What is the Johari Window Model?

The Johari Window model is a simple and useful tool for illustrating and improving self-
awareness, and mutual understanding between individuals within a group. This model
can also be used to assess and improve a group's relationship with other groups. This
model is particularly useful in team development.

 It was devised by American psychologists Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham in 1955 while
researching group dynamics at the University of California Los Angeles. The model was
first published in the Proceedings of the Western Training Laboratory in Group
Development by UCLA Extension Office in 1955, and was later expanded by Joseph
Luft. Today the Johari Window model is especially relevant due to modern
emphasis on, and influence of, 'soft' skills, behaviour, empathy, cooperation,
inter-group development and interpersonal development.

The Johari Window concept is particularly helpful in understanding employee/employer

relationships within the Psychological Contract. Over the years, alternative terminology
has been developed and adapted by different people - particularly leading to different
descriptions of the four regions, hence the use of different terms in this explanation.

The Johari Window Model Diagram 

Download the Johari Window Model as a pdf file here:

 Landscape
 Portrait
 also available in MSWord format from the free resources section

Background Information

Luft and Ingham called their Johari Window model 'Johari' after combining their first
names, Joe and Harry. In early publications, the word appears as 'JoHari'. The Johari
Window soon became a widely used model for understanding and training self-
awareness, personal development, improving communications, interpersonal
relationships, group dynamics, team development and inter-group relationships.

How is the Johari Window Model used?

This model is also referred to as a 'disclosure/feedback model of "self-awareness" and

by some people an "information processing tool".
  The Johari Window actually represents information - feelings, experience, views,
attitudes, skills, intentions, motivation, etc - within or about a person - in relation
to their group, from four perspectives, which are described below. 
 The model can also be used to represent the same information for a group in
relation to other groups. Terminology hereafter refers to 'self' and 'others': 'self'
means oneself, ie, the person subject to the analysis. 'Others' means other
people in the person's group or team.
 The four Johari Window perspectives are called 'regions' or 'areas' or
'quadrants'. Each of these regions contains and represents the information -
feelings, motivation, etc - known about the person, in terms of whether the
information is known or unknown by the person, and whether the information is
known or unknown by others in the group. The four regions in the model are
outlined in detail below.

Note: When the Johari Window model is used to assess and develop groups in relation
to other groups. The 'self' would be the group, and 'others' would be other groups.
However, for ease of explanation and understanding of the model and examples in this
article, think of the model applying to an individual within a group, rather than a group
relating to other groups.

What are the Four Regions of the Johari Window Model?

1. What is known by the person about him/herself and is also known by others
- open area, open self, free area, free self, or 'the arena'
2. What is unknown by the person about him/herself but which others know
- blind area, blind self, or 'blindspot'
3. What the person knows about him/herself that others do not know - hidden
area, hidden self, avoided area, avoided self or 'facade'
4. What is unknown by the person about him/herself and is also unknown by
others - unknown area or unknown self

Like some other behavioural models (eg, Tuckman, Hersey/Blanchard), the Johari

Window is based on a four-square grid - it is like a window with four 'panes'. Here's
how the Johari Window is normally shown, with its four regions:
This is the standard representation of the Johari Window model, showing each
quadrant the same size. 

The four 'panes' can be changed in size to reflect the relevant proportions of each
type of 'knowledge' of/about a particular person in a given group or team
situation. 

 In new groups or teams, the open free space for any team member is small (see
below) because shared awareness is relatively small. 
 As the team member becomes better established and known, so the size of the
team member's open free area quadrant increases (see below)

Explanation of the Johari Window Model

Refer to the free detailed Johari Window model diagram in the free resources section -
print a copy and it will help you to understand what follows. 

Johari Window Model Quadrant 1

'Open Self/Area' or 'Free Area' or 'Public Area', or 'Arena'

Region 1 is also known as the 'area of free activity'. This is the information about the
person - behaviour, attitude, feelings, emotion, knowledge, experience, skills, views,
etc. - known by the person ('the self') and known by the group ('others').

The aim in any group should always be 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 group is at its most productive too. The open
free area, or 'the arena', can be seen as the space where good communications
and cooperation occur, free from distractions, mistrust, confusion, conflict and
misunderstanding.

