As leaders, I believe that our ability to lead effectively is dependent on our ability to be aware of and to minimize our biases. Because our biases are unconscious, they insidiously influence our decision-making through anchoring, selection, and confirmation.
As the Johari Window teaches us, we all have our ‘blind to self’ and ‘unknown to self’ quadrants. Thus, if we aspire to be the most effective leader we can be, it is important that we work actively to shrink these two quadrants.
While it is not easy to shrink the ‘unknown’ quadrant, it is within the means of the leader to shrink the ‘blind.’ To do this, the leader simply needs to surround himself with a few trusted (those without agenda) subordinates who are willing to speak truth to power. Ironically, the more competent the leader, the more critical it will be to seek feedback. This is because competency leads to hubris that breeds biases.
We all need help to lead better. Asking for feedback is not a sign of weakness, but an acknowledgment of your commitment to lead well.
#1MinuteInsight
