3 ways to identify the leadership derailer others see in you

The biggest leadership derailer you have may be the one you’re least aware of—and it could be holding you back. So how do you uncover what others see that you don’t?

After my keynote on The 12 Leadership Derailers to an Asia Pacific audience of medical care leaders last week, someone asked me a question that stopped the room:

‘How do I uncover my biggest leadership blind spot?’

It’s a powerful question. Because the truth is, the derailer most limiting your leadership might be the one you struggle to see in yourself.

The 12 Leadership Derailers

Before we dive into how to uncover yours, here’s a quick overview of the 12 common derailers that can trip up even the most capable leaders:

1. Staller – analysis paralysis
2. Controller – command and control
3. Cyclone – bull at a gate
4. Doer – can’t delegate
5. Avoider – conflict averse
6. Fence-sitter – indecisive leader
7. Know-it-all – closed to other ideas
8. Guardian – inability to innovate
9. Micromanager – management on a leash
10. Poker face – showing no emotion
11. People burner – poor people skills
12. Tactician – poor strategic thinker

So how do you discover which derailer might be limiting your impact?

3 Ways to Spot Your Leadership Blind Spot

1) Ask for Feedback

Who knows your leadership style, sees how you show up, and is willing to be honest with you? Ask them!

You could:

• Show them the list of derailers and ask which one they’ve noticed in you.
• Use a simple feedback prompt: ‘What could I do more of and less of to be more effective as a leader?’
• Pay attention to patterns in feedback—if multiple people highlight a theme, that’s a clue.

2) Notice Where Leadership Feels Hard

Where are you putting in effort but not getting the results you want? Where do interactions feel more difficult than they should?

• How are others responding to you?
• Could your leadership habits be getting in your own way?
• If you’re working hard but still feeling stuck, it’s worth exploring which derailer might be at play.

3) Get Curious About Your Strengths

Your greatest strengths can also be your biggest risk.

For example, my superpowers—energy, enthusiasm and results-focus—are leadership strengths. But when overused, they turn me into a Cyclone, pushing too hard, too fast. If I don’t manage my intensity, I risk exhausting myself and leaving others behind. (Full disclosure: this is a life-long quest for me.)

(A leadership insight passed down from my grandfather: your greatest strength is only a whisker away from becoming your greatest weakness!)

Which Derailer Might Others See in You?

Want to take action? Download my complimentary Dodge the Derailer toolkit—it breaks down each derailer, its positive intent, and how you can dodge it.

Go Fearlessly - Corrinne