Who is pointing out your blind spots?

Andy, an executive, was puzzled when a client unexpectedly terminated a major deal, despite his team's reports indicating the project was progressing smoothly. He recalled a lunch he'd had with the client's CEO months prior, during which everything seemed solid. As Andy's executive coach, I helped him reflect on the situation and he realized that warning signs had been present for months, but he simply hadn't noticed them.

Client's procurement team had expressed concerns about the implementation timeline, but these were downplayed in internal updates. Andy's sales engineering team had sensed the client's hesitation during their lunch meeting, but they assumed others senior to them would have a better view and make the call. Andy had heard what he wanted to hear - that the deal was on track - and overlooked the warning signs.

With hindsight, he recognized that the client's CEO had hinted at competing priorities during their lunch conversation, but he failed to connect the dots. This case highlights how as leaders advance in their careers, information passes through multiple layers, creating a filter that alters the original message. Leaders often rely on their experience and assume that more information, meetings, and reports will provide a clearer picture.

However, the real challenge lies in the nature of relationships through which information travels. Without paying attention to these relationships and seeking diverse perspectives, leaders can make decisions based on a curated version of reality, leading to missed opportunities and failed deals.