The Johari Window

Are you familiar with the Johari Window?

It can be a very useful tool, particularly for helping leaders to improve communication within teams. By enabling people to develop their self-awareness, and to recognise their impact on others, it can help avoid misunderstandings and increase collaboration.

The Johari window is a technique designed to help people better understand their relationship with themselves and others. It was created by psychologists Joseph Luft (1916–2014) and Harrington Ingham (1916–1995) in 1955, and is used primarily in self-help groups and corporate settings as a heuristic exercise. Luft and Ingham named their model "Johari" using a combination of their first names.

As a counsellor supporting people in pressurised jobs, much of my work is in the "Unknown" box, in the bottom right-hand corner.

For the other 3 squares (“Arena”, “Blind Spot”, “Facade”), you can do a lot of the work yourself, or within your team. But the parts of you that YOU aren't aware of, and OTHERS aren't aware of either....? These are the parts of your UNCONSCIOUS, and the reasons why you might be getting in your own way.

Working on the "Unknown" side can help you get to the bottom of what is blocking YOU.

Here are some examples:

- Why you struggle to control your impulses.

- Why you like some people more than others.

- Why you find it more comfortable to scroll on your phone than talk to the person next to you.

- Why certain events might cause you pain or anxiety.

- Why you use humour as a defense.

- Why you sometimes have unexplained feelings of dread.

- Why you may be struggling to sleep.

Whether you have gone through a Johari Window exercise at work before, or are interested in learning more, you are very welcome to get in touch.

Sometimes it can be so helpful to talk with someone who is completely separate from colleagues, family and friends, and who can help you get a clearer understanding of yourself, how you work with others, and what is really going on for YOU right now.

To learn more about the Johari Window and how it can be a useful management tool, here is a good page to visit: https://thedecisionlab.com/reference-guide/psychology/johari-window