#0 π Blindspotting
π Conquering Blindspots is a weekly newsletter about leading teams in high-performance environments.
In this introductory edition, I will talk about how I came to see professional development as a series of blindspots, and why this newsletter is critical to conquering blindspots for me and, hopefully, will help you conquer yours.Β
In subsequent editions, Iβll dive into specific blindspots, resources Iβve used to understand them, and changes you can make to conquer them.
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My whole career has been a product of blindspots - small realities that are hidden in plain sight. They are hard to see without help, and even harder to conquer. Most startups are the result of a blindspot - founders who see something that is hidden in plain sight and then decide to do something about it.
When I moved to Paris in 2010, I wanted to see what was happening in the startup ecosystem. Growing up in the Silicon Valley, I knew conceptually about how venture-backed business worked, but I decided to learn about every facet of a startup ecosystem - startups, investors, media, government, and everything that gravitated around it. An English-language blog turned out to be a great way to conquer my blindspots - I began writing about what I was learning and the ecosystem quickly noticed, creating a virtuous feedback loop for my learning.
Along the way, I discovered that I had a knack for storytelling - most founders' blindspots are around hearing what their own story sounds like to different people, and I quickly found myself explaining the nuances of the Paris startup ecosystem in terms of Trojan Horses and Mafias that I saw around me.
I built a brand around having a keen eye, but I ignored my own blindspots in the process. We closed down because of those blindspots, and I decided to put my brand skills to work at hypergrowth SaaS companies where I could conquer blindspots while polishing my creative chops.
One of those blindspots was about how startups grow, and I've had the pleasure of working with and/or managing every department of a startup. I am still uncovering blindspots as a leader of creative teams, and I'll share them every week as examples; however, this newsletter isnβt just for marketing leaders like myself - itβs for anyone who sees self-improvement as a means of unlocking greater personal & professional success.
Many leaders know their strengths and build around their weaknesses. They divide their skills into that which they can change (behaviors) and that which they cannot (qualities/personality). My strength has always been that I can change just about anything if I can see it, if Iβm motivated, and if I have the proper system in place.
My current system for uncovering blindspots looks like this:
I meet with an executive coach bi-weekly and communicate async in between meetings. Every six months we identify 3-4 blindspots, draft a plan to conquer them, and we assess progress regularly.
I devour audiobooks: some are broad, some are hyper-focused. I donβt like everything, but I will read anything if it comes recommended.
I write regularly to digest my experiences and uncover new blindspots.
I leverage mental models, systems & tools to conquer blindspots.
The easiest blindspots are the ones that are right in front of us every day. Hereβs one that I experienced hundreds of times before spotting it:
π Problem: When I'm unprepared for meetings, I default to talking a lot to fill the void and hide my unpreparedness.
π Desired Behavior: Meetings with me are productive and valuable to all participants.
π€ Support Structure: share notes publicly after every meeting so that I am forced to ask myself "what will I share that is valuable?"
Each time I see a blindspot, I outline actions that will help me conquer it:
π΄ Stop thinking you need to drive every meeting.
π’ Start every meeting by iterating or asking the goal of the meeting.
π‘ Continue asking at the end of each meeting whether the meeting was valuable to those involved.
My hope with this newsletter is to share the blindspots that prevent many of us from excelling as leaders. Iβll share some lessons learned & mistakes made while blind - most times my own experience, but sometimes Iβll invite readers or special guests to share theirs. Iβll share resources I've found useful to understanding various blindspots, and Iβll put together a roadmap that you can use to conquer each blindspot.
Iβll also ask you, the reader, to participate by sharing your blindspots, the way you conquer them, and the resources you find helpful.