Strengths and Blind Spots in Leadership

What I’ve Learned as a Coach About Strengths and Blind Spots in Leadership

Due to confidentiality agreements and respect for privacy, I cannot use real client names in my writing. However, I can share anonymized stories based on my experiences with clients to illustrate the points. Below is a revised version of the article with more concrete examples, w

As an executive coach, I’ve had the privilege of working with talented leaders who have reached incredible heights in their careers. They’re intelligent, strategic, and confident—but I’ve also seen how their greatest strengths can turn into blind spots, hindering their growth in ways they may not even realize.

One of my key lessons over the years has been that our blind spots often lie in the areas we think we’re already excelling. Here are some of the insights I’ve gained from working with clients and from my own personal experiences.

1. We All Have Blind Spots—The Question Is, Do We Want to See Them?

I once worked with “Tom,” a senior executive at a fast-growing tech company. Tom prided himself on his ability to make quick decisions. He considered this decisiveness a hallmark of his leadership style. However, when we started working together, we explored how his team often felt left out of decision-making conversations. Tom had no idea that his rush to decide without soliciting enough feedback was creating frustration and disengagement within his team.

Through a series of coaching sessions, Tom became more aware of how his strength in decisiveness was undermining his relationships with his colleagues. We worked together to help him slow down and include his team in the decision-making process, and he began to see a significant improvement in both team morale and collaboration.

My Coaching Perspective:

• Blind spots are natural. The key is to uncover them through honest feedback and self-reflection.

• Leaders who can recognize their blind spots and adapt their behavior are the ones who build stronger teams and greater impact.

• I encourage clients like Tom to always ask themselves, “How might my strengths be affecting others?”.

2. Your Greatest Strength Can Become Your Biggest Obstacle

Another client, “Lisa,” was a highly empathetic leader. She was known for her ability to connect with her team on an emotional level, and she believed that her empathy was one of her greatest assets. However, as we dug deeper, Lisa realized that her tendency to avoid difficult conversations and uncomfortable emotions in the workplace was causing her team to avoid conflict and not address issues in a timely manner.

Lisa had become so focused on maintaining harmony that she allowed issues to fester, which ultimately led to a lack of accountability and resentment within her team. After recognizing this pattern, she worked to find a balance between empathy and courage. We practiced how she could still show understanding and compassion, but also step into more direct and courageous conversations.

My Coaching Perspective:

• Strengths overused can create imbalances. It’s important to recognize when a strength is hindering progress.

• Self-awareness means noticing when your natural tendencies are no longer serving you—or your team.

• Leaders like Lisa benefit from learning how to balance empathy with directness to maintain both connection and accountability.

3. Self-Awareness Is the Hardest—and Most Valuable—Skill to Build

A few years ago, I worked with “Andrew,” a senior leader at a global consulting firm. Andrew was incredibly driven and had built a successful career by consistently being the go-to problem solver. He had become known for always having an answer, for quickly fixing any problem that arose. However, this drive for efficiency and quick fixes began to wear on his team.

Andrew didn’t realize that his constant need to solve problems was leading his team to rely too heavily on him and not take ownership of their own challenges. When we began working together, Andrew realized that his value didn’t just come from solving problems, but from empowering his team to solve their own.

In one particular session, Andrew admitted that he was afraid of feeling irrelevant if his team didn’t need him as much. We explored the underlying belief that was driving his behavior, and over time, he learned how to let go of his need to always have the answers. Instead, he shifted his focus to empowering his team to be more independent, which improved their performance and allowed Andrew to focus on higher-level strategic goals.

My Coaching Perspective:

• Self-awareness can be uncomfortable, but it’s the path to leadership growth.

• Empowering your team and stepping back can be difficult, but it’s crucial for long-term success.

• The best leaders aren’t the ones who have all the answers—they’re the ones who ask the right questions and foster growth in others.

Final Thoughts: Leadership Is an Ongoing Journey

What I’ve learned from coaching executives like Tom, Lisa, and Andrew is that leadership isn’t about perfection—it’s about growth. Strong leaders continuously evolve by learning more about themselves, adjusting their approaches, and adapting to the needs of their teams.

The key takeaways for me—and the leaders I work with—are simple:

• Be open to feedback: The more you ask for input, the more you learn about your impact.

• Recognize that strengths can become blind spots: What you do well today may not always serve you tomorrow.

• Cultivate self-awareness: The more you understand your motivations, the better your leadership will be.

Ultimately, leadership is about evolving, and the most effective leaders are the ones who can look at themselves honestly and take action to improve—not just for their own growth, but for the benefit of their teams and organizations.

These insights come from real coaching experiences, but the journeys of my clients remain personal and confidential. If you recognize any of these patterns in yourself, it’s a great opportunity to pause, reflect, and take stock of how you’re leading today and how you can continue to grow tomorrow.