Pay attention to the signs around you

Pay attention to the signs around you

The sign on the wall as I entered the men's restroom said, "Severe Weather Shelter". I was in Memphis, Tennessee as the opening speaker for an executive roundtable and closing keynote for a conference. I hadn't thought much about the potential weather threats until I saw the sign. Then I thought, welcome to The BlindSpot Zone!

This is the same phenomenon that gets us in trouble — not paying attention to our blindspots.

We move along through life at what sometimes feels like the speed of light. We settle into our routines and become oblivious in the normalcy and status quo. Suddenly, we are dealing with the aftermath of a blindspot. We think, "I didn't see that coming!"

There are plenty of signs that will help us avoid becoming a victim of our own blindspots. But, we need to be paying attention to them.

In reflection on the dark days when I discovered my boss committed a crime, I was driving home from my attorneys office. I had just come to the realization that my blind spots would now be sending me to prison. Initially I was told it could be up to 10 years. I was driving home from my attorney's office deep in thought. "How will we tell the kids who were nine and eleven at the time? Would my marriage sustain this long term separation? What would my kids be like in ten years? Would they want to be around part of my life?"

Suddenly, out of nowhere, I hear a siren and see the flashing lights in my rearview mirror. It was obvious that I was the target. I quickly pulled over.

The officer informed me that I had just driven 45 miles per hour through a school zone. My mind was so preoccupied that I was completely blinded to how I was driving. I never even saw the warning signs!

When we don't pay attention to our blindspots, we can cause harm to ourselves and others.

Pay attention to the signs around you

By the way, he didn't give me a ticket. As he approached my window, I started balling like a baby. The nerves of the prison news had completely overtaken me. He obviously felt compassion.

The moral of this story is pay attention to the signs around you. Or, to get out of getting traffic tickets, just ball like a baby!

What are your leadership blind spots? Free assessment reveals all. Find out at www.BlindSpots.com.