johari window personal reflection essay

How to Use the Johari Window to Improve Leadership

Arguably though, some of the most important skills required of leaders and managers are self-awareness and good communication. Yet these can often be the most difficult competencies to master.

In this article, we discuss the Johari window as a helpful model for building self-awareness and ultimately improving leadership. We cover the science behind the Johari window, its practical applications, and the benefits leaders and managers can expect, before signposting several resources and exercises to help you begin your journey of personal reflection and growth.

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Positive Leadership Exercises for free . These detailed, science-based exercises will help you or others adopt positive leadership practices and help organizations thrive.

This Article Contains

The johari window: a definition, how does the johari window work, benefits of using the johari window concept, how to use the johari window (free pdf), challenges and recommendations for the johari window, resources from positivepsychology.com, a take-home message, frequently asked questions.

The Johari window is a model of self-awareness within interpersonal relationships developed by psychologists Luft and Ingham (1955) in the 1950s and 60s.

Originally designed as a heuristic exercise, the Johari window’s primary aims are to improve self-awareness and communication and help individuals better understand their own and others’ behavior.

Importantly, the model can relate to any type of interpersonal or group relationship (e.g., among family, friends, colleagues, leaders, and team members), and it can apply to a wide range of contexts and settings, including leadership and management training.

The model is based on the idea that interactions and relationships between individuals depend on the contributions each party makes, similar to interdependence theory (Kelley & Thibaut; 1978).

All interactions therefore require a degree of self- and other knowledge and disclosure of information between individuals. Below, we outline the Johari window matrix, which comprises four quadrants, and provide details on each.

• Arena The first quadrant of the Johari window refers to what is known to ourselves and to others. This is our visible character and can include behaviors, traits, or qualities that we are well known for.
• Blind spot The second quadrant refers to what is known to others but not known to ourselves. This is our blind spot and can include qualities or behaviors that we are unaware of.
• Facade (mask) The third quadrant refers to what is known to ourselves but not known to others. This is what we choose to conceal from others and can include qualities or behaviors that we don’t readily share with others.
• Unknown/Unconscious The last quadrant refers to what is not known to either ourselves or others. This refers to untapped potential that has yet to emerge.

Change is a key principle of the Johari window, particularly as relationships and groups do not remain static but rather evolve and shift over time. For example, the first quadrant (the arena) can increase significantly in size as more information becomes known to the self and to others.

The opposite holds true for the second quadrant (blind spot), which can decrease in size as more information becomes apparent to the self. When an individual engages in self-disclosure and reveals a hidden aspect of the self to another, the third quadrant (facade) can also diminish in size.

Uncovering and reducing the size of the fourth quadrant (unknown) is less clear and could occur via a variety of methods and activities, including deep reflection such as meditation. As such, the Johari window can be thought of as a dynamic model of possibilities, growth, and transformation.

Disclosure requires individuals to engage in self-disclosure of thoughts and feelings to a relational partner, but also to pursue disclosure facilitation in their relational partner (such that the relational partner feels safe enough to reveal their thoughts and feelings).

In the workplace, this might look like managers or leaders sharing information about themselves with their team, which can be a positive way to encourage and facilitate reciprocal sharing.

Feedback requires individuals to invite or solicit feedback from others in order to enhance self-knowledge, as well as to provide feedback to others to enhance their knowledge too.

In the workplace, this might look like managers or leaders seeking feedback from different members of their team and providing feedback to their team members in turn.

This process of giving and receiving allows individuals within any type of interpersonal relationship to identify blind spots and support each other’s personal growth.

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The key benefit of using the Johari window is improved self-awareness and communication, the combination of which provides an additional bonus of improved teamwork .

1. Improved self-awareness

For leaders, self-awareness is one of the most important skills to work on. It should be a muscle that you are working constantly in order to ensure you’re connected to your team and leading with humility.

Leaders with higher self-awareness tend to be more successful and achieve better outcomes, including performance metrics (Ashley & Reiter-Palmon, 2012).

Having high levels of self-awareness is especially vital in difficult conversations, and leaders should consider their behavioral patterns when preparing for such inevitable conversations.

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2. Improved communication

Just as self-awareness is important for leadership, so too is communication. Self-awareness and communication enjoy a symbiotic relationship, where improvement in one often garners improvement in the other.

Leaders with good communication skills can convey messages clearly and lean into empathy, authenticity, and vulnerability when doing so. Indeed, individuals who embody this type of positive leadership style have excellent communication skills, communicating in a supportive and empowering manner (Cameron, 2008) and delivering feedback constructively (Davenport et al., 2016).

3. Improved teamwork

When managers and leaders display high levels of self-awareness and adept communication skills, the knock-on effect is often an improvement to the interpersonal and group relationships around them, including better teamwork. For example, when leaders communicate effectively, they can motivate and galvanize their team toward a shared goal, with a greater chance of success (Zaccaro et al., 2001).

As we can see, the advantages to be gained from using the Johari window can be broad and powerful, particularly for team cohesion and performance.

Below, we identify three key ways to use the Johari window to enhance self-awareness and provide a free Johari Window exercise .

• Identifying blind spots To notice their blind spots using the Johari window, individuals must seek feedback to reveal the traits and behaviors that they commonly use but are not fully aware of.
• Diminishing the facade To allow others a greater chance to know them, individuals can endeavor to reveal any hidden aspects of themselves and lean into their authentic selves. In doing so, the facade can be significantly reduced.
• Enhancing communication To boost those all-important communications skills, individuals can actively engage in empathetic listening  and other good communication practices when discussing feedback with team members and colleagues.

