The Johari Window

Method Monday: The Johari Window – Gaining clarity about yourself and how others see you

Sometimes others see something in us that we don’t (yet) recognize ourselves — a strength, a pattern, or a behavior. The Johari Window helps to make exactly that visible: the fascinating space between self-perception and how others perceive us. It’s a simple yet profound model that invites self-awareness, trust, and open communication — in coaching, teamwork, and personal development.

What is the Johari Window?

Developed in the 1950s by psychologists Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham, the Johari Window illustrates how we perceive and share information about ourselves — and how others see us.

The model consists of four quadrants, each representing a different aspect of our personality:

1. Open Area / Arena: Known to me and others

   This area includes what we share openly — for example, our strengths, opinions, or behaviors that are visible to everyone.

   
   

2. Blind Spot: Known to others, but not to me

   Others may notice behaviors or patterns that we are unaware of ourselves. Growth begins here — through honest feedback.

   
   

3. Hidden Area / Facade: Known to me, but not to others

   This area contains our private thoughts, feelings, or insecurities that we consciously choose to withhold.

   
   

4. Unknown Area / Unexplored: Unknown to both me and others

   This is the space of potential: undiscovered abilities, unconscious patterns, or resources that only emerge in new situations.

Structure and Application in Coaching

The Johari Window can easily be visualized as a four-quadrant grid. Depending on the context — individual coaching or team settings — it unfolds a different kind of impact.

In Individual Coaching

Here, the focus lies on personal reflection.

• Exploring self-perception: The coachee selects adjectives or descriptions that best represent them.

• Gathering external perspectives: A trusted person (e.g., colleague, friend, or partner) describes the same person from their point of view.

• Comparison & reflection: Overlaps and differences become visible.

  • Where do self-perception and external perception align?

  • Where do blind spots appear?

  • What remains consciously hidden?

• Encouraging growth: Through open feedback and self-disclosure, the “open area” expands — trust and self-acceptance grow.

Especially valuable: Feedback from others reveals our blind spots.What was previously unconscious can now be seen, understood, and developed further. Feedback thus becomes a true catalyst for personal growth.

In Team Settings

Within a team, the Johari Window becomes a tool for building feedback culture, trust, and preventing conflict.

• Step 1: Each team member describes themselves using adjectives or traits.

• Step 2: Colleagues do the same for that person.

• Step 3: Together, the words are placed into the four quadrants.

• Step 4: The group reflects on the results, exploring impact, communication patterns, and shared expectations.

The added value: When we know each other better, misunderstandings and conflicts can often be avoided. What you know about yourself isn’t automatically known to others. The Johari Window encourages us to consciously close that gap — creating a culture of openness and understanding.

Practical Application

The Johari Window can be applied in many ways — depending on your goal and context:

• For self-awareness: Explore how well you give and receive feedback.

• For developing feedback culture: Invite others to share their perceptions — respectfully, honestly, and with a focus on growth.

• For team development: Use the model to strengthen trust, openness, and mutual understanding.

• For unlocking potential: Notice how your “open area” expands as you share more of yourself and try new things.

Reflection questions:

• What holds me back from sharing my thoughts with others?

• How open am I to receiving feedback?

• What piece of feedback recently surprised me — and what can I learn from it?

Why this method is so effective

The Johari Window is powerful because it connects self-awareness, feedback, and relational competence. It reminds us that feedback is not just a comment — it’s a bridge between our inner and outer worlds.

In coaching, this model fosters:

• Awareness: Understanding how we come across — and why.

• Perspective: Realizing that others often see our world differently.

• Trust: Openness deepens mutual understanding.

• Change: When we have the courage to explore our blind spots, true transformation can happen.

In teams, the value of feedback becomes even clearer: The more we know about one another, the easier it is to avoid misunderstandings and resolve conflicts. Open communication becomes the foundation for trust, empathy, and effective collaboration.

The Johari Window therefore promotes not only personal clarity but also a deeper quality of connection — in coaching, in teams, and in everyday life.

Who can benefit from this method?

• Leaders who want to reflect on their impact

• Teams seeking to build trust and a healthy feedback culture

• Coachees who wish to deepen self-awareness and show up more authentically

• Even children and adolescents, to foster self-confidence and empathy

Conclusion

The Johari Window is a simple yet powerful tool for understanding yourself and others more deeply. It opens up space for honest encounters, personal growth, and genuine trust — in coaching and in everyday life.

Would you like to gain more clarity about your impact and learn to use feedback as an opportunity for growth? In my coaching sessions, I support you in sharpening your self-perception and becoming aware of your blind spots. Contact me for an initial talk.

Yours, Johanna