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Most leaders think their biggest threat is what they don’t know. The truth is, it’s what they don’t know they don’t know. In this conversation with Kevin McCarthy – bestselling author of Blind Spots, creator of the Blind Spot Assessment, and someone who went from leading a 54-person sales team to spending 33 months in federal prison – we unpack the unseen forces that drive our decisions and how to spot them before they wreck our careers.
Kevin shares how his own blind spots landed him in prison for a crime he didn’t knowingly commit, what prison taught him about perception versus reality, and how leaders can build stronger teams by owning their mistakes. We talk confirmation bias, triggers, the “expert fallacy”, and why curiosity is a leader’s best defence. If you want to make smarter decisions, build deeper trust, and lead with real connection, this one’s for you.
Give trusted confidants permission to challenge your thinking.
Slow down and question your automatic “system 1” reactions.
Recognise and manage your own triggers before reacting.
Use curiosity to understand others’ perspectives, not just your own.
Model vulnerability so your team feels safe doing the same.
[01:33] – How “kernels of truth” hid the largest stock fraud in Washington state
Blind Spot Assessment: https://www.blindspotassessments.com/
Blind Spots by Kevin McCarthy: https://www.amazon.co.uk/BlindSpots-Good-People-Make-Choices/dp/0999103407
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, follow, share and review the podcast – it helps more leaders find us and lead first, sell more.
By Practical Leadership AcademyMost leaders think their biggest threat is what they don’t know. The truth is, it’s what they don’t know they don’t know. In this conversation with Kevin McCarthy – bestselling author of Blind Spots, creator of the Blind Spot Assessment, and someone who went from leading a 54-person sales team to spending 33 months in federal prison – we unpack the unseen forces that drive our decisions and how to spot them before they wreck our careers.
Kevin shares how his own blind spots landed him in prison for a crime he didn’t knowingly commit, what prison taught him about perception versus reality, and how leaders can build stronger teams by owning their mistakes. We talk confirmation bias, triggers, the “expert fallacy”, and why curiosity is a leader’s best defence. If you want to make smarter decisions, build deeper trust, and lead with real connection, this one’s for you.
Give trusted confidants permission to challenge your thinking.
Slow down and question your automatic “system 1” reactions.
Recognise and manage your own triggers before reacting.
Use curiosity to understand others’ perspectives, not just your own.
Model vulnerability so your team feels safe doing the same.
[01:33] – How “kernels of truth” hid the largest stock fraud in Washington state
Blind Spot Assessment: https://www.blindspotassessments.com/
Blind Spots by Kevin McCarthy: https://www.amazon.co.uk/BlindSpots-Good-People-Make-Choices/dp/0999103407
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, follow, share and review the podcast – it helps more leaders find us and lead first, sell more.