We all have a set of go-to tools that we use to help make sense of new or complex ideas. These tools fit comfortably in one’s toolbox. One tool within my toolbox that I feel like I underutilize is the Johari Window.
The four boxes represent the things that both you and others know about yourself, the things that you do not know, but others know about yourself, the things that only you know about yourself, and the things that neither you nor anyone else knows about yourself.
The point is this tool is focused on you. No finger-pointing. 100% self-discovery. The way I view this model is, the more both you and others know about you, the more self-aware you become.
I am not suggesting that individuals need to be 100% transparent, but from experience, transparency does not hurt. It may feel uncomfortable or awkward to open yourself up to solicit feedback from others, but the more you know, the more opportunities there are for growth.
In practice, the Johari window is an interactive tool that one may use to self identify and share with others what they know about themselves. As soon as you voice your habits or quirks with others, they no longer belong in the category of what others do not know about you. In fact when individuals share what they see in you, what is shared can no longer fit within what others know but you do not know about yourself.
The most significant goal of the Johari window is to enlarge the arena or the space that details what both you and others know about you.
My window may become blocked or even dirty at times, but I seek feedback to help me identify what I can not see. I will make today count. Will you help me keep my window clean?
Credit: James D. Washington