Think your greatest strengths can’t become your biggest problems? Think again. Clinical psychologist turned executive advisor Dr. Martin Dubin reveals why the very traits that got you promoted might be sabotaging your leadership – and what to do about it.
Martin Dubin is the author of, “BLINDSPOTTING: How to See What’s Holding You Back as a Leader”. As a clinical psychologist who built and sold a company to a Fortune 50, then spent years coaching senior executives, Marty brings a unique perspective on leadership development. His framework challenges the popular “lean into your strengths” advice by showing when those same strengths become liabilities.
This conversation digs into the uncomfortable truth that self-awareness isn’t just nice-to-have—it’s essential for leadership growth. Marty breaks down his six-part self-awareness model and explains why small behavioral tweaks, not massive transformations, create the lasting leadership changes that actually stick.
You’ll walk away with practical strategies for recognizing blind spots before they derail your career and concrete steps for creating the kind of feedback culture that helps everyone improve.
Whether you’re struggling with the transition from expert to manager or looking to level up your leadership game, this episode offers a refreshingly honest take on what it really takes to grow as a leader.
Key Highlights
- The biggest lie we tell leaders: that they’re the hero with all the answers
- Why adding “too” to your strengths reveals hidden blind spots (too confident, too decisive, too creative, etc.)
- The six areas of self-awareness: behaviors, identity, intellect, traits, emotions, and motives
- Five levels of emotional mastery – from basic emotional bandwidth to strategic use of emotions
- Four types of intellect beyond traditional “horsepower”: speed, creativity, and street smarts
- Identity blind spots happen when your role changes but your identity doesn’t (hello, new managers!)
- How stress constricts our motives to basic survival mode
- Small tweaks beat transformation
- Why feedback culture must start with vulnerable leadership at the top
- The three core business motives: power, affiliation, and achievement
Resources/Links Mentioned
- https://www.blindspotting.com/ – website with book, assessment, and additional resources
- MartinDubin.com – author website
- David McClelland’s Three Motives Theory – power, affiliation, achievement
- Sign up for “The 3 Shifts that Make-or-Break New Leaders” HERE.
Guest Bio
Martin Dubin is a clinical psychologist, serial entrepreneur, business coach, and adviser to C-suite executives and Silicon Valley entrepreneurs. He has founded several companies, including a multimillion-dollar health-care company where he also served as CEO. As a former partner at talent firm RHR International, he has worked directly with hundreds of C-suite senior executives from Fortune 500 companies and Silicon Valley venture capital firms and their portfolio companies. He lives in Colorado and New Mexico where he enjoys skiing and hiking in the mountains and the desert and continues his work with clients both individually and in corporate settings.