Leadership Blind Spots: Why They Hurt IDD Outcomes (and How to Fix Them)
Ever been driving along, feeling confident, only to have a car suddenly appear in your blind spot? Heart rate spikes. Quick correction. Lesson learned.
Leadership blind spots work the same way. The only difference is that instead of merging into traffic, you’re merging people, culture, and outcomes. And in IDD services—where the stakes are high and the staffing shortage is real—blind spots don’t just cause stress, they ripple out into retention, vacancies, and overtime.
So, how do you spot what you can’t see?
That’s exactly what Dr. Caitlin Bailey and Kristen Loomis Greenidge—co-directors of the National Leadership Consortium on Developmental Disabilities (NLC)—unpack in Episode 48 of the IDD Leader podcast.
Why Blind Spots Hurt More Than Feelings
Blind spots aren’t just personal quirks. They show up in ways that can:
Erode trust between supervisors and DSPs.
Drain engagement (ever had a boss who thought they were “great at communication” but… not so much?).
Increase turnover—because DSPs don’t usually leave the work, they leave the people.
And here’s the kicker: in today’s staffing crisis, every hidden blind spot is also a hidden cost—more overtime, more burnout, more vacancies.
What It Feels Like to Have a Blind Spot
Here’s the hard truth: no leader wakes up in the morning thinking, “I’m going to sabotage retention today.” But blind spots sneak up on us anyway.
Maybe you’ve thought you were being transparent, only to realize your team felt left in the dark. Maybe you’ve believed you were approachable, while staff quietly swapped stories about how hard it was to bring you concerns.
That gap between what we intend and what people experience is where blind spots live. And it’s painful when we finally see it. Leaders describe it as humbling, even embarrassing. But here’s the good news: the moment you notice a blind spot is the moment you can actually do something about it.
And in human services—where trust is the currency of retention—leaders who face their blind spots head-on are the ones who create space for growth, belonging, and real change.
Building a Leadership Pipeline
One of the best ways to catch blind spots is by surrounding yourself with other leaders who are growing, too. Bailey and Loomis Greenidge share why building a leadership pipeline isn’t a luxury—it’s survival.
Don’t wait until someone quits. Prepare future supervisors now.
Invest early. Training first-line supervisors creates ripple effects on retention.
Multiply impact. A healthy pipeline means your agency doesn’t grind to a halt when one leader leaves.
Think of it as succession planning without the boring three-ring binders.
What “Authentic Leadership” Really Looks Like
“Authentic leadership” is one of those buzzwords that gets thrown around at conferences, but in practice, it’s both simple and hard:
Lean into your strengths. Admit where you’re not strong.
Invite real feedback (even if it stings).
Model the culture you want others to live out.
As Bailey and Loomis Greenidge remind us, authenticity isn’t about being perfect—it’s about being real. And real leadership is what inspires DSPs and managers to stay, grow, and give their best.
The Big Takeaway
Blind spots happen to every leader. The problem isn’t having them—it’s refusing to deal with them. Leaders who lean into feedback, build a pipeline, and lead authentically are the ones who turn today’s workforce challenges into tomorrow’s growth stories.
So maybe it’s time to check your mirrors.
➡️ Watch to the full conversation with the National Leadership Consortium here: IDD Leader Podcast, Ep. 48 (or listen on the podcast page)
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