Maybe uncover your blind spots

Uncovering blind spots is a constant battle

They're a transparent barrier you can't see.

You think you took the right action or made the right decision.

but after a short while, you run into problems, issues, and roadblocks.

A blind spot is a blind mind, unlike a blind person who has a loss of vision.

A blind mind is a person who can't see facts, truth, observations, or insights.

A person who impairs their thinking without knowing.

The first time I learned the term "blind spot" was when I was taking a driving lesson in Hamilton, Ontario, in 2006.

It refers to the area around the sides of the vehicle that the driver can’t see through the side mirrors. The driver must turn their head when changing lanes.

If you change lanes without turning your head, you can cause an accident.

It's the same concept in business, career, projects, politics, and relationships.

It is not an illness. Everyone has blind spots. It's called a cognitive blind spot.

It's a feature of human cognition, an automatic way the brain works.

It's our brain's natural tendency to process information FAST. minimizing EFFORT and maximizing UNDERSTANDING.

As a matter of fact, you miss so many considerations.

This natural tendency can mess up everything in your life.

Cognitive blind spots affect the problems you're trying to solve, the relationships you have with people, and the business or career you pursue.

Pretty much everything.

The mistake you made is not always because you lack something, but because your blind spot prevented you from seeing what else to consider before taking action.

As I advanced in my career, I realized the importance of uncovering blind spots when solving problems.

It's a term I use when I facilitate workshops, talk to users, or conduct user research. I stress the point of this exercise is to uncover as many blind spots as possible.

• There are three primary concept of blindspots:

  • visual blind spot

  • driving blind spot

  • cognitive blind spot

The focus of this post is cognitive blind spots.

It’s important to uncover them in life, career, and business to reach your goals and purposes with less cost.

Otherwise, you will hit so many walls in your interactions with people, in your career, in the projects you work on, and in the business you're running.

In psychology and decision-making, a blind spot refers to unconscious biases or areas where an individual fails to exercise judgment.

The goal is to understand how they impair your judgment, decision, or action.

Because if you don't, blind spots will lead you to errors or missed opportunities.

You get influenced by first impressions, stereotypes, or are attracted towards familiar people or ideas.

Some examples of blind spots in everyday life:

• Speaking too fast, interrupting others, without realizing it

• Holding prejudice about certain people without being aware

• underestimating your abilities in certain areas

• Seeing the surface level problems as the only factor to solve challenge

I have experienced this in problem-solving and consulting work, engaging in helping to turn around a failed project.

Reasons for failure include people focusing on the obvious and looking straight ahead.

Relying on your mind alone limits your perspective to a 90 or 180-degree angle.

It's called a blind spot for a reason; your mind doesn't have the ability to view things at a 360-degree angle.

The reason your actions or decisions suffer afterward.

That's why it's important to use tools, listen, and collaborate with people to view the problem from a 360-degree angle.

Here are steps that can help you uncover blind spots, which you can use and tailor based on the action or decision you need to take.

1. Write everything in form of visuals to understand needs, risks, etc

2. Use tools like service blueprint, journey map or diagrams

3. Capture data from related audience

4. Do interviews, survey, focus groups

5. Research market and industry

6. Use affinity diagraming

7. Synthesis the data

8. Make sense of it

Now you have a direction and know how to move forward

Clarity = Direction = Confidence.

It's important to recognize that everyone, including yourself, has biases and blind spots. Cultivating awareness is crucial.

Engage with people from different backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints.

Create an environment where people feel comfortable sharing their opinions and challenging ideas.

Uncover blind spots to unlock hidden opportunities and embrace growth. Let curiosity guide you towards clearer paths and richer perspectives.

Go uncover blind spots on whatever problem, decision, action, or project you have.

Thanks for reading!

Ahmed

PS two things I can help you with:

1. Run a business design discovery

Exploring and defining the strategic direction, objectives, and key elements to achieve market relevance. uncover opportunities, understand user needs, and design solutions that align with business goals.

2. Guiding and advising

Guide you and help you on a project you’re working on; need help to set direction to reach desired outcomes.