Blindspotting: How to see what others miss

by Kirstin Ferguson

Be Honest. Be Curious. Be Flexible.

What if the biggest obstacle to your success is something you can’t even see?

Intellectual humility, intellectual curiosity and cognitive flexibility can transform the way you lead, think and grow. In Blindspotting, award-winning leadership expert Dr Kirstin Ferguson reveals how the best leaders aren’t those with all the answers – they’re the ones who can say, ‘I don’t know . . . yet.’

In today’s fast-paced, polarised world, adaptability is the key to success. Whether you’re leading a global company, managing a small team, or simply striving for personal growth, Blindspotting equips you with practical tools to navigate uncertainty, foster stronger teams and spark breakthrough innovation.

Through compelling stories and cutting-edge research, Ferguson uncovers the hidden forces shaping our decisions – often without us realising it. This isn’t just a leadership book – it’s a game changer for anyone who wants to see the world, and themselves, with fresh eyes.

Genres: Leadership, Audiobook, Self Help, Psychology

357 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 3, 2025

About the author

Dr Kirstin Ferguson is a company director, columnist, keynote speaker and executive coach. Beginning her career as an officer in the Royal Australian Air Force, Kirstin has held roles that have included chief executive officer of an international consulting firm, and acting chair and deputy chair of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. She has sat on boards of both publicly-listed and privately-listed companies for more than a decade.

Kirstin has a PhD in leadership and culture, as well as honours degrees in Law and History. She is an adjunct professor at the Queensland University of Technology Business School, where she was named Outstanding Alumnus of the Year in 2020, and is a Sir Winston Churchill Fellow. She was included on Thinkers50 Radar List in 2021 and shortlisted for the Thinkers50 Distinguished Achievement Award in Leadership.

Kirstin writes a weekly column on leadership and work in the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, and is also a contributor to the Australian Financial Review and Forbes.

Reviews

[Connor · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of the worst books I’ve ever read. It doesn’t say anything other than, essentially, “maybe sometimes we’re… wrong?” Yikes.

Easily the most egregious thing Ferguson does in this is to claim that she “coined” the term Blindspotting? That’s crazy. Carlos Lopéz Estrada’s (great) film of the same name (which has basically the same meaning) came out eight years ago.

[Ben Dainton · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found the first two-thirds to be quite interesting. The initial concepts were insightful and challenged my thinking. I also found the stories interspersed between the chapters to be helpful, and grounding for the learning.

The major problem was how repetitive it was in the last third. The application, for you as a person, your team, your workplace culture and your board. It was the same concepts over and over again, and filled with reflective questions.

It was as if the book was only 150 pages long, but the publishers wanted at least 250, so it was padded out.

Read the first two-thirds and keep the last third as a resource.

[Pierce Searle · Rating 3 out of 5]

In agreement with a lot of the other reviews, it begins quite interesting and intuitive, but becomes a bit repetitive towards the end. Overall not a bad read, just very focused at the corporate world.

[Alexander · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very superficial, not much really to learn from this book.

[Timothy S Stone · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book would benefit from less redundancy and more "sticky" examples of the applications.

[Alanna Felby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good insights, somewhat repetetive. Useful perspectives on bias and identifying gaps in knowledge for leaders.