Self-Awareness in the Digital Age: Navigating the Challenges

Melissa is wicked smart. Aced her MBA program. She was tagged “high potential” the second he joined the corporate workforce. Promoted faster than others. Given teams to lead. Promoted again. And again.

Until she wasn’t.

When I have a call with Alexandra, Melissa’s VP of Human Resources, I hear all about how Melissa has pissed people off. The list is long. The details aren’t pretty.

Melissa needs to get out of her way, Alexandra says to me with a sigh.

I have always loved this saying.

When I have Melissa on the phone, I appreciate Alexandra’s choice of language even more. I find her to be bright, quick, and charming. I instantly understand that she doesn’t mean to piss people off. There is no malice. She doesn’t know any better.

How do you and I often get in OUR way? Melissa’s behavior brings to mind the phrase “blind spot.” The stuff about us that is frequently visible to others but not to ourselves

A blind spot, so goes the APA (American Psychological Association) definition, is a lack of insight or awareness — often persistent — about a specific area of one’s behavior or personality, typically because recognizing one’s true feelings and motives would be painful. In classical…