Professional blind spots, it's a heavy phrase to those who are hardworking and motivated. But what is it really?

A professional blind spot, in simple terms is an area of work and/or information where an employee does not have any knowledge or experience. For both the employer and the employee, these blind spots can become a problem if they are not identified or addressed.

The reality is, a professional blind spot is much like the blind spot of a vehicle. Making lane changes without checking your blind spot can be hazardous, so the same analogy applies for a professional blind spot. If you are able to help identify a blind spot, you'll be able to put in a system that allows you to progress and ultimately work around them.

Here are three quick tips you can Implement to help identify your employee’s blind spots. 

Self-reflection:

Encourage your employees to start self-reflecting on situations that happen in the workplace that were unfavorable.

·        Maybe there was a certain way that they reacted?

·        How did they handle themselves?

·        How did they interact with others?

Self-reflection is often considered the quickest way to identify any setbacks and challenges that an employee may face in the workplace.

Feedback and Questionnaire:

Providing your employee with some feedback is a great way to get them to understand how others perceive them in certain situations.

In some ways providing them with a 360 feedback questionnaire is a great step towards helping them toward the right track of identifying blind spots.

Training and Exercises:

Another method to help identify blind spots for an employee is through training and exercising.

Challenging them in areas that they feel uncomfortable is a great way to identify their blind spots. Put them in positions where they're out of their comfort zone and this should encourage behaviours to help them grow.

As an employer it is your job to make sure that your employees can grow and progress. The growth of your employees strongly correlates directly to the growth of your company. Remember, it isn't about doing everything quickly, it's about taking it slow to build relationships and learn from everyone's experience.

Grapevine has been the number one choice for effective Employee Evaluation Tools and 360 employee feedback and evaluation software for hundreds of companies across North America. Our 360 employee feedback and evaluation software makes creating, designing, and implementing surveys easier then ever. Contact us for a free demo and learn how you can use our tools to help identify blind spots that may be holding your company back from its true potential.