Unlocking the Emotional Blind Spots Holding Leaders Back with Rob McKinnon
About this episode
Rob McKinnon discusses how emotional blind spots affect leadership and offers insights on overcoming them.
What if the biggest obstacle to your leadership growth isn't strategy, talent, or execution, but something happening inside you? In this episode, executive coach Rob McKinnon joins Skot Waldron to explore why so many leaders operate on autopilot and how emotions like fear, anger, and shame quietly shape the decisions leaders make every day. Drawing from more than two decades coaching CEOs and executives, Rob explains how emotional blind spots develop, why high-performing leaders often suppress emotions, and how those same emotional patterns can both drive success and create leadership roadblocks. You'll also hear how leaders can break out of autopilot, build deeper self-awareness, navigate conflict more effectively, and lead teams with greater clarity and trust. Timestamps: 00:00:00 – Cold Intro & Start 00:08:05 – Why Leaders Learn to Hide Their Feelings 00:12:31– How Shame Drives High Achieving Leaders 00:16:13– The Problem With Being a "Human Doing" 00:22:00 – The Three Major Leadership Roadblocks 00:23:54 – How Autopilot Thinking Limits Leadership Growth 00:33:27 – Recognizing Emotional Triggers in Leadership 00:36:17 – Turning Fear, Anger, and Shame Into Leadership Tools…
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