Check out this video for more details on how the Johari window works as an exercise.

There is real potential for the Johari window to be used as a jumping-off point for building self-awareness in new managers and leaders in organizations.

Beyond leadership specifically, the Johari window can be a helpful individual exercise for all colleagues and team members across any organization. However, there are some caveats to be mindful of when thinking about using the Johari window at work.

• Lack of coherent evidence base Despite being developed over 60 years ago, there is surprisingly little evidence of its use and benefits in organizations and leadership, and the evidence that exists is located in disparate fields.

While this urges some caution, it also shows a promising gap where more research can add serious value to organizational behavior and psychology .

• Measurement There have been some criticisms around how the Johari window is measured.

Historically, applying the Johari window involves deep introspection (i.e., an individual reflects on their own subjective experience and behaviors). However, given that the window is about self-awareness within interpersonal relationships, the lack of assessment captured by the other individual in the relationship is a considerable shortcoming.

As per the theory of interdependence in relationships (Kelley & Thibaut, 1978), each individual has a significant bearing on each other’s experiences and outcomes in any given interaction.

For instance, an individual may want to disclose (or conceal) parts of themselves to the relational partner if their needs are met (or frustrated) by said partner. Because of this, results tend to be based at the individual level, subjective, and difficult to interpret.

• Repressed information The “unknown” quadrant of the Johari window could include subconscious or repressed information, particularly from traumatic past experiences.

As such, there is the potential that actively using the Johari window could lead to an increase of discomfort or even psychological distress for individuals. If individuals do not have the resources to deal with such emerging parts of the self, this can have dire consequences.

Therefore, it is strongly recommended that individuals are provided with sufficient aftercare (this could be as coaching or therapy), and the Johari window should not be used as a substitute for proper clinical care.

• Company culture The degree to which individuals in an organization can share their authentic selves (in order to minimize the facade) is actually determined by the culture of the organization.

If the organization does not foster a culture of psychological safety , then employees will not feel able to be authentic, and so there will be a limit to the positive impact the Johari window can have.

While the Johari window is often used as an individual exercise, individuals exist within wider systems or structures of power, which can have a significant bearing on the usefulness of the Johari window.

Due to these shortcomings, individuals should be vigilant when using the Johari window. Yes, it can be an insightful exercise, but to get the most out of the exercise, it is recommended that individuals use the Johari window in conjunction with other helpful tools, practices, and exercises.

For example, if you are a new leader, completing the Johari window exercise will give you a good sign of your current communication and self-awareness skill levels.

At that point, various options are available to improve your communication skills. As a starting point, consider reading this Communication Exercises for Work article.

17 Exercises To Build Positive Leaders

Use these 17 Positive Leadership Exercises [PDF] to help others inspire, motivate, and guide employees in ways that enrich workplace performance and satisfaction. Created by Experts. 100% Science-based.

If you are interested in exercises that can boost your leadership skills in tandem with the Johari window, check out some of these excellent resources from PositivePsychology.com.

This Self-Awareness Worksheet for Adults is an excellent reflective activity to deepen self-awareness. Individuals are asked a series of questions about various aspects of the self, including strengths, weaknesses, talents, skills, what is important, what you are proud of, and what you want to achieve in life.

The exercise could be paired with this quick and easy 3-Step Mindfulness Worksheet , which invites you to take a break and be in the present moment, bringing full attention to the here and now. We know mindfulness is a foolproof way to build self-awareness and is worth serious consideration by all leaders and managers.

For more information on the contours of positive leadership and the skills required, you might find the following articles insightful. They include excellent tips on how to deliver positive feedback, positive leadership training options, and tips for effective positive reinforcement strategies in the workplace.

• Positive Leadership: 30 Must-Have Traits and Skills
• Positive Reinforcement in the Workplace
• 83 Leadership Activities, Building Games, and Exercises

If you’re looking for more science-based ways to help others develop positive leadership skills, this collection contains 17 validated positive leadership exercises . Use them to equip leaders with the skills needed to cultivate a culture of positivity and resilience.

In an ever-changing work landscape, effective leadership is more important than ever. Being proactive about building positive leadership skills is therefore vital for any emerging or established manager or leader.

Of all the skills leaders need to conquer, self-awareness remains an absolute must-have and can have a host of knock-on benefits for performance. The Johari window can be a powerful tool to aid managers and leaders in highlighting key skill areas that require more development.

Armed with this new information, leaders and individuals can look at alternatives to further build their communication and interpersonal skills.

Exercises such as active listening , mindful communication training, compassion training , and empathy training are fruitful avenues.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Positive Leadership Exercises for free .

• Known to others/known to self = arena
• Known to others/not known to self = blindspot
• Not known to others/known to self = facade
• Not known to others/not known to self = unknown
• Build self-awareness
• Improve communication
• Improve teamwork

The Johari window was developed by psychologists Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham (1955). They combined their first names to name the Johari window model.

Individuals have the capacity for personal growth if they seek feedback from others about themselves, and relationships have the capacity for growth if individuals are willing to engage in reciprocal disclosure with each other.

