Good 2 great managers

1. 05/03/2018 Five Blind Spots That Keep Smart Managers From Becoming Brilliant Leaders -- With Real-Life Examples
https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolinecenizalevine/2018/03/04/five-blind-spots-that-keep-smart-managers-from-becoming-brilliant-leaders-with-real-life-… 1/3
 Leadership #IfIOnlyKnew
MAR 4, 2018 @ 06:17 PM 479 
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Five Blind Spots That Keep Smart Managers
From Becoming Brilliant Leaders -- With Real-
Life Examples
Caroline Ceniza-Levine, CONTRIBUTOR
FULL BIO 
Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.
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 When you’re in the thick of the problem, sometimes you don’t even see there is a problem.

maybe your company recognizes that you have topped out what you can do and need to change. What are you willing
to change?
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2. 05/03/2018 Five Blind Spots That Keep Smart Managers From Becoming Brilliant Leaders -- With Real-Life Examples
https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolinecenizalevine/2018/03/04/five-blind-spots-that-keep-smart-managers-from-becoming-brilliant-leaders-with-real-life-… 2/3
As an executive coach, I have the privilege of working closely with bright,
enthusiastic professionals. Most of my clients are relatively early in a fast-moving
career when they come to me (or when their company hires me). They are flagged as
high potentials and have already managed project teams and individual
contributors. Now these high-profile talents are stepping up and managing a
department budget, sometimes a full P&L, and more complex teams, including
managers and a bigger staff downstream.
These individuals achieve much and are arguably taking on similar tasks but just on
a broader scale. What could be the problem? The problem is: what worked before
won’t necessarily continue to work. Many early managers who run into problems as
their scope increases have a go-to communication style and approach to problems,
which they continue to use liberally but it becomes less effective or unreliable, and
then they’re stuck.
Maybe this is happening to you: you have recently moved into a bigger management
role. Things seemed easier and clearer before. You’re working hard, but something
doesn’t seem quite right. You’re a smart manager. Why can’t you figure this out?
When you’re in the thick of the problem, sometimes you don’t even see there is a
problem. You have a blind spot, so how can you fix what you can’t identify? Here
are five blind spots that keep smart managers from becoming brilliant leaders:
You assume your way is the best way
I coached a brilliant engineer who could rattle off analyses a mile a minute and with
a smile. He was enthusiastic and passionate about the fast-growing online retail
company he was supporting. He had been tapped to turn around an
underperforming regional office that housed multiple critical functions – including
many of the creative functions. Jerry could clearly see how to bring this office into
profitability and was shocked to receive a lukewarm, and in some cases, chilly
reception from the staff.
The fix? Jerry’s left brain dominant way of speaking and explaining issues may have
enabled him to come to a conclusion faster, but his staff didn’t think this way and so
couldn’t come along for the ride. Once Jerry slowed down and had 1:1 and small
group conversations to better understand how the staff framed the issues (and some
concerns Jerry hadn’t considered), he was able to lead in a more inclusive way that
accounted for a variety of perspectives and ideas. Your way of thinking,
It is difficult to see the picture when you are inside the frame. – John Doerr
“
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3. 05/03/2018 Five Blind Spots That Keep Smart Managers From Becoming Brilliant Leaders -- With Real-Life Examples
https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolinecenizalevine/2018/03/04/five-blind-spots-that-keep-smart-managers-from-becoming-brilliant-leaders-with-real-life-… 3/3
communicating, and/or solving a problem isn’t the only way forward. Many times,
it’s best to involve more people and enroll them into the next steps.
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