What do you know about yourself? Strange question, isn’t it? But the answer is definitely not “Everything”. And this article will help you understand why. Also it will lead to a process of self discovery and personal development.
To explain this let me give you an example.
1. When you look into a mirror it tells you what you look like-i.e. handsome, smart, untidy, and many more things. Also when you are asked to do a certain task you agree or disagree taking into consideration your abilities. And people are aware about your qualities.
2. Sometimes you are unable to see what your friends, relatives, colleagues, or even strangers can see. For example bits of sandwich on your face, a bug on your back. Similarly when a teacher asks you to lead a school team she does so because she has seen that hidden potential of yours, and you are unaware of that. But when someone tells you have gained, made a new discovery about your own self.
3. Also there are certain things that others do not know about you. For example in a crisis situation you come up with a brilliant idea or save someone’s life others are astonished because others have never known that side of yours. But now they know you in a better way.
4. And at last there are certain things that neither you nor anyone else knows about you. And here lies the important part of Self discovery.
Friends, whatever has been mentioned above is nothing but a simple form of a model called as Johari Window developed by American psychologists Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham in the 1950's, calling it 'Johari' after combining their first names, Joe and Harry
It is a easy and useful tool for understanding and training self-awareness, personal development, improving communications, interpersonal relationships, group dynamics, team development and inter-group relationships.
Johari window four regions
- Open area, open self, free area, free self, or 'the arena' is that part which is known by the person about him/herself and is also known by others –
- Blind area, blind self, or 'blindspot' is unknown by the person about him/herself but which others know
- Hidden area, hidden self, avoided area, avoided self or 'facade' is that part which the person knows about him/herself that others do not know
- Unknown area or unknown self is unknown by the person about him/herself and is also unknown by others
‘Open self/area‘, 'free area‘, 'public area', 'arena‘:
This is a very important window of our personality. Also known as the 'area of free activity‘ it contains Information about the person - behaviour, attitude, feelings, emotion, knowledge, experience, skills, views, etc – known by the person ('the self') and known by 'others'. The importance lies in the fact that the more open you are about your feelings towards others it becomes easier to understand and work and live together.
Managerial importance: The basic objective of any team is to develop the 'open area' for every person, because when we work in this area with others we are at our most effective and productive and the team is at its most productive too. The open free area, or 'the arena‘ is the space where good communications and cooperation occur, free from distractions, mistrust, confusion, conflict and misunderstanding.
Blind self or 'blind area' or 'blindspot‘:
What is known about a person by others in the group, but is unknown by the person him/herself is aptly called as Blindspot. It could also be referred to as ignorance about oneself, or issues in which one is misinformed. This is not an effective or productive space for individuals or groups. The aim is to reduce this area by seeking or asking for feedback from others and thereby to increase the open area, i.e., to increase self-awareness.
Team members and managers can take active part in reducing the blind area by giving sensitive feedback and encouraging discovery .This will result in increasing the open area. Also our job is to accept these feedbacks in a practical and positive way and not as mere criticisms.
Hidden self' or 'hidden area' or 'avoided self/area' or 'facade'
This facade or “cover up” is something which is known to ourselves but kept veiled from others. It represents information, feelings, etc, anything that a person knows about him/self, but which is not revealed or is kept hidden from others. Also include sensitivities, fears, secret plans, - anything that a person knows but does not reveal. Relevant hidden information and feelings, etc, should be moved into the open area through the process of 'self-disclosure' and 'exposure process'.
Many a times hiding information may hinder our own progress. We may hide our talents, our skills thereby hampering our won chances of promotion. We do not do this on purpose but it happens.
This can be done in an Organizational where a culture and working atmosphere is of trust and confidence. This will have a major influence on team members' preparedness to disclose their hidden selves. The extent to which an individual discloses personal feelings and information, and the issues which are disclosed, and to whom, must always be at the individual's own discretion.
‘Unknown self‘, 'area of unknown activity‘, 'unknown area'
This area includes information, feelings, latent abilities, aptitudes, experiences etc, that are unknown to the person him/herself and unknown to others in the group. This can be encouraged through self-discovery or observation by others, or through collective or mutual discovery.
Counselling is a very important tool to uncover unknown issues but to be handled with utmost caution as sometimes our unconscious has some traumatic past experiences or events which we do want to forget.
Managers and leaders can create an environment that encourages self-discovery, and to promote the processes of self discovery, productive observation and feedback among team members is important.
Thus we can help our own process of self discovery by telling ( i.e. making others aware about our feelings, emotions, abilities, talents, etc.), asking others what they feel or observed about us and engage in a continuous journey to know ourselves.
TIP: Now having read all this how to actually go about it?
1. You can make a list of all adjectives you can think of ( skills, qualities, feelings, emotions, etc) and mark a few words for yourself. Such as I feel I am- MATURE, HELPFUL, PRACTICAL, FRIENDLY, and SENSITIVE. Now you can ask your friends, relatives, teachers, colleagues to mark a few words for you. And see the magic. You will have new adjectives for yourself, thereby leading to self discovery. BE honest here friends!
2. OR You can log on to www.kevan.org and make your own Johari Window.
SO why wait, go explore.......
