The JOHARI WindowWe often hear of Japanese methods these days, with KanBan, Kaisan and the like.Well, the JOHARI window is not one of these. It was developed in the nineteen fifties by two Americans called Joe and Harry...... Joseph Luft and Harry Ingram chose the name, not just for fun, but to get it noticed. Sure enough, it is now widely used. It is a framework for understanding yourself in the way you interact with others. It allows you to analyze the way you are, and how you actually work with others. So it's a good tool to help you improve the way you influence those around you. Imagine a square divided into quarters. This is you, in different aspects of yourself. Label them:
Open: The open area the window pane open to the rest of the world. It's the part you are aware of, and happy to show the rest of the world "out there". It's your attitudes, behavior, motivation and values that you are aware of, and which is known to others. Hidden: This window pane is that part of you that you don't want others to know about unless you want them to. Likewise, it's what you don't know about others. It covers beliefs, feelings and impulses that you control - maybe because you think they may be anti-social or are fearful of people's reactions. So you erect a barrier. The degree to which you share yourself with others is the degree to which we can be "known". Blind: There are things about you that you don't know, but that others can see - mannerisms and unconscious behavior - or the opposite. There are things you may imagine about yourself that others do not see at all! The only way you can know about them is by getting other people to tell you - that can be difficult for those close to you as they don't want to hurt you. But when others say what they see (feedback), in a supportive, responsible way, and you listen, you can test the reality of who you are and are able to grow. Unknown: The last "window pane" is that closed to both yourself and others. You can only presume this by looking at what you have done, in retrospect. It is your true depth - what motivates you what influences you, your deepest beliefs and feelings. Maybe this is the source of your "uniqueness" - what makes you different from those around you. From time to time something happens - is felt, read, heard, dreamed - something from your unconscious is revealed. Then you "know" what you have never "known" before. So, are these "window panes" all the same size? Of course not. In general, for most of your time, you will be presenting your OPEN area, and hoping your BLIND area is not too apparent. But when you are close to someone, whether family or close friends, you relax, and more of your HIDDEN self is revealed. If you want to learn more about yourself using this technique, just knowing that there are these four areas of your SELF is a great help. You can start exploring, then you will be able to see how you behave with others. List out your OPEN side, then ask someone you trust to add to it - they will reveal your BLIND side just by completing the list!! Listing your private side, that which you control your HIDDEN self, helps you decide how much to reveal and when - and also may be a challenge be a challenge to yourself.... A look back over your life, on how you actually dealt with different situations, may give you insights into what makes you "tick" - your UNKNOWN self. Knowing these different sides to your personality can help you understand others - their mannerisms, their behavior. This can help you in your relationships with others. It allows you to work better with them - ideally to mutual benefit.
This page was updated by Paul Hogwood on 8th June 2007
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