• Ashley, G. C., & Reiter-Palmon, R. (2012). Self-awareness and the evolution of leaders: The need for a better measure of self-awareness. Journal of Behavioral and Applied Management , 14 (1), 2–17.
• Cameron, K. S. (2008). Positive leadership: Strategies for extraordinary performance . Berrett-Koehler.
• Davenport, L. J., Allisey, A. F., Page, K. M., LaMontagne, A. D., & Reavley, N. J. (2016). How can organisations help employees thrive? The development of guidelines for promoting positive mental health at work. International Journal of Workplace Health Management , 9 (4), 411–427.
• Kelley, H. H., & Thibaut, J. W. (1978). Interpersonal relations: A theory of interdependence . Wiley.
• Luft, J., & Ingham, H. (1955). The Johari window, a graphic model of interpersonal awareness. Proceedings of the Western Training Laboratory in Group Development , 246.
• Zaccaro, S. J., Rittman, A. L., & Marks, M. A. (2001). Team leadership. The Leadership Quarterly , 12 (4), 451–483.

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The Johari Window model: examples, exercises & self-development tips

In this article I’ll share everything you need to get started. I’ll explain the Johari Window model, share some personal examples, and provide simple Johari Window exercises.

The Johari Window is one of those models that many people are aware of, but few people use. Which is unfortunate, because it’s a simple and powerful model for guiding self-development. Let’s get started.

Whether you’re working on your own development, supporting a team, or coaching 1:1, the Johari Window model is a useful foundation for productive development planning.

The Johari Window Model explained

The Johari Window (or the Jo Hari Window) was developed by Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham . The model has been around since 1955 and ss you may have just realized, the name of the model is derived from a combination of their first names!

This four window model recognizes some essential truths.

For example, there are parts of ourselves that we keep hidden from others . This may be our deepest desires, or just hidden foibles, or just ‘stuff’ that we haven’t yet found the opportunity to share.

There are also parts of ourselves that others can see, but which we can’t see for ourselves . This can be a simple behavior such as interrupting when other people are speaking. It’s so automatic that we don’t notice it ourselves, but it’s very visible to other people. Or it could be something more profound, and can be a positive(!), such as our ability to be calm in a crisis.

And then there is our potential, unknow to both ourselves and others because that potential hasn’t yet been unleashed. Our life experiences haven’t yet revealed our ability.

The model takes all that theory, and packages it into a neat 4-window matrix that looks at what is known and unknown, to yourself and others. And then each quadrant is labeled to summarize its characteristics:

As you can see, the 4 boxes are:

• The Open Area (known by yourself, and know by others too)
• The Blind Spot (unknow by yourself, but known by others)
• The Hidden Area (known by yourself, but unknown by others)
• The Unknown (unknown by yourself, and unknown by others too)

The value of reflecting on these different ‘windows’ is that each one offers you a different approach to personal development and self discovery .

Here’s more on the four windows of the model.

A tool for personal development and self discovery

Personal development takes many different forms, the 70 / 20 / 10 model may be familiar to you, and the Johari Window provides another complementary and unique perspective.

Each window provides a different vehicle for development:

• The Open Area : ideal for personal development discussions
• The Blind Spot : creates an opportunity to seek feedback
• The Hidden Area : gives you the opportunity to share, thoughtfully
• The Unknown : offers you the opportunity to unlock your potential with fresh challenges

Take a look at my Johari Window personal examples, below.

Johari Window examples

The Johari Window can be used in a couple of different ways. In my case, I’ve used it as a model to guide my development through self-reflection and personal action.

Here are my Johari Window examples:

In the Open Area , during career and development conversations with my manager, I discuss the personal development needs that we’re both aware of. These currently include:

• Developing my confidence in engaging C-level executives
• Gaining experience of leading global projects
• Improving my workshop facilitation skills (particularly for large and complex workshops)

The Blind Spot offers the opportunity to seek feedback from coworkers, your manager, and your team. I do this on a regular basis. This helps me to:

• Build relationships with my coworkers
• Gain insights into how I can improve my performance
• Demonstrate to my manager that I’m actively managing my personal development

And if you’re asking yourself “ How can I seek feedback on a blind spot? I don’t know what I don’t know! ” remember that how you seek feedback can vary.

You can ask for feedback on specific skills, but you can also ask open questions such as “ What’s one thing I should do differently, that would really enhance my performance? “.

There’s more here on seeking feedback .

The Hidden Area has several different applications. I consider this area and decide what to share about myself when I’m:

• Delivering presentations: to make sure that I position myself correctly to achieve my presentation goals
• Greeting new colleagues: so that they quickly understand how I can support them and the value that I offer
• Building relationships: sharing more of myself with others, in a thoughtful way, helps me to build trusting and collaborative relationships

The Unknown is the fun zone! It’s all about discovering your potential through new activities. This is your opportunity to cultivate a growth mindset , create new challenges for yourself, learn and grow.

If you’re not sure what challenges to take up, look at our 30-day challenge ideas (not all growth has to be serious, you can have fun too!).

Johari Window exercises for personal development

You can use the Johari Window for personal reflection and personal development planning, as I have done.

This exercise involves reflecting and acting on the 4 windows within the model:

• The Open Area : what would be the most useful personal development needs for me to discuss with my manager?
• The Blind Spot : how should I seek feedback from my manager, team and coworkers?
• The Hidden Area : what more can I share with people when I’m delivering presentations, greeting new colleagues, or building trusted relationships?
• The Unknown : what new challenges should I set myself?!

You can also use the Johari Window to enable more productive 1-1 conversations and team discussions.

Johari Window as a team-building tool

Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham conceived a Johari Window exercise that involves a list of adjectives which the participants select from and place in the ‘windows’ of the model. This provides the basis for powerful discussions that fuels personal growth and team building.

Here are a list of questions that you can consider using during team building activities.

