The Blind Spot in Companies – Why Every Company Should Regular Conduct External Assessments

We know the concept of the “blind spot” from personality analysis. Every person has blind spots—areas they themselves do not recognize, yet are obvious to others. The same applies to companies. Even with a strong internal performance or transformation function, optimization potential often remains hidden. Why?

  • Lack of Distance – Those working within the system daily struggle to see patterns, causes, and interdependencies clearly.
  • Tunnel Vision Instead of a Holistic Perspective – Individual functions optimize in isolation without questioning the bigger picture.
  • Political Interests & Internal Dynamics – Decisions are influenced by self-interest, not just efficiency and effectiveness.
  • Missing or Misguided Steering Mechanisms – KPIs can send misleading signals or fail to account for key levers.
  • Operational Blindness & Cultural Conditioning – Established practices go unquestioned because “this is how we’ve always done it.”
  • False Sense of Security from Success – Companies in good financial standing often underestimate optimization potential—until external pressure arises.
  • Fear of Change & Uncertainty – Resistance emerges, even when transformation is clearly necessary.
  • Lack of Innovation & Risk Aversion – A focus on incremental improvements can lead to missing out on larger structural opportunities.
  • Missing Expertise in Modern Optimization Methods – Without deep knowledge of Lean, automation, or data-driven decision-making, many potentials remain untapped.
  • Overloaded Management – Leaders are so engaged in operational matters that little time remains for strategic optimization efforts.

The best way to identify these blind spots? A regular external assessment. External experts bring fresh perspectives, proven benchmarks, and the independence needed for an honest analysis. Even companies with strong performance management benefit greatly—because optimization never ends.

But beware: Choosing the right service provider is crucial. And this is not about the name of the consulting firm. The individual expert makes the difference. See my last post for more on this.

#Transformation #PerformanceImprovement #ChangeManagement

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