In our Second Edition of Exceptional Leadership: 16 Critical Competencies for Healthcare Leaders (Health Administration Press, 2015), Andy Garman and I wrote about self awareness:

“Most leaders have vulnerabilities, or blind spots, on either side of the balance. On the selfish side, we have the temptations associated with leadership roles. As you reach higher levels, your ability to influence the resources you receive, even your own salary, expands, and the line between purposeful influence and influence for its own sake becomes difficult to see. Others, such as your direct reports, will feel greater pressure to curry your favor and to convince you that everything is going great (regardless of how things are really going). The selfish temptation is to lose your objectivity and begin believing your own press releases.”

I frequently work with physician leaders who, despite being strong clinicians and remarkable individuals, have many blind spots. Often the result of few people willing to challenge them, this is one area I point out to physician leaders who ask me how they can be better at leadership.