• What are your key strengths that you believe everyone on the team is aware of?
• What contributions do you feel you make to the team that are recognized by others?
• How do you prefer to communicate with team members during projects?
• What behaviors do you notice in me that I might not be aware of?
• Can you provide feedback on areas where I could improve that I might not see myself?
• Are there any habits or tendencies I have that affect the team’s dynamics, either positively or negatively?

Hidden Area

• What skills or talents do you have that you haven’t shared with the team yet?
• Are there any personal values or experiences that influence how you work but that the team is unaware of?
• Is there anything about your preferred working style or preferences that you haven’t communicated to the team?

Unknown Area

• What new challenges or roles would you like to explore to uncover hidden potential?
• Are there any areas of personal or professional growth you’re curious about but haven’t had the chance to pursue?
• How can the team support you in discovering new skills or abilities?

General Team-Building Questions

• How can we create a more open and trusting environment within the team?
• What steps can we take to give and receive constructive feedback more effectively?
• In what ways can we better support each other’s personal and professional development?

Johari Window example team-building exercises

• Feedback round:  Have team members pair up and provide feedback to each other on observed behaviors and areas for improvement (Blind Spot).
• Self-disclosure session:  Encourage team members to share something about themselves that the team might not know (Hidden Area).
• New challenge brainstorming:  Have a session where team members suggest new projects or roles they would like to take on to explore unseen potential (Unknown Area).

And there are a couple of online resources that allow you to complete your Johari Window, in collaboration with others, in a virtual environment.

Kevan.org – the interface looks clunky, but it actually works well!

Miro.com – a template from Miro, the online collaborative whiteboard platform.

Use these Johari Window exercises as I have, by reflecting and acting on each of the four windows, or to enable a 1-1 or team discussion.

It will give you a fresh and unique perspective on development opportunities!

The Johari Window Reflection

The Johari Window relates to data about a person from four viewpoints, including knowledge, emotions, and abilities. Using the data from the Johari Window for each quadrant for each person, I will consider how I show myself differently to three distinct people (Hidalgo, 2019). I will speak with different persons for each quadrant—the blind selves, the open selves, the hidden selves, and the unknown selves—the Health Services manager and Public Health Officer. The first quadrant, Open Self, denotes most of what my friends and I know already. The second quadrant, known as the Blind Self, is when someone is aware of something about me that I have not disclosed to them. The next quadrant is the Hidden Self, which denotes that while other people may not be aware of a particular aspect of us, we are. Then comes the Unknown Self quadrant, where neither we nor anybody else knows anything about us. The Johari Window can be thought of as a method that improves one’s understanding of oneself and interpersonal communication.

Although I consider myself to be an open book, I was astonished to discover during my interviews that I am not as open as I had previously believed. Everyone said, “There are things about you that I do not know,” demonstrating that I am not being entirely honest. They added that I was more receptive to meeting new people than most people are, and given that I enjoy interacting with others and am a social butterfly, I believe this has an impact on how much information I divulge to them.

Hidden Self

There should be some private information about us, and we will work hard to keep it that way because we know that everyone struggles with keeping their secrets hidden and would want to do so. I keep a few things to myself, and while not everyone is aware of them, some are. I keep from the Health Services manager the things I do with my Public Health Officer and the things I believe may disappoint or irritate him. Because of how Public Health Officers sometimes react when you tell them stuff like this and because I want to make my relationships more private than public.

I have no idea how my actions and words effect me personally or how they affect those around me. The health Services manager has constantly reminded me never to speak before considering what I would say. I am not entirely sure why I do this, but I have realized that I do it frequently because after saying something not all that smart, I take a moment to reflect on why I thought that was a bad thing to say (Yucel, 2022). It was the same in each of the three interviews I gave, and I am positive it was the same with everyone else who knew me. I never gave what I said much thought, which is sometimes a terrible thing but occasionally can be a good thing.

Unknown self

The Health Services manager brought out or demonstrated the unknown to me. I believe this because, although it may not be instrumental, when your senior tells you to pursue your dreams for a career in life continuously, it tends to highlight the as-yet-unknown goals you may have. This is because it encourages you to daydream and consider the possibilities. Numerous things were once a part of your unknown self, such as whatever you were unaware of at one point. For instance, I recently learned that I have double joints instead of one, although this fact was previously unknown to everyone.

Overall, I do not think it would be better to change anything about my open or hidden self since I do not think it would enhance anything to see how I talk to others. For my blind self, it has revealed how many things I have said without thinking about them and until now, I always forgot about once someone mentioned them. With that stated, I believe that I will be attempting to correct that and taking a few moment to consider what I am going to say in order to ensure that it would be appropriate and consider how it would effect those around me if I were to say it. That is something I would like to change since I believe it has an impact on my ability to communicate.

Hidalgo, E. S., Wandl-Vogt, E., Dorn, A., & Souza, R. R. (2019, October). Mapping uncertainty around research data: a Digital Humanities transdisciplinary perspective adopting the Johari window. In Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on Technological Ecosystems for Enhancing Multiculturality (pp. 804-809).

Yucel, C. (2022). Value of Reflective Practice for Language Teachers. LANGUAGE TEACHER, 46, 35.

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5 Johari Window Examples (Harry Potter, Bill Clinton, Etc)

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Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

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The Johari window model is a psychological tool that’s meant to illustrate and increase self-awareness and an understanding of group dynamics .

It is a graph (featured above) that shows four quadrants to focus on during self-reflection :

• Open Self: Information about you that you know and others also know.
• Blind Self: Information about you that you don’t know but others do know.
• Hidden Self: Information about you that you know but others don’t.
• Unknown Self: Information about you that neither you nor others know.

