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blind spot

A blind spot is an aspect of a person's own behaviour, thinking, or performance that they do not recognize in themselves but that other people can notice.

In plain English

This means a part of how someone acts, thinks, or performs that is hidden from their own view. Other people may still be able to see it clearly. It is about a lack of self-recognition, not about whether the aspect exists.

In context

Here, it names an area of the employee's behaviour, thinking, or performance that they may not notice in themselves but that others can point out during coaching.

Situation
Setting goals, receiving feedback, completing reviews, and discussing performance
What it communicates
names a coaching point about something the employee may not notice in their own performance.

Meaning limits

The term by itself does not say whether the unnoticed aspect is minor or serious, positive or negative, or how it should be addressed.

Examples

“His blind spot was how often he interrupted people, which his friends noticed long before he did.”

Core meaning

“During coaching, her manager pointed out a blind spot in how she handled feedback from the team.”

In context