Exclusive Leadership Program
Leadership For Organizational Excellence
“You can be part of your plan or a part of someone else’s." - David Sandler
Too many leaders don’t know what they don’t know about the obstacles
they face, and are not interested in finding out.
The Blind Spots Syndrome
As it happens, there are certain predictable ways that a Blind Spots Syndrome develops.At Sandler - Windsro, we’ve noticed that the businesses in the At-Risk, Average, and Well-Managed categories typically fall prey to more than half of these common leadership issues.
Common Leadership Blind Spots
1. Not staying in recruiting mode.
The best organizations are always on the lookout for top talent. Are you only recruiting when there’s an emergency?
2. Not having a defined hiring process.
Relying on “gut feel” isn’t a strategy. A clear, measurable process ensures consistent results — and every hiring manager should follow it.
3. Not connecting corporate goals to personal goals.
Your company’s success depends on how well individual goals align with organizational ones. Managers must understand their team’s personal aspirations to create that connection.
4. Not building a culture of accountability.
True accountability starts at the top. Leaders who show vulnerability and model responsibility inspire their teams to do the same.
5. Not creating a shared organizational language.
Departments like sales and marketing need a common framework to solve problems constructively and stay aligned.
6. Not capturing best practices.
Document what your top performers do — and integrate those lessons into onboarding, coaching, and reviews.
7. Assuming managers don’t need training.
Most managers never receive formal coaching or reinforcement. Continuous leadership development is non-negotiable.
8. Not knowing how to coach.
Coaching isn’t about telling people what to do — it’s about asking the right questions so they take ownership of their growth.
9. Not building the bench.
Like great sports teams, high-performing companies develop future leaders, not just rely on a few superstars.
10. Neglecting lead generation.
A strong pipeline is the lifeblood of any business — ignoring it is one of the biggest risks a leader can take.
11. Fostering learned helplessness.
Dysfunctional communication patterns can create dependency and blame. Empower your team by modeling accountability and ownership.
12. Operating without systems or methodology.
When everything’s improvised, inconsistency rules — and predictable events like turnover or illness create chaos. Systems prevent this.
13. Not sharing the vision.
Only people who understand and believe in your company’s vision can champion it. Keep reinforcing it — consistently and clearly.
Remember... even one of these Blind Spots can kill a business.
1. Planning
• What are your personal priorities?• Does your vision for the business support those priorities?
• What are your top three key priorities for the business?
2. Positions
• What is the ideal organizational chart?• What should the job descriptions say?
• What attitudes and habits do you not want in the organization?
3. People
• Which current employees will fit in immediately with the strategic plan?• Which employees might fit with some development?
• How do you recruit, hire, and retain talented people to fill the gaps?
4. Processes
• How should you document and formalize best practices into clear processes that people can and do follow?• What processes need to be updated?
• What processes need to be created from scratch?
5. Performetrics
• What kinds of tracking reports and dashboards should you use?
• How should you build performance metrics into specific job descriptions?
• How should you conduct performance appraisals?
6. Passion
• What will make the journey toward excellence a way of life — not just a short-term project?
• How do you sustain the energy and drive needed to grow the business over time?
• How can you share your passion for what you do so that others in the organization feel it too?