People using the tool are asked to reflect on all four of these windows in groups, having others provide input to help reveal information about you that you’re not aware of.

Johari Window Definition

The Johari window model was created by two American psychologists, Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham, in 1955. It is actually an amalgamation of their names; Joe and Harry.

The aim of the Johari window was to help people learn about themselves through feedback and learn to build trust in interactions with others.

It is most commonly used to understand inter-group relationships and improve communication. It is also used for improving self-awareness and researching group dynamics.

The Johari window model represents different facets of a person in relation to their group from four different perspectives. Facets of yourself worth considering when contemplating the window include:

• Motivations

The four different perspectives are typically referred to as four quadrants or regions. The Johari window is typically represented as a square with four grid squares.

The size of each quadrant can change in size to reflect how much knowledge there actually is in that area.

The Four Quadrants Explained

1. open self area.

This quadrant in Johari’s window is the first in the square, and it represents what both the group and the person know.

The main aim here should be to develop this area for every person in the group because then each person is more productive and efficient, which makes the group more productive overall.

This window represents a space free from conflict and misunderstandings and fosters good communication and team cooperation.

Established team members will have a larger open area than new team members. New team members can expand their quadrant by receiving feedback and sharing about themselves with the rest of the group.

2. Blind Self (aka Blind Spot)

This quadrant represents what the person doesn’t know about themselves, but the group does.

The aim here is to reduce the size of the blind area and expand into it the open area; this should help increase self-awareness in that person.

This blind area can be addressed by offering this person feedback from the team and management. This personal development will lead to a more productive team member.

3. Hidden Area (aka Facade)

This quadrant represents what the person knows about themselves that the group doesn’t know.

The hidden area is information that the person is aware of but has chosen not to share with the group.

This can be anything from personal secrets and insecurities to information that the person just deems useless or unnecessary to share.

The aim is to decrease the size of this area and increase the size of the open area through the disclosure of information. It’s important that the disclosure comes at the person’s own discretion, but a smaller hidden area leads to more trust in the group and less miscommunication and misunderstandings.

4. Unknown Area

This quadrant represents what both the person and the group don’t know about that person.

This area can also be known as the unknown self or unknown quadrant. What’s unknown about the person can come in various forms, such as their capabilities, aptitudes, and behaviors. Larger unknown areas are more commonly seen in young people and people who lack experience.

This unknown area can be decreased in size through self-observation or the observations of others. This can be facilitated by personal counseling or through group activities.

Johari Window Examples

Example 1: bill clinton’s johari window.

This Johari Window might represent Bill Clinton at the time he runs for office.

There will be a lot in the open area window because his entire job while campaigning is to tell everyone as much about himself as possible.

There will be very little that is in his blind area because people at the time talked about him constantly on the news. He will also likely have very little in the hidden area because he is so scrutinized.

The unknown to self and others column represents all the things he’ll learn about himself and achieve in office as president over the next eight years.

Example 2: Harry Potter’s Johari Window

This Johari Window might represent Harry Potter at the beginning of the first book, before he even knew he was a wizard.

Example 3: New Employee Joins Team

In this scenario, the person has just joined the team with amazing credentials. They are well-qualified and have relevant experience; after their first assignment, they ask their direct superior for feedback.

This increases the open area and decreases the blind spot because the feedback provides the person with the information they were previously unaware of about themselves. This new self-awareness enables the person to do their next assignment even better.

Despite this person now having a smaller blindspot, they still have a very large hidden area because they’re still fairly new to the team.

Management organizes a teambuilding event to allow everyone to get to know the new member and allow them to familiarize themselves with the team.

In talking to different team members, the person discloses lots of different information about themselves.

This decreases the hidden quadrant and increases the size of the open area because now more information about the person is available to the team.

Example 4: Established Team Member

In this scenario, an already established team member has a fairly big open area and small hidden and blind areas. This team member goes to management and asks for opportunities to further their career, so they’re given work that they’ve never tackled before.

In completing their new assignment which requires leadership skills, the team member discovers new skills and competencies they weren’t previously aware of because they’d never been given the chance before.

These new discoveries offer valuable information to management, and the rest of the team, about what is possible.

This decreases the size of the unknown area and increases the size of the open area.

Example 5: Recent Graduate Joins Team

In this scenario, there’s a new team member. This particular person has never had a job and is a fresh graduate.

In the Johari window, the open area is smaller than the other window panes because there is absolutely no information to go on just yet.

This person has no idea what they’re capable of yet, and neither does the team, so their unknown area is quite large. Their hidden area will also be quite large because the person is the only one really aware of what they’re capable of.

The blind spot is quite small because the team doesn’t know anything about the person as yet. In this scenario, management’s priority should be increasing the open area and decreasing the size of the others. This way, they’ll have a productive and efficient member of the team.

The Johari window model is an essential team development tool that can also lead to self-discovery and a better understanding of a team and its dynamics.

While this tool can be used to improve interpersonal relationships within a team, it also requires some emotional intelligence to get the most out of it.

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 10 Reasons you’re Perpetually Single
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 20 Montessori Toddler Bedrooms (Design Inspiration)
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 21 Montessori Homeschool Setups
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 101 Hidden Talents Examples

4 thoughts on “5 Johari Window Examples (Harry Potter, Bill Clinton, Etc)”

Nicely presented; informative + interesting (Harry Potter’s Johari window ?).

This is absolutely fascinating! Thanks a lot for this valuable post!

The graphic at the top of the page appears to be incorrect! The lower 2 quadrants (Hidden and Unknown areas) should both be labeled “unknown to others” per the descriptions. Just smacked me right upside the head when I was reviewing the page.

