I saw the phrase ‘collective blind spot’ the other day and wondered about the collective element.

For blind spots to be collective, there must be an agreement they do not exist. This is wilful; someone, somewhere must be aware of their existence. If it’s agreed that some things will be unknown, then people are condoning the existence of areas where the organisation is unsighted but might be able to intervene.

Learning and development has lots of blind spots – legends, pseudoscience, etc – but are in a unique space to throw light upon an organisation’s lack of vision. If you fail to highlight organisational blind spots, you’re as guilty as everyone else in failing to address what needs to happen.

As seriously, if you fail to face up to LnD’s blind spots, you’re even more complicit in the failure to develop learning practice.

#ItStartsWithMe