109. How to Lead Without Letting Blind Spots Win - with Kevin McCarthy

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.

How to uncover blind spots and make better leadership decisions

• 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.

Timeline

[01:33] – How “kernels of truth” hid the largest stock fraud in Washington state [06:56] – The moment Kevin learned the difference between moral and legal reality [10:42] – Why confirmation bias is every leader’s Achilles heel [13:05] – The “expert fallacy” and how seniority can make blind spots worse [17:15] – The prison lesson that transformed Kevin’s leadership approach [23:45] – Practical tips for spotting your own blind spots [27:47] – How to help your team surface and share theirs [33:36] – The one message Kevin would put on 10,000 billboards

Links & resources

• 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.