{"id":10280,"date":"2021-10-20T18:12:04","date_gmt":"2021-10-20T16:12:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/?p=10280"},"modified":"2026-04-07T07:41:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T05:41:12","slug":"johari-window","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/managing-time\/johari-window\/","title":{"rendered":"The Johari Window: The Ultimate Career Self-Improvement (+ Templates)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It is normal and expected to put on different appearances for different environments. How we are with our family is vastly different from how we are at the office. And even at the office, what our teammates and our team leads see can be quite different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, we may think we are completely aware of how we come across to the outside world. But the truth is, there are nuances in our behavior that we\u2019re absolutely oblivious of. The Johari window aims to point out these nuances so that we can learn how others see us, and how we can use this knowledge to advance in our careers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we\u2019ll be taking a look at what makes the Johari window so successful, why it\u2019s a must for every working person, and how you can use it for self-improvement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do others see you?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Storytime: At my former workplace, my team lead and I had just finished a meeting with some other team leads, where I was pitching a few ideas on an ongoing project. As we were walking back to the office, he pointed out something interesting:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cYou really can\u2019t show insecurity like that, you know? They\u2019ll eat you up.<\/i>\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

I looked back at him, wide-eyed, and asked what he meant by that. Sure, I felt a little nervous in the meeting, but I was convinced I did really well for a junior in a room full of seniors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cEvery time you were unsure about something, you would cross your arms and cover your mouth<\/i>.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

And then I remembered how, at one point during the meeting, he even bopped my elbow gently because I started talking through my hands. At the time, I chalked it up to him correcting my unprofessional posture, but it turns out the gesture meant something else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cNever cover your mouth. There was nothing to be nervous about, you were good and well-argued. But others can catch that and see you as unreliable, or worse \u2014 use it to push you around.<\/i>\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

That stuck<\/i> with me. Even six years later. And it will stay in the back of my mind for years to come. It\u2019s fascinating how we can see ourselves one way, and believe we are projecting one image, when in reality\u2026 the little things give away a whole different picture about us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is the Johari window?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

My feedback was unplanned and came about due to a situation I normally wouldn’t find myself in \u2014 the Johari window basically emulates this kind of encounter. At its core, it is a model that helps us understand more about how we see ourselves and how we present ourselves to others. Through this model, your coworkers can give the kind of feedback you normally wouldn\u2019t get.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While researching group dynamics, American psychologists Joseph Luft and Harrington Ingham created a method to help with self-reflection. The research was published in 1955<\/a> (almost 60 years ago!), but it\u2019s relevant to this day<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The exercise is simple: it includes a four-square table and a list of 57 adjectives. You and a few other chosen coworkers work on filling in each square with all the adjectives that can be used to describe you.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Johari<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

What are the 4 areas of the Johari window?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Upon searching through images for this method, the first thing you notice is that it looks like a window with four panes, hence the name.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Johari<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Each of these panes or areas has its purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Open Area<\/strong> \u2014 What is known to us and known to others<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Open Area is the area of our personality we willingly show, and that others can see. For example, the qualifications from your resume, or how you perform on your daily tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my case, my coworkers know what my style of writing is like, they know I\u2019m talkative and open for feedback, and that I\u2019m willing to take on an odd task every now and then, just to learn more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Hidden Area<\/strong> \u2014 What is known to us but hidden from others<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Hidden Area is the area that is known to us, but not known to others. It\u2019s things we don\u2019t usually willingly share with others, unless prompted, or a situation comes up. For example, our marketing team didn\u2019t know that one of our coworkers had a great sense of humor, until one day we were playing a board game during team building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She never had the opportunity to show that side of herself in the office, but once she did, everyone loved it. Her humorous side made everyone realize she was much more approachable than they thought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, in this case, our coworker knew she was funny and sociable, but others didn’t until a situation came up, and she was able to share that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Blind Spot<\/strong> \u2014 What is known to others but hidden from us<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Blind Spot is the area with information others have about ourselves, but we most likely aren\u2019t aware of them. It\u2019s the real outside image we are projecting. Sometimes, our perception and outside projection have things in common (we think we are extroverted, and people see us as such), but oftentimes there are small traits or patterns of behavior that reveal things we\u2019re unaware of. Like in my story, the hand on my mouth showed insecurity, to which I was completely blind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is essential outside information for our personal and career development. What we don\u2019t know, in this case, can kill us. Figuratively. Or at least, kill our career opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Unknown<\/strong> \u2014 What is hidden from both us and others<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Unknown area contains all the traits and skills we don\u2019t know we have, and neither do those around us. For example, you can\u2019t know how you\u2019d deal with a tight deadline, or if you\u2019d be able to handle an unproductive team as a lead, unless you\u2019ve been in such a situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Track productivity with Clockify<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, of course, you won\u2019t start sabotaging your work just to see if you have hidden skills or talents, but you can expose yourself to situations outside of your comfort zone. In addition, ask more people, or friends and family to do the exercise so you can gather more information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How does the Johari window help with my career?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The main question remains: What does the Johari window tell us?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taking my story as an example, the team lead (who\u2019s worked with me a year by that point) was able to notice a behavior pattern I was unaware of. He pointed out a Blind Spot<\/b> which I reflected on. He pointed out I looked insecure and doubtful, when I actually didn\u2019t feel that way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is how the Johari window works. It aims to show you what you think you project vs what you actually project. And what you do with that information can bring about many benefits:<\/p>\n\n\n\n