 Established team members logically tend to have larger open areas than new
team members. New team members start with relatively small open areas
because relatively little knowledge about the new team member is shared. The
size of the open area can be expanded horizontally into the blind space, by
seeking and actively listening to feedback from other group members. This
process is known as 'feedback solicitation'. 
 Other group members can help a team member expand their open area by
offering feedback, sensitively of course. The size of the open area can also be
expanded vertically downwards into the hidden or avoided space by the
person's disclosure of information, feelings, etc. about him/herself to the group
and group members. 
 Group members can help a person expand their open area into the hidden area
by asking the person about him/herself. Managers and team leaders can play an
important role in facilitating feedback and disclosure among group members
and indirectly giving feedback to individuals about their own blind areas. 
 Leaders also have a big responsibility to promote a culture and expectation for
open, honest, positive, helpful, constructive, sensitive communications, and the
sharing of knowledge throughout their organization. Top-performing groups,
departments, companies and organizations always tend to have a culture of
open positive communication, so encouraging the positive development of
the 'open area' or 'open self' for everyone is a simple yet fundamental aspect
of effective leadership.

Johari Window Model Quadrant 2

'Blind Self' or 'Blind Area' or 'Blindspot'

Region 2 is what is known about a person by others in the group, but is unknown by

the person him/herself. 
  By seeking or soliciting feedback from others, the aim should be to reduce this
area and thereby to increase the open area i.e, to increase self-awareness. 
 This blind area is not an effective or productive space for individuals or groups.
This blind area could also be referred to as ignorance about oneself, or issues in
which one is deluded. 
 A blind area could also include issues that others are deliberately withholding
from a person. This relates to the difficulty one experiences when being "kept in
the dark". 

Group members and managers can take some responsibility for helping an individual
to reduce their blind area - in turn increasing the open area - by giving sensitive
feedback and encouraging disclosure. 

 Managers should promote a climate of non-judgemental feedback, and group

response to individual disclosure, which reduces fear and therefore encourages
both processes to happen.
 The extent to which an individual seeks feedback, and the issues on which
feedback is sought, must always be at the individual's own discretion. 
 Some people are more resilient than others - care needs to be taken to avoid
causing emotional upset. The process of soliciting serious and deep feedback
relates to the process of 'self-actualization' described in  Maslow's Hierarchy of
Needs development and motivation model.

Johari Window Model Quadrant 3

'Hidden Self' or 'Hidden Area' or 'Avoided Self' or 'Facade'

Region 3 is what is known to ourselves but kept hidden from, and therefore unknown,
to others. 

 This hidden or avoided self represents information, feelings, etc., anything that a
person knows about him/self, but which is not revealed or is kept hidden from
others. 
 The hidden area could also include sensitivities, fears, hidden agendas,
manipulative intentions, secrets - anything that a person knows but does not
reveal, for whatever reason. 
 It is natural for very personal and private information and feelings to remain
hidden, indeed, certain information, feelings and experiences have no bearing
on work, and so can and should remain hidden. However, typically, a lot of
 hidden information is not very personal, it is work- or performance-related, and
so is better positioned in the open area.

Relevant hidden information and feelings, etc, should be moved into the open
area through the process of 'disclosure'.

 The aim should be to disclose and expose relevant information and feelings -
hence the Johari Window terminology 'self-disclosure' and 'exposure process',
thereby increasing the open area. 
 By telling others how we feel and other information about ourselves we reduce
the hidden area and increase the open area, which enables better
understanding, cooperation, trust, team-working effectiveness and productivity. 
 Reducing hidden areas also reduces the potential for confusion,
misunderstanding, poor communication, etc, which all distract from and
undermine team effectiveness.

Organizational culture and working atmosphere have a major influence on group

members' preparedness to disclose their hidden selves. Most people fear
judgement or vulnerability and therefore hold back hidden information and feelings,
etc., that if moved into the open area, i.e known by the group as well, would enhance
mutual understanding, and thereby improve group awareness, enabling better
individual performance and group effectiveness.

