I’ve found that one of the biggest stumbling blocks to my Emotional Intelligence is a lack of self-awareness.
Jesus addresses this all-too-human tendency in Matthew 7: “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” Easily see everyone else’s faults - oblivious to my own. Yikes.
I tend to be an intense person, rapidly processing my next thoughts, calculating different scenarios, and connecting lots of big concepts - all at the same time! When that gets verbalized, the result can be overwhelming for the listener. (My wife, Lynn, with eyeballs rolling whispers, “understatement!”)
Of course all this is unintended, because my intent is to build warm connections with other people. But with a lifelong history of social mis-queues, I’ve learned to read people better and ask them how I’m coming across. I need that kind of feedback to keep me on track. Sometimes the feedback is painful, but it’s how I learn and grow.
This is one of the reasons clients retain me as a coach. I can (gently) point out their blind spot in a safe setting, and then we can process through it together with no judgment. The result is improved performance when they get back in the game at work or at home.
The other type of blindspot is when you don’t appreciate your exceptional talents. In this podcast episode I highlight that aspect and give you some practical exercises to gain better self-awareness and make a bigger impact in the world.
Let me know if you gain any new insights.
Highlights:
0:37 “The most common blind spot is believing that others have them, but you don’t”
2:18 Imagine a dinner table full of 8 competitive kids interrupting each other
6:03 Other people can see you more clearly than you can see yourself
7:45 Self-coaching exercises
15:08 Wrap up
Links:
Free download - what everyone else sees about your Destiny www.petecoaching.com/blindspot
Decoding Your Destiny online course http://www.petecoaching.com/online-course
Listen to the episode below, or on your favorite podcast platform.