Get Me The Green Van!
Posted on December 19, 2019 by Dwight Grant, One of Thousands of Business Coaches on Noomii.
Every leader has blind spots. Learn how to discover the blind spots that could be holding you back.
Years ago when my family ran a whitewater rafting business it was not uncommon for me to yell to one of my guides “Go get me the green van!”
Being crazy busy I just needed someone to run over the lot next door and bring the van around to the front of the office.
There was a problem…
You see
We didn’t have a green van!
New staff quickly learned that whenever the boss asked for the “green van” that meant the Blue 12 passenger van.
Why the disconnect?
How about color blindness!
The van looked green to me. Definitely not blue…
Once the staff knew I was color blind they just adapted and the blue van became the green van.
Crazy right?
As the company grew I needed a better way to describe the vehicles and we adopted better names for each one.
Have you have ever been shocked to find out that something you felt was so obvious, everyone else saw differently.
Sometimes as leaders, we have blind spots in how we approach our work, our partners, employees, and customers.
Sometimes it may be innocent enough and everyone simply adapts.
Other times blind spots can create massive problems that result in a toxic work environment, loss of productivity and ultimately hurts or destroys the business.
This is precisely why I have a coach.
Even though I consult and coach others it is not always easy to see what is right in front of me. That’s one of the reasons why I have a coach and seek insight from others.
Jesus addressed that in that in the sermon on the mount when he asked:
“Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye but don’t notice the log in your own eye?”
So how can a leader find their blind spots?
Brace yourself! If you are used to being right all the time this could be a difficult assignment.
1. Read the Flip Side and ask your spouse or close friend for some honest feedback.
2. Conduct an objective survey of your staff at work – Best workplace type surveys.
3. Hire an executive coach
Hard as it might be to swallow, this could be the first step in transforming your organization and the relationships that matter the most to you.
