Understand your Blind Spots BEFORE They Blindside You
We all have blind spots.
In fact, Bill Hybels suggests that you and I have 3.4 blind spots in our lives.*
Blind spots are:
(1) An area where a person’s view is obstructed,
(2) An area in which a person lacks understanding or impartiality.
Do you know your blind spots?
It is important to know your blind spots before they blindside you. Prominent leaders, such as, Perry Noble and Pete Wilson are just examples this year alone who have been blindsided by their blind spots.
In fact, the Apostle Paul speaks about blind spots too. He encourages the Thessalonica church (see 1 Thess. 5:12-22) of two different types of blind spots:
(1) Personal Blind spots – residue sin, effected by culture MORE than Christ, lack of personal discipleship, and
(2) Communal Blind spots – sexual sins in the community, living for culture rather than Christ, and not focusing on the Holy Spirit.
Due to this, Paul warns that personal and communal blind spots can quench the Holy Spirit (1 Thess. 5:19) from working amongst them (a blind spot that became a blindside).
So, now what?
In reflection, here are some ways to practical understand + respond to blind spots BEFORE they blindside you:
Personally
- Have a trusted friend – this is simple enough BUT it is hard to find a trusted one. Pray into this BEFORE you lean on people to ask what they see, experience, and know about you.
- Quiet times with the LORD – yes… this helps! The WORD is designed to guide, correct, discipline, and rebuke. The WORD (in the presence of the LORD) will help you understand AND respond to your 3.4 blind spots.
- Have an Intentional Mentor – do you have someone pouring into you? Paul encourages the “older (wiser, experienced) to mentor the younger (potential, investing into). Do you have someone? IF NOT, I encourage you to go through #ANEWME.
- Develop a personal growth plan – ANY leader who wants to be an exceptional leader has a plan. If you want one, go through #ANEWME
- Stay focused – in a world that is bombarded with infobesity (the obsession and addiction to information), stay focused on who you are for what you are meant to do.
- Take a Personality Profile (Birkman, DISC, 360). For resources, feel free to contact me.
Communally
- Do you have a system for feedback?
- Ask great questions… to EVERYONE on your team. For example, are you asking your team:
Events (weekly)
What went well?
What didn’t go well?
What needs to change for our next event?
Programs (semester)
SWOT analysis
Ministry (annually)
Evaluate ministry outcomes in prayer
- Are you responding to “communal” feedback?
Ultimately, feedback is a part of the discernment process of discovering and deploying God’s will in your context of ministry. It does take a secure, courageous, and understanding leader to respond to communal blind spots, BUT when you do, the outcomes far outweigh the blindside(s) that you have escaped from.
For an online self-assessment on your personal and/or communal blind spots, check this out: http://ca.wiley.com/WileyCDA/Section/id-821223.html
Don’t get blindsided – understand + respond to your blind spots today.
*GLS 2015, session 1