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. As with feedback, some people are more resilient than
others - care needs to be taken to avoid causing emotional upset. Also as with soliciting
feedback, the process of serious disclosure relates to the process of 'self-actualization'
described in Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs development and motivation model.

Johari Window Model Quadrant 4

'Unknown Self' or 'Area of Unknown Activity' or 'Unknown Area'

Region 4 contains information, feelings, latent abilities, aptitudes, experiences etc, that
are unknown to the person him/herself and unknown to others in the group. These
unknown issues take a variety of forms: 

 They can be feelings, behaviours, attitudes, capabilities, aptitudes, which can be

quite close to the surface, and which can be positive and useful, or they can be
deeper aspects of a person's personality, influencing his/her behaviour to
 various degrees. Large unknown areas would typically be expected in younger
people, and people who lack experience or self-belief.

Examples of unknown factors are as follows, and the first example is particularly
relevant and common, especially in typical organizations and teams:

 An ability that is under-estimated or un-tried through lack of opportunity,

encouragement, confidence or training
 A natural ability or aptitude that a person does not realise they possess
 A fear or aversion that a person does not know they have
 An unknown illness
 Repressed or subconscious feelings
 Conditioned behaviour or attitudes from childhood

The processes by which this information and knowledge can be uncovered are
various and can be prompted through self-discovery or observation by others, or in
certain situations through collective or mutual discovery, of the sort of discovery,
experienced on outward bound courses or other deep or intensive group work.
Counselling can also uncover unknown issues, but this would then be known to the
person and by one other, rather than by a group.

 Whether unknown 'discovered' knowledge moves into the hidden, blind or open
area depends on who discovers it and what they do with the knowledge, notably
whether it is then given as feedback, or disclosed. As with the processes of
soliciting feedback and disclosure, striving to discover information and feelings
in the unknown is related to the process of 'self-actualization' described
in Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs development and motivation model.
 Again as with disclosure and soliciting feedback, the process of self-discovery is a
sensitive one. The extent and depth to which an individual is able to seek out
discover their unknown feelings must always be at the individual's own
discretion.
 Uncovering 'hidden talents' - that is unknown aptitudes and skills, not to be
confused with developing the Johari 'hidden area' - is another aspect of
developing the unknown area, and is not so sensitive as unknown feelings.
Providing people with the opportunity to try new things, with no great pressure
to succeed, is often a useful way to discover unknown abilities, and thereby
reduce the unknown area.

Managers and leaders can help by creating an environment that encourages self-
discovery, and to promote the processes of self-discovery, constructive
observation and feedback among team members.  Creating a culture, climate and
expectation for self-discovery helps people to fulfil more of their potential and thereby
to achieve more, and to contribute more to organisational performance.

Note: The unknown area could also include repressed or subconscious feelings rooted
in formative events and traumatic past experiences, which can stay unknown for a
lifetime. In a work or organisational context the Johari Window should not be used to
address issues of a clinical nature. Useful references are Arthur Janov's seminal book
"The Primal Scream" (read about the book here) and  Transactional Analysis.

Examples of the Johari Window Model

Example 1 - Increasing Open Area Through Feedback Solicitation

This Johari Window model diagram is an example of increasing the open area, by
reduction of the blind area, which would normally be achieved through the process of
asking for and then receiving feedback. 

 Feedback develops the open area by reducing the blind area. 

 The open area can also be developed through the process of disclosure, which
reduces the hidden area. 
  The unknown area can be reduced in different ways: by others' observation
(which increases the blind area); by self-discovery (which increases the hidden
area), or by mutual enlightenment - typically via group experiences and
discussion - which increases the open area as the unknown area reduces.

A team which understands itself - that is, each person having a strong mutual
understanding with the team - is far more effective than a team which does not
understand each other- that is, whose members have large hidden, blind, and/or
unknown areas.

Team members - and leaders - should always be striving to increase their open free
areas, and to reduce their blind, hidden and unknown areas.

Impact on effectiveness: A person represented by the Johari Window example below

will not perform to their best potential, and the team will fail to make full use of the
team's potential and the person's potential too. Effort should generally be made by the
person to increase his/her open free area, by disclosing information about his/her
feelings, experience, views, motivation, etc, which will reduce the size of the hidden
area, and increase the open free area.

