Know yourself: Applying the Johari Window

A powerful way to minimize perceptual biases is to know your self-to become more aware of your values, beliefs, and prejudices (Costello and Zalkind 1963). For example, suppose you dislike a particular client who treated you badly a few years ago. If the client meets you again to re-establish the relationship, you might be more open-minded about this business opportunity if you are conscious of these emotions. Moreover, if your colleagues are also aware of your unique values and past experiences, they are more likely to understand your actions and help you to improve in the future. If you act harshly towards the troublesome client, for example, your colleagues are likely to understand the reason for your behaviour and draw this to your attention. A Johari Window is a popular model for understanding how co-workers can increase their mutual understanding (Luft 1984). Developed by Joseph Luft and Harry Ingram (hence the name Johari), this model divides information about yourself into four "Windows" -open, blind, hidden, unknown-based on whether your own values, beliefs, and experiences are known to you and to others.

Open area Known to others Known to self

Known to others

Blind area

Unknown to self

Figure 3.6(a) Hidden Area

Figure 3.6(b) Unknown Area

As we see in Figure 3.6(a) the open area includes information about you that is known both to you and to others. For example, both you and your co-workers may be aware that you don't like to be near people who smoke cigarettes. Further, there are certain aspects of our personality which are known to all as well as known to self like our names, colour of our skin, height, and weight. The blind area (as shown in Figure 3.6(b)) refers to information that is known to others but not to you. For example, your colleagues might notice that you are embarrassed and awkward when meeting a new person, but you are unaware of this fact. Sometimes your belief in your sense of humour about yourself may come across as sarcasm to other people. Information known to you but unknown to others is found in the hidden area (as shown in Figure 3.6(c)). We have personal secrets about our likes, dislikes, and personal Handout Johari Window Page 1

experiences, which we generally do not share with others around us. It remains hidden in our personality. Finally, the unknown area (as shown in Figure 3.6(d)) includes your values, beliefs, and other things that might not be known to you or others. It is believed that a major portion of our personality remains unexplored and, therefore, unknown.

Unknown to others

Hidden area

Unknown to others

Unknown area

Known to self

Unknown to self

Figure 3.6(c) Hidden Area

Figure 3.6(d) Unknown Area

The main objective of the Johari Window is to increase the size of the open area so that both you and your colleagues are aware of your perceptual limitations. This is partly accomplished by reducing the hidden area through disclosure-informing others of your beliefs, feelings, and experiences that may influence the work relationship. Disclosure must be reciprocal among team members; that is, they should provide information about themselves as you reveal information about yourself. Fortunately, self-disclosure by one person tends to cause others to make a self-disclosure (Miller and Kenny 1986). The open area also increases through feedback from others about your behaviour. This information helps you to reduce your blind area, because co-workers often see things in you that you do not see. Finally, the combination of disclosure and feedback occasionally produces revelations about information in the unknown area.

Handout

Johari Window

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Handout

Johari Window

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