Blind-spots Everyone Else Can See

It started with little giggles and then turned into all out laughter.  I had no clue what was going on so I looked sheepishly up from my meal and realized my family was all looking at me and laughing.  My son abruptly said, 'Dad we are not Vikings.'  I guess I tend to attack my food just like I do everything else, with vigor and passion. When I eat (albeit with my mouth closed) my chewing is loud, so loud that everyone can hear.  I had no idea, I was blind to my carnivorous munching. After all I grew up with two brothers and our table was loud and seconds went to the one who finished first.  I had learned a behavior that needed to be corrected.  I wonder how many times I have been out on a business lunch or at a social meal and others have noticed this?  I had a blind spot that I am so glad my kids let me know about.  I am now consciously trying to eat like a human being and chew so my neighbors don't hear me.

This interaction started me thinking about blind spots.  We all have blind spots, outbursts of anger, forgetfulness, pride, missing deadlines, the list can go on forever.  I recently heard of a park ranger who handled animals every day.  She often handled skunks but wondered why she could never get past a first date with guys.  Our blind spots can harm our relationships, health and job performance.

Here is the funny thing:  Even though they are our blind spots....EVERYONE else knows what they are.  Our blind spots are clear to the people we love, work with, play sports with, lead, follow, worship with...yep everyone around us knows our blind spots.  However they don't necessarily know that we don't know.  You can see how this can be so harmful to our growth and relationships.  If I am doing something obnoxious to others that I don't realize or intend to do, they may think that I do realize and do intend to do this and give up on our relationship.  If I am consistently late to meetings or with deadlines, my boss and coworkers are going to get angry and ultimately fire me.

How do you discover your blind spots?

The easiest way is to ask someone you love and trust. This can be painful but it is the quickest way to know.  Most of us are not self aware enough to identify our blind spots. However through keeping a journal about our life, the good and bad, we can begin to see trends in our lives and get clues into areas we need growth.  Reflecting on our frustrations usually lead us to our blind spots.  If you constantly feel as if you are being passed over for a promotion, there is usually a reason and you can find it by a difficult look in the mirror.

A yearly performance review is a great place to ask this question to a supervisor.  Ask it like this (it takes some of the sting out to it):  What is one area in which you would really like to see me develop or grow?  This question could be asked to a spouse, a child, a co-worker, a minister the situation are endless. In fact this one question could move you into the realm of being a wise person...and that is a great place to be.