Seeking feedback about the blind area will reduce the blind area, and will increase the
open free area. Discovery through sensitive communications, active listening and
experience, will reduce the unknown area, transferring in part to the blind, hidden
areas, depending on who knows what, or better still if known by the person and others,
to the open free area.

Example 2 - New Team Member or Member Within a New Team

This Johari Window model diagram is an example of a member of a new team or a
person who is new to an existing team. 

 The open free region is small because others know little about the new person. 
 Similarly the blind area is small because others know little about the new
person. 
 The hidden or avoided issues and feelings are a relatively large area. 

In this particular example, the unknown area is the largest, which might be because the
person is young or lacking in self-knowledge or belief. 

Example 3 - Established Team Member

This Johari Window model diagram is an example of an established member of a team. 

 The open free region is large because others know a lot about the person that
the person also knows. 
 Through the processes of disclosure and receiving feedback the open area has
expanded and at the same time reduced the sizes of the hidden, blind and
unknown areas. 

Other Related Theories

 It's helpful to compare the Johari Window model to other four-quadrant

behavioural models, notably Bruce Tuckman's Forming, Storming Norming
Performing team-development model; also to a lesser but nonetheless
interesting extent, The Hersey-Blanchard Situational Leadership team
development and management styles model (See both here). The common
principle is that as the team matures and communications improve, so
performance improves too, as less energy is spent on internal issues and
clarifying understanding, and more effort is devoted to external aims and
productive output.
  The Johari Window model also relates to emotional intelligence theory (EQ) , and
one's awareness and development of emotional intelligence.
 As already stated, the Johari Window relates also to Transactional Analysis
(notably understanding deeper aspects of the 'unknown' area, region 4).
 The Johari Window processes of serious feedback solicitation, disclosure, and
striving to uncover one's unknown area relate to Maslow's 'self-actualization'
ideas contained in the Hierarchy of Needs.
 There are several exercises and activities for Johari Window awareness
development among teams featured on the team building games section , for
example the ring tones activity .

Further Ideas
The examples of exercises using the Johari Window theory on this website which might
begin to open possibilities for you. The Johari Window obviously model provides useful
background rationale and justification for most things that you might think to do with
people relating to developing mutual and self-awareness, all of which links strongly to
team effectiveness and harmony.

There are many ways to use the Johari model in learning and development - much as
using any other theory such as Maslow's, Tuckman's,  Transactional Analysis or NLP. It
very much depends on what you want to achieve. This being the case, it might help you
to ask yourself first:

 What do you want to achieve in your training and development activities? 

 And what are your intended outputs and how will you measure that they have
been achieved? 

Then think about how the Johari Window theory and principles can be used to assist
this.

Researching academic papers (most typically published on university and learning

institutions websites) written about theories such as Johari is a fertile method of
exploring possibilities for concepts and models like Johari. This approach tends to
improve your in-depth understanding, instead of simply using specific interpretations
or applications 'off-the-shelf', which in themselves might provide good ideas for a one-
off session, but will not help you much with understanding how to use the thinking at a
deeper level.
Also, explore the original work of Ingham and Luft, and reviews of same, relating to the
development and applications of the model.

Johari is a very elegant and potent model, and as with other powerful ideas, simply
helping people to understand is the most effective way to optimise the value to
people. Explaining the meaning of the Johari Window theory to people, so they can
really properly understand it in their own terms, then empowers people to use the
thinking in their own way, and to incorporate the underlying principles into their future
thinking and behaviour. 

Relevant reading:

 'Group Processes - An Introduction to Group Dynamics' by Joseph Luft, first

published in 1963; and
 'Of Human Interaction: The Johari Model' by Joseph Luft, first published in 1969.

See Also

 Brainstorming for Team Building and Problem Solving

 Experiential Learning
 Meetings - How to plan and run a Meeting
 Team Building Games Training and Tips
 Workshops - Format and how to run
 Role Playing and Role Play Games Process and Tips
 Tuckman's Forming Storming Norming Performing Model
 Gamers, Tricks, Puzzles and Warm-Ups for Groups
 QUIZBALLS - 1000'S of Free Quiz Questions and Answers for Learning and Fun