Blindspotting: How To See What's Holding You Back as a Leader

by Martin Dubin

What you don't see about yourself can hold you back as a leader.


As leaders, we all hit a point when things stop going well. A problem emerges that we think we can handle but discover we can't. The tools that got us this far somehow stop working. We don't understand; what are we missing?


What we don't see is what we can't we have blindspots.


It's a known fact that we're often not great judges of ourselves, even when we think we are. Sometimes we're simply unaware of a behavior or trait that's causing problems. Other times, where we see normal, effective behavior, others see tremendous deficits. Bottom until we uncover these blindspots, we can’t move forward or deliver on our goals as leaders.


The good news is that you can learn to do your own blindspotting. Clinical-psychologist-turned-entrepreneur-turned-business-coach Martin Dubin has spent years learning when and how leaders get in their own way, and he has turned that experience into a deeply practical blueprint to help you identify your professional blindspots and work to overcome them.


Blindspotting provides a framework for understanding six types of blindspots, then takes you inside coaching sessions with profoundly relatable leaders going through the process of learning to recognize their own blindspots. Along the way, you get the practical guidance you need to identify and manage those same blindspots in yourself, unlocking high performance and great leadership.

Genres: Leadership, Self Help, Management, Nonfiction

234 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 29, 2025

Reviews

[Steve Brock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have selected this book as Stevo's Business Book of the Week for the week of 7/27, as it stands heads above other recently published books on this topic.

[Avid · Rating 4 out of 5]

We all carry blindspots, those subtle and unnoticed, often stubborn ways of thinking and reacting that shape how we show up in the world. In Blindspotting, Martin Dubin invites us to slow down, take a closer look, and begin the quiet, necessary work of self-awareness. He emphasizes that “what you don’t see about yourself can hold you back".

What I appreciated most about this book is how well-organized and deliberate it is. The structure makes the content not only easy to digest but also easy to return to. Each section can stand on its own, yet the book flows smoothly from one theme to the next.

Dubin doesn’t just talk about blindspots in the abstract. Instead, he breaks them down into clear categories: Identity, Motive, Trait, Emotion, Intellect, and Behavior, helping the reader recognize that these aren't one-size-fits-all.

Dubin draws generously from his experience as a coach and consultant, grounding each chapter in real-life stories and situations. These are not dramatic anecdotes or overly polished case studies, but relatable, human examples of how people, including himself, navigate complexity, conflict, and change. That lends the book a quiet credibility. He doesn’t preach, it simply reflects.

There’s also a self-evaluation tool included that I found particularly useful. It offers a thoughtful way to pause and examine your own patterns, without judgment. And from there, Dubin offers simple, actionable suggestions on how to identify one's blindspots, decide if one wants to fix them or not and provides actions on how to overcome them.

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC.

[Darya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blindspotting by Martin Dubin is a straightforward look at why leaders plateau even when they think they’re doing everything right. The book shows how blindspots — habits, assumptions, or behaviours we can’t see in ourselves — quietly erode performance. Through real coaching scenarios, the author breaks down how leaders misjudge their own impact and how small, unnoticed patterns become major roadblocks.

Key learnings:
• Blindspots are rarely dramatic; often it’s everyday behaviour — interrupting, over-controlling, avoiding conflict — that quietly undermines leadership.
• Leaders often cling to tools that once worked, the same way high performers rely on expertise long after it stops being effective.
• External perception matters more than intent; what feels like “being efficient” to a leader can look like dismissiveness to a team.
• Honest self-assessment requires structured frameworks; relying on intuition alone keeps blindspots hidden.
• Sustainable improvement comes from surfacing patterns early, much like high-level coaches use video playback to expose small but critical performance gaps.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Useful information for focusing on your strengths and also grappling with you blind spots. Targets senior leaders and CEOs. Written in long narrative. I would have preferred more bullet point takeaways. There is a good checklist at the end. Thank you to the author. Thank you to the author. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

[Meenal]

58% DNF
it's all too similar after a point