often intimidates or upsets others. In the work place it can even be interpreted as bullying. A person may be blissfully unaware of how such behaviour is interpreted by others, it is their blind spot.
If you were to make the person aware of such a blind spot they might take offense and instinctively argue the point that you are wrong and they are right, sound familiar? So how can you deal with someone who has a blind spot? Evidence helps. More than one person telling them of the blind spot reinforces how their behaviour is interpreted by others. The theory of the frog can be used to illustrate a blind spot as follows:
If one person tells you that you have a frog on your head, they have to be wrong.
If two people tell you that you have a frog on your head, it has to be a conspiracy.
If three people tell you that you have a frog on your head, you should take a look in the mirror!
Do you have a blind spot? Find out how to identify blind spots by reading: Do you have a blind spot? Part 2.
