Johari Window
(Luft Ingham)

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Understanding giving and receiving of information. Explanation of the Johari Window of Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham. ('50)

Contributed by: Guy Bloom


  

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Luft Ingham Johari Window

What is the Johari Window? Description

The Johari Window method (JW) from Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham (hence: Joseph & Harry = Johari) helps us understand how we are giving and receiving information. The JW can help to illustrate and improve the self-awareness between individuals and teams. It can also be used to change group dynamics within a business context.

The Johari Window model is sometimes called: a 'disclosure/feedback model of self awareness', and: an 'information processing tool'. It actually represents information: feelings, experience, views, attitudes, skills, intentions, motivation, etc within or about a person in relation to their group, from four perspectives:

  1. Arena. What is known by the person about him/herself and is also known by others. Examples: your name, the color of your hair, the fact you own a dog. One can and should increase the size of this region by increasing Exposure and Feedback Solicitation. (Diagram 2)
  2. Blind Spot. What is unknown by the person about him/herself but what others know. Examples: your own manners, the feelings of other persons about you.
  3. Façade. What the person knows about him/herself that others do not know. Such as: your secrets, your hopes, desires, what you like and what you dislike.
  4. The Unknown. What is unknown by the person about him/herself and is also unknown by others. This information has an unknown potential to influence the rest of the JW.

In the beginning of a communication process, when you meet someone, the size of the Arena quadrant is not very large, since there has been little time and opportunity to exchange information. The general rule of thumb is that you should try to expand the Arena to become the dominant window, thus demonstrating transparency, openness and honesty in interactions (Diagram 2). Probably when you do this, the other party will also open himself up.

 

Johari Window 2The writing about this topic often refers to the singular ("self"). But by changing the word "self" into "team", the model also allows a team dynamic approach.
 

Origin of the Johari Window. History

The JW model was developed by American psychologists Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham in the 1950s, while they were researching group dynamics. Today the JW model is especially relevant because of the modern emphasis on soft skills, behavior, empathy, cooperation, inter-group development and interpersonal development. Interestingly, Luft and Ingham called their Johari Window model 'Johari' after combining their first names, Joseph and Harrington. In early publications the word actually appears as 'JoHari'. The JW became a widely used model to understand and train self-awareness, for personal development, to improve communications, interpersonal relationships, group dynamics, team development and inter-group relationships.

 

Usage of the Johari Window. Applications

The JW is generally used for teaching and considering and administering an understanding of:

  • How individuals communicate with themselves and with others.
  • How individuals present themselves to themselves and to others.
  • How individuals perceive their place in the world.

With a little consideration Johari is also suitable for multiple usage:

  • Coaching to facilitate conversations around 'actions vs. perceived motivations'.
  • As an Organizational Development tool to visualize the political and cultural issues that may be in or out of sync within a business.
  • As a management tool to demonstrate the dynamics in a team.
  • As a self-development tool that helps to consider one's own 'behavior vs. reaction'.

Steps in the Johari Window. Process

There exist questionnaires that will define the place of the individual and or team in relation to one another.

 

Strengths of the Johari Window. Benefits

  • Easy to grasp, flexible outcomes.
  • The method catalyses open information sharing.
  • The method will create a shared reference point.

Limitations of the Johari Window. Disadvantages

  • Some things are perhaps better not communicated (your sexual behavior, mental health problems or large-scale failures).
  • Some people may pass on the information they received further than you desire.
  • Some people may react negatively.
  • Using the JW is a useless exercise if it is not linked to activities that reinforce positive behavior, or that correct negative behaviors.

Assumptions of the Johari Window. Conditions

In reality Johari's assumption is the same as any feedback-tool: the individuals which are experiencing the process must proceed further to create Development Plans, etc.

 

Johari Window Special Interest Group


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Johari Window Forum

Recent User Comments
paula ruane - england mystery window "As a qualified NLP,TFT, EFT and NES therapist, I would like to be able to incorporate my therapies to empower people to de-mysticise the 4th quadrant in the Johari window. From my own experience, it is never realised because people are programmed from an early age by "betters and elders" about all the things they can't do. I am sure this is an old observation for you but am keen to somehow bring all this to the public arena. I would appreciate any input and any like minded groups that you know of in the UK Paula Ruane"    2
Dharmendra Singh Dhruwey - India Use of Johari Windows in Office as HR Manager.? "Hi, could somebody tell the answer of this question, its all about Johari windows:
How I can use Johari Windows in my office as HR manager?"		    3
 - India Johari Questions "Hi, could somebody share the set of questions used in Johari window and how is the interpretation done?"    6
Peter Andrea - Tanzania Factors that Complicate Communication "I really appreciate for this hard task of preparing this text I believe ,it will help all learners of the field of communication."    1
Gloria - Trinidad Type of Information per Quadrant? "What kind of information do you look for in each quadrant?"    1
Best User Comments
Alexander - UK References Luft and Ingham "Luft J and Ingham H, "The Johari Window: a graphic model for interpersonal relations', Univ. Calif. Western Training Lab. 1955----- Luft J, 1961, "The Johari Window", Human Relations Training News, 5.1, pp6-7. ----- Luft, Joseph (1969). "Of Human Interaction," Palo Alto, CA: National Press."    -2
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Copyright 2009 12manage - The Executive Fast Track. V10.4 - Last updated: 11/7/2009. All names tm by their owners.

  ●  (USA) Its a "Cookie" "Would you like to create something that, before today did not exist? Would you like a “cookie”? This is precisely what happens when, what we do not know becomes known, and what others do not know becomes known; w e create a body of knowledge that did not exist. By simply shifting one line left and another line up, we open a new dimension of ourselves. I know this sounds simple, and perhaps silly. Nonetheless, as illustrated with the red lines in the diagram, the objective is to find this sweet spot, “cookie” if you will, of our life. How you enjoy your “cookie” is up to you. Being a Therapist, I am sure you can apply the analogy. Happy sessions… "

  ● Martin (Netherlands) Example of Johari in HR "One simple operational example: when you are doing job interviews, try to expand the Arena space early in the interview by providing some information about yourself and your company. By doing so, probably the other party will also open him/herself up and give more information, which could be useful to determe if this is a good candidate or not.
At the same time, the ability from the other person to make YOU open up by doing the opposite could also be seen as an important skill, for example for account managers."
  ● Zaghlool (Oman) Use of Johari in HR "You can also arrange the sitting conditions including lighting, temperature and roundtable arrangements to expand the arena area."