Johari Window: An Insight to Self

The Johari Window is a framework consisting of four quadrants: Open, Blind Spot, Hidden and Unknown. Developed by psychologists Joseph Luft and Harrington Ingham in 1955, it helps us visualise how we see ourselves and how others see us. By using the Johari Window, we can learn about ourselves and develop our soft skills. Knowing this framework allows us to build greater self-awareness and communicate better. It can even help us be more aware of our conscious and unconscious biases. Keeping the Johari Window in mind, I’ve worked with clients struggling with their relationships and self-esteem. Over time, they move towards authenticity, greater self-acceptance and deeper relationships.

Known to Self and/or Others

Open area: The Open area refers to things you know about yourself and are also known to others. 

Blind spot: The Blind Spot refers to things that are known to others but not known to self. 

Hidden area: The Hidden Area refers to things you know about yourself that are not known to others. 

Unknown: The Unknown are things you don’t know about yourself and are also not known to others. 

Empower yourself through the Johari Window

The ideal Johari Window has a large Open area. Self-disclosure helps people get to know you better, expanding the Open quadrant. For example, you have a unique set of skills, knowledge and life experiences. But people wouldn’t know until you let them. Additionally, b letting other people know about you, you can build trust and rapport.

Next, our Blind Spot holds things about ourselves that we might not know about. Yet it’s apparent to the people around us. The Blind Spot consists of behaviours, strengths, weaknesses and quirks. A small Blind Spot means that you know how your behaviour affects others. So, how can you shrink your Blind Spot? You can expand your self-awareness. One way is to seek feedback from people in different areas of your life, be it professional or personal.

Thirdly, the Hidden area refers to things you know about yourself but keep hidden from others. These include fears, hidden agendas, secrets and sensitivities. It makes sense though that you might not want to share stuff that makes you feel vulnerable in specific settings or with some people. That said, hiding information about yourself with your friends, family, partner, and colleagues can lead to less trust in you. On the other end of the spectrum, some people overshare. So finding the right balance helps us establish authentic relationships.

Lastly, the Unknown area holds untapped abilities and potential that neither you nor anyone else knows about. Let’s say, you tried sprinting for the fun of it. And then you realised that you actually are able to run really fast! The Unknown also includes fears, illnesses or repressed feelings. Notably, due to our early life experiences or cultural norms, we might have conditioned behaviours or attitudes. Therefore, others’ observations, shared discovery and self-discovery can help us shrink the Unknown quadrant.

How you can grow using the Johari Window

The size of each quadrant changes over time as we gain more life experiences. It can also change as we adjust how we relate to others and ourselves. For example, what happens when you become more comfortable sharing things with people around you? The size of the Hidden area shrinks, and the Open area expands.

What is the ultimate goal of the Johari Window then? It is to enlarge your Open area. Doing so helps you self-actualise and mature as an individual. Therefore, self-discovery and growing self-awareness are vital to this goal.

Have you been feeling misunderstood or disconnected in relationships? Or do you want to improve communication or your self-esteem? In therapy, you can learn about yourself and your needs on a deeper level. If you are yearning for personal growth, reach out to me for a 20-minute Discovery Call on how we can collaborate.