You’re right – thanks for picking that up. I’ve fixed it now.

Regards, Chris

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The Johari Window: A Helpful Interpersonal Awareness Tool

The Johari Window is a four box tool that helps people think about the differences between how they see themselves and how others see them. It also provides some guidance to help individuals reduce this difference. Summary by The World of Work Project

The Johari Window

The Johari window is a model of interpersonal awareness. It’s a useful tool for improving self awareness and, through it, our abilities to work well with others. It works by helping us understand the differences between how we see ourselves and how others see us.

The premise behind the Johari Window is that our interactions with others are shaped by how we see ourselves and how the person we’re interacting with sees us. If our views are aligned, we’ll have more effective, engaging and helpful interactions than if our views are differing. As an aside you might like this quote by Charles Horton Cooley .

The Johari Window gets its name from the combined first names of its inventors, Joseph Luft and Harrington Ingham.

How the Johari Window Works

The Johari window works by helping individuals visualize the difference between how they see themselves and how others see them.

The tool requires individuals to capture their own thoughts on who they are and to get feedback from others on how they are perceived. This information is then used to populate a two by two matrix, the Johari Window. The window helps people visualize any disparity between how they see themselves and how others see them.

The four quadrants of the window are:

• “Open” (things known by self and others),
• “Blind” (thing known by others but unknown by self),
• “Hidden / Facade” (things known by self but unknown by others), and
• “Unknown” (things not known by either self or others).

Discover Your Johari Window

Discovering what your Johari Window looks like requires some honesty, a group of peers and some trust. To complete the activity, you need to choose words that you think describe you from a set list and get your peers to do the same. You then explore at the differences between the words you and they chose. Once you understand where the differences are you can create a plan to help you bridge the gap. The following steps will help you do this:

• Choose your peers: Identify people who you trust and who you think know you, or members of your team if you’re completing a team activity. 
• Select your words: Review the list of 56 words and circle 5-10 words that you think best describe you.
• Get your feedback: Ask your chosen peers to complete the same exercise, choosing the 5-10 words they think best describe you.
• Plot your words: Place words both you and others selected in “Open” pane. Place words that only you selected in the “Hidden” pane.
• Plot your feedback: Place words your peers selected but that you didn’t in the “Blind” pane. Place the remaining words in the “unknown” pane. Alternatively, you can choose to leave the “Blind” pane empty.
• Review your Window: Review the words in the four pains of the window. How aligned is your view of who you are with how others see you? How open are you as a person?

The Words to Use

The 56 words below are the “Johari Adjectives” which are most commonly used for this activity. You can use alternative lists of words if you would like. Whatever words you choose to use, make sure there is a large, varied group to choose from.

Your Window

Once you’ve completed the activity and drawn your window you will get a sense of how much overlap there is between how you see yourselves and how others see you.

The relative size of the different quadrants of your window will be a function of how long you’ve been in the team, how open you are, how perceptive your peers are and a range of other factors. You may need to repeat the exercise a few times to get a really clear picture of your window.

Regardless of what your window looks like, the important thing from the premise of the model is to see what you can do to increase the size of your “open” pane and reduce the sizes of your other panes.

The more open we are in our relationships, the more others tend to understand us. Generally speaking this helps communicate effectively and build trust , among other things.

Once you’ve completed The Johari Window activity and have a clear view of what your window looks like, you can start to work towards changing your window.

Most people aim to increase the size of their “open” window and shrink the size of their other windows. There are two main ways they do. Firstly, they try being more open and transparent with others about how they think and feel. This increases the size of their open window and reduces the size of their hidden window. Secondly they seek more feedback from others, which reduces the size of their “blind” window. Some people also look to reduce the size of their “unknown” window, though this can be more difficult. Doing this often requires investing some time in self-discovery and developing self awareness .

If you would like to increase the size of your “open” window and reduce the size of your other windows, you may wish to:

• Plan for your hidden pane: Consider if there is more you would like to share about yourself, and how you could disclose it.
• Plan for your blind pane: Consider if there is more you would like to learn about how others perceive you and how to get more feedback.
• Share your window and plans: Share your completed window with the peers that provided your feedback and let them know your plans to grow your open pane and shrink your other panes.

A Group Activity

The activity we detailed above is usually an individual discovery activity. But the Johari window can also be completed as a group activity.

To make this a group activity, simply bring a group of peers together in a room, or virtually, and get them to select their own words and the words they’d use to describe each of their peers. The individuals in the activity can then create their own windows based on their feedback. If they wish they can then share their windows and discuss action plans within the group environment.

Learning More

The Johari window explores self awareness and interpersonal awareness. These factors are important for building trust in teams. The also can increase a sense of connection and cohesion and teams leading to improved employee experience and employee engagemen t. To get further insights into these areas it’s worth exploring your personal values .

This podcast on self awareness might be of some interest:

The World of Work Project View

The Johari window is a good, simple tool to use to increase self awareness as well as to start conversations about perception and the importance of feedback. It’s for these reasons that it’s quite a popular tool in the world of work.

It’s most effective in environments with higher levels of trust and honest. If trust and honest are low, disclosure will be low and people may not learn, or may get a false impression of themselves.

While it it can be a helpful tool, not everyone feels comfortable being open, sharing and giving or receiving feedback. If you’re using it as a team exercise, make sure that your team is comfortable using it and willing to give it a go. If you don’t, you may end up alienating or upsetting people .

