Blind  Spots  Kill  Profits  &  Productivity  By

Bill Kistner Even though our eyes are wide open it doesn’t mean we are seeing or understanding all that’s around us. More often than we think, we miss important things right in front of us. Let’s not kid ourselves. We all have blind spots – unproductive habits, beliefs, behaviors and flaws invisible to us but glaring to everyone else. Our blind spots create terrible and unintended consequences. They corrupt decision-making, reduce our scope of response, create adversaries, silos, destroy plans and sabotage business results. In good times, blind spots are annoying, frustrating problems that won’t go away. However, in tough times they become lethal to productivity, profits and morale says Dr. Loretta Malandro, author of “Fearless Leadership.” No one is immune to blind spots, regardless of position age, gender, experience, education or intelligence. However, CEO’s, business owners and managers are very susceptible. They must handle on-going change and cope with stressful situations day in and day out. Added to this is the belief that they should always have the answers, know what to do and handle change alone and manage their team flawlessly. Further, for many the need to be right is stronger than the need to be effective. Employees also come with dozens of blind spots. This includes: taking on multiple projects, assuring poor results or disaster. They reject new processes hanging on to old ways and adopt the attitude “I’m the only person who can do this job right.” Some become agreeable non-compliant persons - ones who say yes to projects with no thought of completing them. In addition, one or two employees become ‘lone wolves, never accepting help even when it is sorely needed. Alas the ancient tactics of: “if we only do more, work harder, longer hours using tried and true methods we will succeed”. However, the truth is that these traditional ways are actually counter productive as they most often provide poor results. Bottom line until blind spots are: identified and revealed they remain a mystery and dangerous threat waiting to happen. Blind spots can be defined as -- a situation or subject in which a person or group is: ignorant, prejudice, lacks understanding or knowledge and fails to exercise good judgment. Examples include: false beliefs, weak communication, arrogance, traditions, and bias. Then there are: habits, myths, unfocused attitudes, inertia, inflexible, negligence, perfectionism, denial and no accountability. All this brings to mind Mark Twain’s quote that clarifies blind spots well -“It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.” According to a recent study by Development Dimensions International (ddi) 94% of executives/managers have an average of 4 critical blind spots and two troublesome ones. Employees on average have 5 to 7 serious blind spots and an unknown number of undiscovered ones. According to a recent, study by Development Dimensions International (ddi) 94% of …

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… executives/managers have an average of 4 critical blind spots and two troublesome ones. Employees on average have 5 to 7 serious blind spots and an unknown number of undiscovered ones.

To add fuel to this struggle a recent Harvard study discovered that 47% of people performing any given task found their minds are drifting to other concerns. As you can see, we all have blind spots that slash productivity and crush morale. In short, no one at any level is immune from blind spots. The power of communication is central to understanding blind spots. On six different lists of blind spots, the top three dealt with communication. Communication of: direction, goals and expectations. While things can be crystal-clear to you, regularly they are not crystal-clear to all staff members and vendors. A strong signal that your message is not getting through is if you constantly putting out fires. So, what is a clear example of a tragic business blind spot? Today we have one straight from the headlines,” GM’s decade of denial and inertia. However, The Swiss Watch Industry provides a captivating example of blindness. Swiss engineers invented the industry- changing quart’s movement. However, the tragedy began when industry leaders rejected this dynamic movement. The leaders considered it inferior to traditional mechanical watch movements. However, Swiss engineer decided to use the quartz movement as novelty part their display at the international trade show. Seiko, the Japanese watch manufacturer, saw the quartz watch at the show and shortly after the show adopted the quartz movement as a market changer. As a result, Swiss watch market share fell from 65% to 10% in ten years. The why of this is, that one aspect of blind spots is that we don’t see, what we don’t expect, even if it’s right in front of us. This industry changing invention was dismissed because Swiss leaders were unable to see its value. The game changing new concept didn’t fit within their current expectation of what will work for their firms or industry. The big challenge is getting a handle on the blind spots controlling you, your team and company. Since you cannot see them, it is almost impossible to do this on your own. Dr. Robert B. Shaw author of “Leadership Blindspots” states it best, “If you are to get the objectivity essential in uncovering blind spots, you’ll need the help of a skilled, experienced coach”. He or she will help you discover and uncover the blind spots holding you back and cutting your productivity, profits and morale at the of cost $26,041 per worker per year. A coach, will help you and your team develop new pathways and processes. The discovery method is “non-adversarial.” Executives and associates alike say “thank you for giving us a voice.” Just pragmatic tools that help you rebuild and increase your productivity, profitability and morale. In the end, the critical danger of blind spots becomes clear in this quote by Herb Kelleher, co-founder of Southwest Airlines. “You must manage with your eyes wide open, because flying blind isn’t an option.”

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Bill  Kistner  &  Company – Bill Kistner, President

The Navigator : Sales/marketing: Coaching: Management/ Sales–- Fact-Finding – Training – Planning.

Trained/coached 56,000 salespeople coached 890 + executives, served –130 clients. ** Call, e-mail for more information or to talk.

billkistner@ mac.com or call him at -740-549-1980. Don’t forget to ask about our: Blind Spots Detection Process: Bottom Line Fact-Finding