Johari Window

Definition: The Johari Window is the psychological model developed by Joseph Luft and Harrington Ingham, that talks about the relationship and mutual understanding between the group members. In other words, a psychological tool that helps an individual to understand his relationship with himself and with other group members is called as a Johari Window.

The objective behind the creation of a Johari window is to enable an individual to develop trust with others by disclosing information about himself and also to know what others feels about himself through feedback.

The Johari Window model is made up of four quadrants that explain the overall relationship of an individual with himself and with other group members. These are as follows:

1. Open Self: This quadrant shows the behavior, motives, attitudes, knowledge skills of an individual that he is aware of and is willing to share it with others. The open self is characterized as a state wherein the individual is open and straight forward to himself and others about what he is doing, how is he doing and what are his intentions.
2. Blind Self: The blind self shows the state of an individual known to others but not known to him. It usually happens, when an individual or a subject copies the behavior of some significant personalities unconsciously since his childhood.
3. Hidden Self: This quadrant of the Johari window shows the state of an individual known to him but not known to the others. This is generally seen in the individuals who are introvert and do not like to share their private lives with anyone. The individual keeps his feelings, ideas or thoughts to himself and do not disclose it in front of the others.
4. Unknown Self: The unknown self is the mysterious state of an individual neither known to him, nor others know about it. Ofen the feelings, thoughts or ideas go so deep down the individual that it becomes difficult for the individual as well for the other people to understand it.

The ultimate need is to enlarge the open self quadrant with the intent to establish a fruitful relationship with the self as well with others such that the work can be performed efficiently when working as a team.