765: How to See What’s Holding You Back, with Marty Dubin

What It Covers

Marty Dubin explains how identity mismatches between who leaders see themselves as and their actual roles create blind spots that limit effectiveness, using his experience as a psychologist-turned-CEO to illustrate practical solutions.

Key Questions Answered

• •Identity-Role Alignment: Leaders must align their core identity with their current role, not past training. An engineer promoted to manager who still identifies as engineer will focus on technical work rather than team development and management responsibilities.
• •Calendar Analysis Method: Review three months of calendar data to identify where time is actually spent versus role requirements. This concrete exercise reveals identity-driven priorities and filters that unconsciously direct attention away from critical new responsibilities and toward comfortable past roles.
• •Act-As-If Technique: Embody new identity through consistent small behaviors before feelings catch up. Speaking up in meetings instead of offering ideas privately afterward creates visible change that shifts both self-perception and how others perceive leadership capability over time.
• •Seven Common Identity Patterns: Rebel, imposter, independent thinker, rule follower, unworthy, entitled, and peacemaker identities often cause blind spots during role transitions. Identifying which pattern applies enables targeted adjustments rather than attempting wholesale personality transformation that feels inauthentic.