Leadership often starts with others, but its foundation lies within. A recent conversation with one of my top team members reminded me just how layered that truth is. We were talking about work, life, and the usual dance between optimism and frustration. What stood out wasn’t just the words—it was how we each reacted to them.

That’s when it hit me. Leading others effectively always comes down to how well you lead yourself. And you can’t lead yourself well if you’re not aware of your blind spots.

Everyone has them. They’re not flaws you grow out of. They’re parts of yourself you can’t fully see—often rooted in how you were raised, shaped by experiences of scarcity, conflict, or survival. They show up in subtle ways: the word that triggers you, the feedback that stings more than it should, the envy that creeps in when someone else wins.

I went back and did some reading on blind spots, and four patterns stood out.

1. A narrow view of the world

If you’re not open-minded, your worldview becomes a cage. This kind of rigidity stifles growth. You stop listening. You stop learning. And eventually, your leadership gets stuck.

2. Insecurity disguised as comparison

Insecure leaders think of themselves first. They constantly measure themselves against others. The founder who sees someone else scaling faster and immediately feels like a failure? That’s not ambition. That’s insecurity.

3. The out-of-control ego

At the other end of the spectrum is the leader who believes they’re indispensable. It’s subtle at first. You convince yourself you're just being "hands-on" or "vision-driven." But it can easily slide into arrogance that repels talent and blinds you to risk.

4. Weak character that sabotages talent

Talent can take you far. But if your character doesn’t grow with it, you’ll eventually self-sabotage. Character protects your ability. It gives your leadership roots.

Your blind spots aren’t weaknesses in disguise. They’re not superpowers waiting to be unlocked. But they are clues to where your leadership can get stronger—if you're willing to see them.

So how do you spot them?

When someone presses your red button, pay attention. The moments that trigger you emotionally, where your reaction feels outsized or irrational, often point to something deeper. That’s a blind spot. And those are the moments worth reflecting on.

You won’t eliminate them. But you can manage them better. You can learn to pause before reacting. You can choose to listen instead of defend. And you can grow in the process.

One of mine is control. After a tough experience in a previous business, I built this one with a laser focus on being self-funded. No debt. No external pressure. That philosophy got us through COVID. It kept us stable. But I’ve realised it also gave me a false sense of security. My fear of repeating past failures was keeping me from stretching forward in new ways.

Cash gives you options, yes. But if you hold too tightly to it, you can stop investing in what could move you forward.

Leadership starts with awareness. Awareness of yourself, your tendencies, and the way you show up when it matters most. Because if you’re not leading yourself well, you can’t lead anyone else for long.