10% Happier with Dan Harris How To Read The Room, See What Others Miss, and Be Right More Often | Kirstin Ferguson
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Dec 22, 2025 
Kirstin Ferguson, a leadership expert and author of 'Blindspotting,' discusses how blindspots and biases hinder success. She emphasizes the importance of intellectual humility and differentiates between 'seekers' and 'knowers.' Kirstin explores three major thinking traps and offers strategies to disentangle ego from identity while receiving feedback. She highlights the value of curiosity in leadership and gives practical advice for 'reading the room'—from understanding body language to seeking diverse perspectives. Build psychological safety to encourage open dialogue!
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Referendum Shock Prompted Broader Listening
- Kirstin voted to recognise Indigenous people but was shocked when the majority voted no in the referendum.
- That surprise pushed her to read widely and seek perspectives she had missed before.
Use Bodily Signals To Pause
- Notice bodily signs of defensiveness and plan responses before entering triggering conversations.
- Pause, name your trigger, or call a short break to avoid reactive arguing and preserve clarity.
Use Questions To Learn, Not To Win
- Combine honesty, curiosity, and flexibility: accept uncertainty, seek truth, then update your views.
- Use questions to learn, not to win, and pursue diverse perspectives to challenge your assumptions.
