Bonus Episode: Blind Spots to Breakthroughs, Turning Strengths That Limit You Into Skills That Scale
The most successful leaders often carry invisible weight. The very habits that helped them rise—discipline, drive, empathy, precision—can quietly harden into ceilings that cap their growth. In this bonus episode of the Sherpa Leadership Podcast, Reed Moore and Chase Williams explore how to recognize those blind spots and turn them into breakthroughs.
This conversation unpacks five leadership behaviors that start as strengths but become limitations when left unchecked: rigid thinking, people pleasing, over-reliance on hustle, perfectionism, and impatience. Each one serves a purpose early on. Rigid thinking looks like decisiveness; people pleasing feels like empathy; hustle proves commitment; perfectionism fuels quality; impatience drives action. But when those instincts operate unchecked, they begin to work against us. The goal, as Reed and Chase explain, isn’t to shame your wiring—it’s to add new layers of skill so you can adapt, delegate, and execute with clarity.
They start by reframing behaviors as changeable, not identity. You’re not “a perfectionist” or “a people pleaser”—you’re someone who’s learned patterns that can be retrained. Stability, for instance, can morph into stagnation when comfort replaces curiosity. Harmony, when overvalued, can lead to artificial peace that hides avoidance. The remedy isn’t intensity—it’s awareness and adjustment. By inviting thought challengers, testing assumptions, and giving clear feedback instead of vague praise, leaders build teams that thrive on truth rather than comfort.
For those trapped in the busyness of leadership, the episode introduces The Leverage Ladder, a simple way to scale without burning out. The idea is to measure progress by impact, not hours. Prioritize the work that actually moves the needle, and learn to use delegation, automation, and systems as multipliers—not signs of weakness. The best leaders don’t outwork everyone; they out-focus everyone.
Perfectionism is another subtle thief of progress. Reed and Chase normalize 80% launches, “done by” deadlines, and versioning—getting ideas into the world, learning from feedback, and improving as you go. Momentum beats mastery every time. And for those wired with high urgency, the invitation is to practice strategic patience: being impatient for action, but patient for results. That mindset channels drive into discipline and keeps your team from constant whiplash.
Throughout the episode, Reed and Chase weave in research on decision quality, team performance, and stress reduction—along with real-life stories from leaders who’ve turned awareness into action. The through-line is clear: leadership isn’t about personality tests or fixing flaws. It’s about learning to see yourself clearly, then choosing the next right step with humility and courage.
When you combine your natural drive with learned skill, your influence expands and your team grows with you. Every blind spot has the potential to become a breakthrough—if you’re willing to look.
Listen to the full conversation on the Sherpa Leadership Podcast, and grab some free resources at SherpaConsultingGroup.com to start uncovering which behavior you’re upgrading first.
