In this episode, bestselling author and CEO of Blind Spots, Kevin McCarthy, shares a deeply personal story of how unchecked blind spots, not bad intent, can quietly derail careers, culture, and company performance. After spending 33 months in federal prison for a white-collar crime he didn’t knowingly commit, Kevin emerged with a mission: help leaders see what they’re not seeing before it costs them everything.

When top performers become first-line managers, most are handed the title without the tools. We explore why so many sales managers default to deal reviews instead of skill development, how perception gaps fracture team trust, and why most coaching is misnamed and misdirected. Kevin breaks down the cognitive science behind decision-making under pressure and explains how poor coaching hygiene is driving regrettable attrition. This conversation hits directly at the heart of today’s frontline execution crisis and offers a clear path forward for CROs who want to scale with integrity.

Top Takeaways: 

• Blind spots—not bad intentions—derail leaders. Kevin’s story underscores that well-meaning leaders can still make costly mistakes if they lack self-awareness and critical thinking under pressure.
• Perception gaps destroy trust and performance. The difference between how a manager intends to communicate and how it's received can lead to misalignment, demotivation, and attrition.
• Sales managers are promoted, not prepared. High-performing reps are often elevated into management without training in people leadership, coaching skills, or emotional intelligence.
• Most sales coaching isn’t actually coaching. Managers default to forecasting and deal reviews, missing the opportunity to develop reps’ skills in a systematic and personalized way.
• One-size-fits-all management breaks teams. Kevin explains how failing to adapt your coaching style to each rep’s communication style and mindset leads to disengagement.
• The hardest job in the company is being ignored. First-line managers juggle execution, admin, and development but rarely get the support, tools, or training to coach effectively.
• Reps leave when they don’t feel developed. Talent walks when managers only talk numbers. Real coaching connects with reps’ goals, strengths, and growth trajectory.
• Self-awareness is the most underdeveloped leadership skill. Kevin makes the case that improving self-awareness and emotional intelligence in managers is the single best lever for improving sales culture.
• Frontline execution problems are strategic risks. What looks like a rep issue is often a management system failure—CROs must prioritize manager enablement if they want predictable performance.

Ways to Tune In:

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• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Coach2Scale 

CoachEm™ is the first Coaching Execution Platform that integrates deep learning technology to proactively analyze patterns, highlight the "why" behind the data with root causes, and identify the actions that will ultimately improve business results going forward.  These practical coaching recommendations for managers will help their teams drive more deals, bigger deals, faster deals, and loyal customers. Built with decades of go-to-market experience, world-renowned data scientists, and advanced causal AI/ML technology, CoachEm™ leverages your existing tech stack to increase rep productivity, increase retention, and replicate best practices across your team.

Learn more at coachem.io