The Johari Window Model of Leadership - Coursework Example

Johari Window Model

One of the most effective leadership is one that is open to feedback. The feedback process is an effective concept as it offers the possibility of one to perceive themselves through non-verbal and verbal communication from themselves and others. As a matter of fact, the feedback process opens up a channel through which one gets information and gives information that offers clues about the effects of ones behaviour on others, how one perceives others, and how they feel (Bahadori, Shiri, & Mahdizade, 2015). This concept is referred to as the feedback and disclosure and is held in the Johari window model. When the reactions of other people are put in terms of perceptions and emotions which indicate how ones behaviours influence those around them, it is referred to as feedback. The Johari window model is one of the most effective ways of receiving and giving feedback.

The Johari Window Model was developed in 1955(Saxena, 2015) by two “American psychologists, Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham” and is used as an effective tool of self-leadership since it outlines an efficient process of receiving and giving feedback (Saxena, 2015). The name Johari was given to the model after combining the first names of its developers (Bahadori, Shiri, & Mahdizade, 2015). In model is at present used as an important tool \of feedback and disclosure due to its ability and efficiency in developing ones soft skills such as personal development, inter-group relations, cooperation, and empathy. The starting point of the Johari window model is that people work as a team, and as the team mature, performances grow, communication become more developed, and solving internal problems becomes easier. As a result, more of the teams’ energy is channeled towards fulfilling the goals of the group thus generating more productive results.

Due to its ability to open up channels of communication among members of a group, the Johari window model can be referred to as a communication window since it helps one to receive and provide information about others and oneself. In this regard, the Johari window model can be said to be a useful and a simple tool for improving ones self-awareness as well as creating mutual understating among members of a team (Cudanov, 2017). On the other hand, the model helps to assess and improve relationships among members of a team. It is thus a tool for information processing and a self awareness tool for feedback and disclosure. This is because the model represents information such as motivation, intentions, skills, attitudes, views, and experience about and within a person and in relation to their team or group using four different perspectives.

The four perspectives in the model are referred to as quadrants or regions, each of which represent and contain motivation, feelings, and other information about a person. The information about the person may either be known or unknown by others in the team or by the person. The four regions, (perspectives, quadrants, or areas) in the Johari window modelare represented in numbers and names (Shamoa-Nir, 2017). In the first (1) region, which is called “the arena”, free self, free area, open self, or open area, the information contained is what is known about a person by themselves and others in the group. The second (2) region is known as the “blindspot”, blind self, or blind area and contains the information about a person which is know by others but unknown by himself/herself (Shamoa-Nir, 2017). The third (3) region is called the hidden self, hidden area, avoided area, façade, or the avoided self and contains information about a person that is known to themselves but unknown by others. In the fourth (4) region which is known as the unknown self or unknown area, it contains information about a person that is not known both by themselves and others (Adizes, Cudanov, & Rodic, 2017).

The Four Regions of Johari Window Model Diagram

1

Open/Free Area

2

Blind Area

3

Hidden Area

4

Unknown Area

Just like some of the common behavioural models such as the Blanchard/ Hersey and Tuckman models, the Johari window model has a four-square grid just like the four panes of a window, each quadrant representing separate panes which are all equal (Adizes, Cudanov, & Rodic, 2017). However, changes can be made on the quadrants (panes of the Johari window) in order to reflect the relevant size of information or knowledge about an individual in a team or a group situation. It can be noted that the open free space of the team members in new teams or groups is small since there is relatively small shared awareness in the group (Tran, 2016). However, this is bound to change as the group becomes more established and members become better known to others, which as a result, leads to the size of the open free space quadrant of the team members’ increasing.

Johari Window Quadrant 1

The first quadrant (Johari region 1) involves the information about an individual such as views, skills, experience, knowledge, emotions, feelings, attitude, and behaviour which is both known by others in the group as well as by the person himself/herself. This region is thus known as the region of free activity. In positive psychology, it permissible to note that the working of any group is most effective if it develops an open area for every team member, since the members of a team become productive and most effective when they work in this region (Othman, Hussin, Mushahar, Ali, Ghani, & Salleh, 2015). As a result, the group becomes effective and most productive when members become productive. The arena or the open free area is a space where there is collaboration in the group and the flow of information. As such, there is effective cooperation and good communication, free from misunderstanding, conflict, confusion, mistrust, and distractions.

When compared to new team members who have relatively little knowledge about each member of the team and, therefore, relatively small open areas, members of an established team enjoy larger open areas. It is possible to horizontally expand the open area into the blind space through “feedback solicitation” if the members seek to actively listen to feedback from other members of the team (Shamoa-Nir, L. (2017). On the other hand, giving sensitive feedback to the member of the team can help in the expansion of one’s’ open area. Similarly, a person can expand the open area vertically downwards into the avoided area by disclosing feelings and information about themselves to other members of the group (Othman et. al, 2015). This can also be done when group members ask a member of the team to give them information about him/herself. Leaders play a big role in promoting a culture for sharing information, sensitive communication, constructive, helpful, positive, honest, and open knowledge-sharing within the organisation. Since the most productive organisations adopt a culture of positive communication based on openness and honesty, promoting the development of the “open self’ to every member of a team is important for an effective leadership.

