I was wondering around a wholesale store today trying to find the cat litter. In fairness, it isn't my regular chore. I usually do the grocery shopping, but not the wholesale shopping. So the aisles were foreign to me. I spent ages wandering from one row to the next trying to find cat litter. The aisle titles gave no hints about cat litter. They didn't reveal hints or suggestions. I was lost.
After at least the fifth time around the store I looked up and saw the aisle titled "Pet Care". I felt...foolish! I had walked past that aisle five times...at least. I was looking for "Cat Litter" and all the time the data was there, but under another heading.
Leaders have a habit of doing that...focusing themselves on what they want, while missing what is there. It's a classic example of the blind spot (in this case literally). I wanted cat litter, and no matter what I saw in some aisles, I went back again and again, trying to wish the boxes into existence. Leaders do this all the time with their plans, visions, goals and strategies. They try to force what isn't there into existence and ignore what is already there that will help.
I remember Bono saying this once, many years ago: why do I keep asking God to bless what I'm doing. Instead, why don't I find what he is already blessing, and do that.
Leaders, more than ever today, our task is to pay attention to what is already there, and work with what exists, rather than forcing what doesn't. Our blind spots wreck our plans. We need people who will point them out to us so we can find what is already clear and start succeeding at what is needed.
Do you have someone who is your blind spot revealer?
Anyone care to share what mine are?
And yes, don't go shopping with me for cat litter!
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