If we ask a hundred people whether they are good drivers, most will say yes. Yet that perception does not match what we see on the roads every day. We tend to overestimate our skills and overlook our blind spots.
Something similar happens in leadership. Many managers believe they set a clear direction, influence strategically and secure team commitment. When results fall short, the explanation usually lies in resources, culture or hierarchy. These factors are real. But one variable is often overlooked: the leader's own self-awareness.
The danger of blind spots
Leadership never happens in a vacuum. Context shapes decisions and behaviours. Even so, leaders need to recognise their influence on the system and develop a more accurate understanding of the impact of their actions.
The difficulty is that the mind is not designed for wholly objective self-assessment. We may protect our position, security and status while claiming to seek collaboration. Without engaging other perspectives, a leader risks building an egosystem around themselves.
A scientific mindset
Self-awareness can develop when leaders treat their certainties as hypotheses to test:
- maintain healthy scepticism about their own interpretation;
- seek feedback and evidence about their impact;
- observe reactions, results and recurring patterns;
- adjust their approach when the evidence contradicts their intention.
This attitude shifts the leader from the centre of command towards creating conditions in which others can contribute, disagree and think together.
True leadership is not commanding an egosystem. It is helping build an ecosystem.