It’s also worth noting that, like many similar exercises, you’ll probably get different results every time you do the activity. It’s best to think of it just as guidance, not as an objective truth.

Overall we like the model, despite some of its limitations.

How We Help Organizations

We provide leadership development programmes and consulting services to clients around the world to help them become high performing organizations that are great places to work. We receive great feedback, build meaningful and lasting relationships and provide reduced cost services where price is a barrier.

Learning more about who we are and what we do it easy: To hear from us, please join our mailing list . To ask about how we can help you or your organization, please contact us . To explore topics we care about, listen to our podcast . To attend a free seminar, please check out our eventbrite page .

We’re also considering creating a community for people interested in improving the world of work. If you’d like to be part of it, please contact us .

Sources and Feedback

This post is based on interpretations of work originally produced by Joseph Luft and Harrington Ingham. You can read more in Joe Luft’s 1969 book: Of Human Interaction: Johari Model .

We’re a small organization who know we make mistakes and want to improve them. Please contact us with any feedback you have on this post. We’ll usually reply within 72 hours. 

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Home — Essay Samples — Sociology — Interpersonal Communication — The Johari Window: Communication and Relationships

The Johari Window: Communication and Relationships

• Categories: Interpersonal Communication

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Published: Feb 12, 2024

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Introduction.

• Luft, J., & Ingham, H. (1955). The Johari window: A Graphical Model for Interpersonal Relations. University of Calif: Western Training Lab.

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Home Essay Samples Life Self Reliance

A Report On Self-Analysis Using Johari Window

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Nursing Education Network

Johari Window and Feedback

Across healthcare education, feedback is considered an important aspect for learning and performance development. In this post we are focusing on the Johari Window by Luft & Ingham (1961), which can be used to help people better understand their relationship with themselves and others. The Johari Window can be used to develop understanding between individuals, such as the nurse and nurse educator.

Johari Window is?

A model of interpersonal awareness by Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham which shows the four facets of self.

The 4 Facits

• Open or Arena : This quadrant represents what is known by the person about him/herself and is also known by others.
• Hidden or Façade :  Represents what the person knows about him/herself that others do not know. Peers are unaware of this information. It is then up to the subject to disclose this information or not.
• Blind Spot:  This quadrant represents information that the subject is not aware of, but others are. Others can decide whether and how to inform the individual about these blind spots. Also known as the hidden area, hidden self or avoided area.
• Unknown : Represents the participant’s behaviours or motives that were not recognised by self or others. These traits may not be considered applicable or because there is collective ignorance of the traits.

Johari Window develops?

• Self-awareness
• Personal development
• Improving communications
• Interpersonal relationships
• Group dynamics
• Team development
• Inter group relationships

Feedback Exercise

This exercise is from Rungapadiachy (1999, pg. 237) to reflect on past feedback to serve as a guide for self-awareness and how feedback should be delivered.

• Who was it from?
• How was it given (what was actually said?)
• How did you feel after?
• How did you respond?

Johari Meaning

The term Johari comes from mixing Joseph Luft’s and Harry Ingham’s first names!

Luft, J., & Ingham, H. (1961). The Johari Window: a graphic model of awareness in interpersonal relations . Human relations training news , 5 (9), 6-7.

Rungapadiachy, D. M. (1999). Interpersonal communication and psychology for health care professionals. Theory and practice. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.

Wikipedia. (2024) Johari Window .

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The Johari window: a fresh take on self-reflection

Discover traits you may not see in yourself by asking your team to participate in this illuminating personality assessment.

Get stories like this in your inbox

5-second summary

• The Johari window is an exercise that can help you have a better understanding of yourself and how others see you.
• It helps you identify what qualities both you and your colleagues agree that you possess, which ones they see but you don’t, and which ones you notice but they don’t pick up on.
• The adjectives you and your colleagues select get categorized into the Johari window’s four quadrants and then you can act upon them.

Maybe you’ve never thought of yourself as particularly persuasive. But when your team has a big idea, you’re the one they elect to pitch it. Much to your surprise, they say you have a real knack for influencing people.

It’s a departure from your own perception – but the fact that you missed it is not surprising. While most of us like to think of ourselves as self-aware , one study found that only 10-15% of people actually fit the criteria. 

The Johari window can help you and your teammates get a better grasp on your most prominent qualities – as well as the areas you can improve.

What is the Johari window?

The Johari window is an exercise that helps you gain a better understanding of yourself and how others see you. It was created by psychologists Joseph Luft and Harrington Ingham in 1955 as part of their work on group dynamics. Fun fact: “Johari” is a combination of their first names.

To use it, you’ll review a list of adjectives and choose five or six terms that best describe you. Then, you’ll have your colleagues do the same, choosing the descriptors they think fit you best. Then, you plot each list on a four-quadrant matrix.

The Johari matrix looks kind of like a window with four panes (hence the “Johari window” moniker), but some people refer to it as a “Johari house” with four rooms.

As you sort the adjectives into their appropriate quadrants, you uncover what qualities both you and your colleagues agree that you possess, which ones they see but you don’t, and which ones you notice but they don’t pick up on. 

While the whole process might make you feel a little vulnerable (taking a magnifying glass to yourself can be tough!), the Johari window will help you: 

• Understand how you’re perceived by the people you work with
• Build stronger relationships on a shared understanding and foundation 
• Approach conversations and interactions with that helpful context
• Make improvements to address blind spots or negative qualities
• Learn to accept feedback , even if it’s hard to hear

What are the Johari window quadrants?

Open area (also called the arena):.

