The JoHari Window was designed by Joseph Luft and Harrington Ingham in 1955 and is a great tool to help leaders understand who they are as people and to identify their strengths and weaknesses. The JoHari Window is a powerful tool to assists leaders in understanding their weaknesses are often apparent to other by their actions, regardless of whether they choose to vulnerable or not.
This simple straight forward tool is also a great way to discover and confirm the things you do well! It is also a wonderful tool too begin to uncover hidden potential with gifts and strengths. This will give you clues as how to play to your strengths and will illumin potential strategies to cultivate your potential.
Top Left Box
Leaders can recognize ways of behaving in themselves. The behaviours of the leader as recognized by others.
Top Right Box
These are those things that make up your private life, which the leader is aware of but in general others are not.
Bottom Left Box
The leader is generally unaware of certain behaviors and tendencies but others are aware of them. These are generally called our blind spots. Our actions betray us and while we may not be aware of them others are. The key is to be asking good questions that can return good feedback so you can better understand your blind spots.
Bottom Right Box
Potential is the capacity to learn and grow in the future. This affirms that self-improvement and development is indeed possible and as we grow, learn, discover and mature we unlock more and more of our potential, and while we, and others, may see glimpses of this, our potential is something we continue to grow into.
Spend some time with the JoHari Window
- Make 3 to 5 copies of the JOHARI Window.
- Find 3-5 people you work with that you can trust to give honest yet constructive feedback. With each person, fill out one sheet. For each quadrant, write words / a short phrase that best describes you. ie: integrity, intelligent, organized or unorganized, empathic, careless, isolated, etc. Include specific examples if you need clarification.
- Make sure you both mutually agree on the Public Self items.
- Share your thoughts on your Private Self if you feel comfortable doing so and ask for feedback.
- Then ask for items for the Blind Spots. Don’t take offense. Some of this feedback maybe uncomfortable but remember you asked for honest, constructive feedback. See this as a genuine contribution towards greater growth!
- For the Potential, ask them to share some thoughts about untapped potential you might have that have not yet fully emerged.
- When all the interviews are complete, combine all the feedback on to one master form and then list 3 specific actions you can take that addresses the prominent issues raised during the exercise. These actions can be to capitalize upon and develop a strength or address areas of weakness.
- Once you have your 3 specific actions, re-visit the people who gave you the initial input and share with them your action plan. Ask for their opinion on your action plan and make any necessary adjustments based on their feedback.
- Help feedback givers see their input is appreciated by asking them to let you know when they recognize you progressing on your plan.