Helen was a talented designer promoted into management — but she never stopped seeing herself as a designer. Her story shows that leadership self-awareness isn’t always about climbing higher; sometimes it’s about choosing alignment. By recognizing her identity blindspot, Helen found clarity, fulfillment, and success on her own terms.
Helen was a gifted designer — precise, creative, and deeply invested in her craft.
When her company promoted her into a management role, she accepted the opportunity with quiet confidence.
But once she stepped into leadership, things felt off.
She still thought of herself as a designer, not a manager.
She didn’t see “managing people” as real work — not compared to the satisfaction of creating something herself.
The transition demanded new behaviors: delegation, feedback, people management.
But Helen stayed rooted in what she knew best — the creative process.
The result? A leadership blindspot she couldn’t see.
“Helen had an identity blindspot. She was a designer forced into the role of manager, and never shifted.” — Blindspotting: How To See What's Holding You Back as a Leader
Helen’s Identity Blindspot sat in plain sight: she still believed her value came from doing the work, not leading it.
She wasn’t resistant to change — she simply didn’t believe her identity needed to change.
In her mind, good design was still the most important contribution she could make.
But that belief quietly limited her impact.
Her team needed a manager, not another designer.
Her company needed direction, not more output.
When her coach reframed her challenge as one of identity, not performance, Helen finally saw what she’d been missing.
To be effective in her new role, she needed to see herself differently — not as the doer, but as the developer of others.
Through Blindspotting Performance Coaching, Helen began to explore how her story about herself was shaping her results.
She had the skills to succeed as a leader — but not the identity to match.
Once she recognized that gap, she faced a decision:
Her awareness gave her something she hadn’t felt in months — clarity.
She realized she didn’t want to lead a team. She wanted to design.
And that wasn’t failure — it was freedom.
Helen chose alignment over obligation.
She left her company and launched her own independent design consultancy — one that let her return to her creative roots without guilt or friction.
Today, she earns more than she did as a design lead and feels more fulfilled than ever.
“Helen loved her identity as a designer and didn’t want to give it up. Seeing her blindspot gave her the power to make the right choice for herself.” — Blindspotting: How To See What's Holding You Back as a Leader
That’s the essence of awareness — not forcing change, but making change conscious.
Helen’s story proves that leadership growth isn’t always about promotion.
Sometimes, self-awareness means choosing what fits, not what’s expected.
Blindspots don’t only hold leaders back — they also hide what’s true about who we are. When we see them clearly, we gain the power to lead, work, and live with alignment.
Explore the full model in The Identity Blindspot.
Explore other leaders who uncovered their Identity Blindspots:
Marcus — The Visionary Who Couldn’t Let Go