Adjectives that were selected by both you and your team. Ideally, you’ll see lots of words here, which would indicate that you and your team are more or less aligned on what qualities best describe you.

Hidden area (also called the Facade):

Adjectives that were selected by you, but not your colleagues. Work to call more attention to these. For example, if you chose “listener” but your colleagues didn’t, you might focus on allowing more time and space for other people to chime in during meetings.

Blind spot:

Adjectives that were selected by your colleagues, but not by you. If there are terms here you don’t want associated with you, you can work to address your blind spots and demonstrate the characteristics you’d rather be associated with. For example, if your colleagues described you as “idealistic,” you might work to back up more of your decisions and suggestions with data and other evidence. But, if there are terms in the blind spot that you do want to be associated with that you don’t feel you currently possess, that can be great encouragement to you to continue growing in those areas.

Unknown (also called the Dark):

Adjectives that weren’t selected at all. If there are qualities here you’d like to exemplify, identify them and figure out how you can work toward them.

Johari window exercise: how to use this tool yourself

Know thyself: how self-awareness helps you at work

Want to give the Johari window a try on your own team? Follow these four steps. 

1. Grab your adjective list

You’ll need to start with a list of adjectives for you and your colleagues to pull from. Here’s a long list of descriptors you can share with your team. 

2. Choose adjectives to describe yourself

Review the list and select five or six adjectives that you think best describe you. Keep them to yourself for now and focus specifically on qualities that you think you embody most in a work setting (rather than your personal life).

3. Have colleagues select adjectives

Next, your colleagues get a chance to privately select an equal number of adjectives that they think most accurately characterize you. Depending on the size of your team, you could approach this one of two ways:

• Have your coworkers collaborate to decide on adjectives together. They’ll have to achieve a consensus, but it’ll give you fewer data points to wade through and categorize.
• Have each of your coworkers select adjectives individually. It may result in a large list, but will also give you a more detailed picture of how you’re perceived.

4. Sort adjectives into the correct quadrants 

Now that you and your coworkers have your selected adjectives ready to go, it’s time for the big reveal. Draw the Johari window on a surface that’s visible to all of you, whether it’s a real whiteboard or a virtual one. 

Next, review your list of adjectives alongside the descriptors that your colleagues selected. Start by looking for the ones that overlap and jot those down in the open area. Next, put the ones that your coworkers chose but you didn’t in your blind spot…and so forth. Keep working your way through all the adjectives. 

Once your descriptors are categorized appropriately, you can start a candid discussion about why certain traits landed where they did. Repeat the exercise with each teammate so everyone can benefit from insight into how they present themselves at work.

Johari window examples

What can leaders learn from pop culture’s most beloved coaches?

Let’s take a look at a few examples, using some beloved fictional characters, to get a feel for what this exercise looks like in practice.

James Bond 

007 is known for his charm, cunning, and risky behavior. Here’s what his Johari window might end up looking like:

Potential takeaway: James is surprised to hear that he’s coming off as impulsive to his team at MI6. He puts a lot of thought and strategy into the decisions he makes, but apparently that isn’t obvious to his colleagues. Moving forward, he’ll try to give more visibility into his decision-making processes so his teammates don’t think he’s always flying by the seat of his pants. 

Leslie Knope

She’s the unstoppable force that drives the Pawnee Department of Parks and Recreation – and she’s notorious for her relentless energy and can-do attitude. Here’s what her Johari window might end up looking like: 

Potential takeaway: Leslie knew she was passionate and strong-willed, but she had no idea that might be translating as domineering to her colleagues. She’s going to be more mindful about hearing other people’s opinions and giving them a chance to speak. 

Michael Scott

To be fair, the simultaneously self-important-yet-lovable Regional Manager of Dunder Mifflin would probably apply every single positive adjective to himself. But if he could put his lack of modesty aside, here’s what his Johari window could look like: 

Potential takeaway: Michael is shocked to hear that is ingenuity isn’t coming through to the rest of his team. He’s going to use this opportunity to be more vocal about all the “golden ticket” ideas he has up his sleeve. 

Look through the window and learn about yourself

Even if your team members know each other well, the Johari window will likely reveal a few surprises. 

The information you discover won’t just be personally enlightening – it will help you make improvements and ultimately connect with your coworkers on a deeper level. 

Plus, you’re the perfect candidate to get your team members on board with this bonding activity . You’re the persuasive one, after all. 

Advice, stories, and expertise about work life today.

Essay Service Examples Life Self Awareness

Johari Window Essay

Introduction

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• Open/Free Area - Known to self
• Blind Area - Not known to self
• Hidden Area - Known to others
• Unknown Area - Not known to others

Quadrant 1 (Open or Free Area)

Quadrant 2 (blind area), quadrant 3 (hidden area), quadrant 4 (unknown area), limitation of johari window, my personal learning, professional learning.

• · Abrahams, D. A. “Emotional intelligence and Army leadership”. Military Review, vol.2, (2007) pp 86-93
• · Duval, S., and Wicklund, R. A. “A theory of objective self-awareness” (1972) New York: Academic Press.
• · Gowing, M. “Measurement of individual emotional competence”. In Cherniss, C., and Goleman, D., The emotionally intelligent workplace, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass (2001) pp 83-131
• · Malcolm Higgs, “Do Leaders Need Emotional Intelligence?: A Study of the Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Leadership Of Change”, International Journal of Organization Behavior, vol.5 no.6, (2002) pp. 195-212
• · Mirvis, p.” Executive development through consciousness-raising experiences”. Academy of Management Learning and Education, vol7no.2, (2008) Pp 173-188

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