Increasing Awareness with the Johari Window

The principle of Johari window (named after Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham) is that, if you open yourself to others through Sharing and Self-disclosure, and if you look for others to show more of you by seeking feedback - then you enlarge your Arena (quadrant 1). This is crucial for creating openness in your team and developing effective interpersonal relationship. Being able to provide feedback to the team members, especially those that are negative, is equally important.

There are certain aspects of our lives that are known to us as well as others our P'ublic Image, which is Transparent. This is the Arena.

There are other aspects, which we know ourselves but others don't know - the Hidden or the Private Self or the Façade.

Certain aspects about ourselves are known to others but we don't know about them - the Blind Spot.

And then there are always some aspects of our lives about which neither we ourselves, nor others know about - the Unknown!

Most people don’t take advantage of or make effort to enlarging the ARENA (See shaded area) due to the perceived risk involved in their disclosing about self or providing genuine feedback (particularly the negatives) – the Fear of Consequences! In an atmosphere of Trust and people start comfortable with each other, the group then becomes ready to function and Perform as a Team.