Johari Quadrant 2

This region is referred to as the “blindspot”, blind, area, or the blind self and entails information about an individual that is not known by the person himself but is know by other in the team. A person can, however, reduce this region by soliciting or seeking feedback from other group members and, as a result, increase the open area. This area represents ignorance about oneself as well as issues that a person is deluded. It is, therefore, an unproductive space both for an individual and for the group and can only be reduced by increasing self-awareness through soliciting feedback from other members of the group (Akhilesh, 2014). A blind area can also be contributed by the information and issues that other people are withholding deliberately from an individual. Due to the negative effects of being kept in the dark, the blind area reduces the productivity and effectiveness of an individual and also affects the efficiency of the group. Being subjected to “mushroom management” contributes to the blind area and affects the working of a team.

Managers and group members play a critical role in helping a person to minimize their blind area which results in an increase in the open area. This is achieved by encouraging positive disclosure and giving sensitive feedback. Promoting a climate that enhances non-judgemental feedback is thus a role of an effective leader, which thus promotes the response of a group to individual disclosure (Berland & Berland, 2017). As a result, this reduces fear and encourages positive feedback and disclosure. However, the extent of seeking feedback by an individual as well as the issues which one seeks feedback should be left at one’s own discretion to avoid upsetting the person emotionally. Soliciting sensitive feedback equates to self-actualisation which is important in realizing self development and motivation.

Johari Quadrant 3

The region is also known as avoided self area and it represents the information about a person that is known to oneself but is unknown or kept hidden from others. The avoided or hidden could be anything such as feelings, secrets, manipulative intentions, hidden agendas, fears, and sensitivities which a person knows about themselves by does not reveal to others for their own reasons (Berland & Berland, 2017). While it is natural for a person to hide feelings and private, personal information, keeping certain experiences, feelings, and information secretive may affect working relations, especially if it is work or performance-related. Such information that affects work-related performance can be moved in the open area through disclosure (Adizes, Cudanov, & Rodic, 2017). In this regard, relevant feelings and information require self disclosure and exposure in order to increase the open area which promotes efficiency and productivity.

Disclosing and exposing relevant information about one’s feelings helps to increase the open area and reduce the hidden area thus promoting productivity, team-working effectiveness, trust, cooperation, and understanding within a group (Othman et. al, 2015). On the other hand, it reduces conflicts, poor communication, misunderstanding, and potential for confusion, which undermine team spirit and hinders team effectiveness. Good leadership involves fostering a working environment and an organizational culture that reduces vulnerability. As a result, this enhances mutual understanding among members of a team which improves group awareness thus promoting group effectiveness and individual performance.

Johari Quadrant 4

Region four (4) of the Johari window model contains experiences, aptitudes, latent abilities, feelings, and information that are unknown both by the others in a group and the person him/herself. The unknown information (unknown self) about a person may take different forms including aptitudes, capabilities, attitudes, behaviours, and feelings which can be important and positive and close to the surface. On the other hand, they can be personality issues which are deeper thus influencing one’s behaviour (Akhilesh, 2014). Most of the unknown areas are evident in people who lack self-belief, experience, or even the younger people. Another aspect that contributes significantly to the unknown area is the presence of an under-estimated or untried ability due to the lack of relevant training, confidence, encouragement, or opportunity.

There are, however, various methods and processes through which the knowledge can be uncovered, either by prompting it through observation by others or through self-discovery. The unknown self can also be uncovered through mutual or collective discovery which can either be experienced through intensive group work or on outward bound courses (Shamoa-Nir, 2017). An effective group leader is a mentor to the group members and creates an enabling environment through which the unknown issues can be uncovered through counseling. Depending on who discovers the unknown self and how they utilize the knowledge, the discovered unknown knowledge may move into the open, blind, or hidden area. This is mostly determined by whether the knowledge is discovered and given through feedback or disclosure (Adizes, Cudanov, & Rodic, 2017). It is important for a person to strive towards discovering feelings and information in the unknown which contributes to self-actualization thus fostering personal development and motivation. It also promotes the process of self-discovery and is most enhanced by offering opportunities for the people to try new things without giving them the pressure to succeed.

It is worth noting that effective leaders and managers strive to encourage self-discovery by fostering an environment which promotes the processes of sensitive feedback, constructive observation, and self-discovery among team members. It is a well-established organizational fact that most of the staff within an organization work best within their potential (Adizes, Cudanov, & Rodic, 2017). In this regard, creating an expectation, climate, and culture of self-discovery within an organization and among the staff helps them to fulfill their potential better, thus promoting individual performance and improving the organizational productivity and efficiency (Adizes, Cudanov, & Rodic, 2017). Therefore, enhancing mutual understanding among team members by encouraging self-discovery through experience, active listening, and sensitive communication is an effective way of leadership. Leaders and team members would become more productive if they reduce their unknown, hidden, and blind areas, and increase the open free areas (Akhilesh, 2014).