Improving Your Communication Skills with the Johari Window
Ask any leader what skills are the most vital to managing a team, and she’ll likely list “communication” near the top. However, developing outstanding communication abilities doesn’t come automatically. It takes dedicated time and focus, which is in short supply in today’s rapidly evolving workplaces, as more and more workplaces adopt a hybrid work model. In this light, practicing and improving communication is vital and will only become more so. In fact, a LinkedIn survey of almost one million professionals listed “communication” as one of the skills employees most wish their leaders would develop.
As leaders, it is up to us to lead the charge on finding effective ways to communicate and do the hard work of finding and addressing blind spots in communication, both for ourselves and others. A vital tool to do this work is a concept called the Johari Window Model; by studying it closely, leaders at every level will become more capable communicators.
What is the Johari Window Model?
Essentially, the Johari Window Model is a concept that helps us understand our relationships with ourselves and others when we attempt to communicate. For example, if you’ve ever felt like the message of a speech or presentation didn’t quite land the way you wanted, there was a gap somewhere between you and your audience. The Johari Window helps us figure out how to communicate our message better, gain a deeper perception of others, and get the results we want.
(And by the way, the interesting name “Johari” is an amalgamation of the names of the two American psychologists who developed the model, Joseph Luft, and Harry Ingram)
The Johari Window Model
The Johari Window concept is often illustrated as a diagram resembling a four-pane window. Each “pane” describes the activity of communication in any given circumstance:
1. The Open Area
This is where you and your audience have the same information. Communication coaches often refer to it as the “I know, you know” pane. This information can be basic details of a speaker, such as when she is introduced by a moderator at a panel, to as personal as the moods and attitudes of the people or person you are speaking with. For example, if you are giving a presentation to your team just before lunchtime after a morning full of speeches, everyone knows that energy is low and that the message may not land as intended.
Generally, the more information you can share with your audience in the open area, the more effective communication you can achieve, and the more dynamic the relationship.
2. The Hidden Area
This is also referred to as the “façade.” This panel represents things that are known only to you. In certain circumstances, it can aid communication to share some information from this pane to expand the Open Area. In the example of the speaker being introduced at a panel, she could grow the Open Area by sharing a short but memorable story or detail about her connection to the topic. By moving information from the hidden area to the open area, you show your audience that you are willing and able to break down barriers to communication.
3. The Blind Spot
This pane comprises information unknown to you but obvious or understandable to others. In the example of our speaker, if she had a habit of averting eye contact or speaking too quickly during her presentation due to nerves or inexperience, these behaviors are evident to her audience but utterly unknown to her. On its own, the information in the blind spot can be a barrier to self-awareness, which hinders communication. However, asking for helpful feedback from coaches, colleagues, or even friends can help reduce the impact of things in our blind spots.
4. The Unknown Area
This is information not known to you or your audience. It sounds aggressively metaphorical, but it is a helpful tool for expanding the Open Area, mainly because there is always new information to be discovered about ourselves, others, or ideas. Trying new things together moves vital information from the Unknown Area to the Open Area.
Using the Johari Window Model
Here are some tips for using the model to help you improve your communication.
A little disclosure can be good – it can be intimidating to put more of yourself in the Open Area, but starting small can lead to significant results
But, use common sense! – while learning to be more open with others is worthwhile, practice caution with deeply personal information. Be short and sweet and divulge only information relevant to the situation at hand
Flow happens – expect the various panes to expand and contract during an interaction
Ask others for feedback – sometimes, the only way to get information about our habits is to ask trusted colleagues, friends, or family members to observe and report. It can be uncomfortable at first, but it is a surefire way to grow and improve and to become the most effective communicator you can be.
For more information about these tips and guidance in applying them specifically to you, contact us today!