Johari Window Explained: How to Turn Failure into Success by Overcoming Consequences

One of my core beliefs is in cause and effect. If there is an effect or event, there has been a cause. In my research, I have found no result in this world that does not have a cause. If you can think of one let me know. The Johari Window shows us the importance of becoming aware of our blindspots and how they have caused barriers to our success. In this article, we dive into how to take this knowledge and improve your future performance and achievements.

Business GAP Awareness vs Failure

One of my passions is helping people build success. The subtext of that is helping people avoid disaster and the business glitch we call failure. One of the deep areas I have witnessed with business leaders is their gap recognition systems. Each of us has and use this to avoid mistakes and disaster. Let’s call that rigorous situational awareness or short term, long term, depth, and breadth of scope awareness. No one likes the hard consequences in life or business and the skill of recognizing them enough ahead of time to avoid them is worth the diligence of learning.

In researching the back story of major corporate bankruptcies almost every one of them was due to a lack of awareness or situation blindness. As a result, decisions were made between two and three years before the circumstances that forced that.

Very few professionals actively pursue bankruptcy. Sometimes ego creates the active blindness. Sometimes ignorance is the cause of that situational blindness. Most of us have learned the cause-and-effect process of life. If you are driving and are next to a ditch, we usually don’t choose to steer into it. Awareness of self and situation is important to avoid painful consequences and sometimes car repairs.

Johari Window – Blindspot

Two decades ago, I learned about the Johari Window. Columns: Known to Self, Not known to self. Rows: Known to others, Not known to others.

What you don’t know is what leads to mistakes in choices and actions.

Now let me open up the question further. What active blindness does your company culture constantly perpetuate that keeps you stuck or at least not being the top of your industry and having fun at the same time?

When I work with clients, I always ask about their goals and the processes and energy they put into achieving them. I also work through their frustrations with them. Goals and processes are in the known quadrant. Frustration causes are in the blind and unknown quadrant adventures. The deeper I have gotten into this work, more and more it comes down to both someone’s active self and organizational situational awareness and the character of each they have consciously and unconsciously built. What is the description of the known that you are aware of?

The blind and unknown are the horror show of potential disasters. Is there an immediate looming chasm ahead? Is there a slow erosion of the current business and market situation that you being asleep to will cause your bankruptcy and failure? I have found that character is both a steady factor in success and the cause of these awareness gaps.

Questions to Find Your Solutions

My challenge to you is to actively pursue full awareness of yourself and beyond that build a culture of active awareness and passionate pursuit of learning in your company.

List what you have, what you don’t have, your frustrations and ask why? What is the purpose of each and everything in your experience? Our world is built with a deep set of mechanisms that I will describe later, that we are embedded in. Cause and effect is one of them. Learn about them, yourself and learn the skills to use them for goals you want for yourself and the world.

How can we be truly successful as individuals and a world if we are not actively aware? Don’t you think it is time for us to wake up?

What is the Johari Window

The Johari Window is a tool designed to improve self-awareness and communication in relationships. Developed in 1955 by psychologists Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham (their first names combined form “Johari”), it’s a simple yet powerful framework.

See our diagram above, to view a window divided into four panes:

• Open Area: This includes things known by both you and others, like your personality traits, skills, and experiences you’ve shared.
• Blind Area: These are aspects of yourself that others see clearly but you’re unaware of. It could be a mannerism, a bias, or a hidden talent.
• Hidden Area: This is your private zone, containing things you know about yourself but choose not to share with others, like personal goals or past experiences.
• Unknown Area: This is the mysterious part – things unknown to both you and others. It could be hidden potential or unconscious fears.

The Johari Window’s power lies in its ability to visualize how communication can shift these panes. By receiving honest feedback (from a trusted source!), you can shrink your blind spot and expand the open area. Sharing things you previously kept hidden can also enlarge the open area, fostering stronger connections.

Here’s how it helps overcome blind spots:

• Raises awareness: By acknowledging the existence of the blind area, you become open to receiving feedback.
• Promotes self-reflection: The Johari Window encourages you to consider how you might be perceived by others, prompting introspection.
• Encourages open communication: The model highlights the value of honest feedback in revealing blind spots.

Remember, trust is key. Opening up to constructive criticism in a safe space allows you to see yourself more clearly and develop your interpersonal skills.

Help Implementing Johari Window Lessons

While the Johari Window is a powerful tool for self-discovery, navigating its insights and implementing them in your daily interactions can be challenging. For those seeking personalized guidance, a coach can be an invaluable asset.

Consider one-on-one CEO or executive coaching with Brad Smith of Stellar Insight Inc. With his extensive experience in leadership development and communication skills, Brad can help you leverage the Johari Window for maximum impact. Through targeted coaching, you’ll gain deeper self-awareness, improve your ability to receive feedback, and develop strategies to shrink your blind spots. This personalized approach will equip you to build stronger relationships and achieve greater success in all areas of your life.

If you’re interested in learning more about Brad Smith and Stellar Insight Inc.’s coaching programs, you can reach out for a free consultation on our Contact Page.