Susan DrummCEO Advisor & Executive Coach | Leadership Change Agent

Why Leaders Need People Who See Things Differently #shorts

11 Jul 2026 · 1 min

Watch on YouTube

1:03

In this YouTube short, Susan Drumm explains that cognitively diverse teams often experience more conflict because each member has a different focal "vision" and blind spots. She likens human perception to a central and peripheral vision, where what we focus on shapes our motivation while unseen blind spots remain hidden. Drumm introduces the Enneagram as a model to uncover individual and team leadership styles, highlighting that some team members naturally notice the blind spots of others. She warns that if teams consist of people who think alike, no one will point out these blind spots, leading to stagnation. The core message is that leaders should intentionally include people who see things differently to ensure comprehensive perspective and avoid the mistake of hiring only like‑minded individuals.

Chapters

The most cognitively diverse teams can have the most conflict because of this. As human beings, we think we're chameleons and can see 360 degrees, but we're humans that have a central vision and a peripheral vision. And where I point my focus of attention, that's what I see. That's what I'm motivated by. But there's something behind my head I can't see, and that's my blind spot. Now, in the model of the Enneagram, which is what we use to uncover your own and your team members' leadership style, there's someone else who has the natural gift to look in the direction of your blind spot. But if I keep arguing that what I see is green and you're arguing that what you see is yellow, we never get anywhere. The most cognitively diverse teams can have the most conflict because of this. Knowing that, people then tend to hire people that think just like them, but that's a big mistake because then no one on your team is looking in the direction of your blind spot.