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Why to use the Johari window
We explain what the Johari Window is and how you can utilize it to improve communication.
Marcos Lopez
HR Consultant
21 of May, 2025
Giving feedback to our employees -or receiving it ourselves- is one of the best ways to progress professionally. Feedback allows us to improve, focus on our strengths and work on our weaknesses. The Johari window is a tool we can use for this.
This instrument stems from cognitive psychology, and its purpose is to illustrate the processes of human interaction. It is commonly used in self-help groups but can also be applied in corporate group dynamic exercises. It compares your viewpoint and that of others.
The four quadrants of the Johari window
To understand how the Johari window helps us, we must first know its four quadrants. Using it is straightforward: we make a list of 5 or 10 characteristics that we believe define us, and we request the same from trusted individuals. This person should be someone who knows us thoroughly.
In the workplace, these individuals can be colleagues, superiors, subordinates… Once we have all lists with the characteristics that define us, we place them in the corresponding quadrant of the window. The four quadrants of the Johari window are as follows:
- Public area: This corresponds to characteristics seen both by ourselves and others. These are experiences, emotions, or thoughts that we allow others to see – these are the common zones with those around us.
- Blind area: Abilities seen by others, but not by ourselves. It includes all that you do not know about yourself, but that others can see. Other people can discover traits that we find hard to acknowledge through observation and living together.
- Hidden area: These are traits that you have mentioned, but not others. It includes thoughts or emotions that we try to hide or personality traits that we find hard to show. It is what we know about ourselves but don’t share – either because we don’t want to or because it’s difficult for us.
- Unknown area: Here are traits that does not fit into any category initially. It is the zone of the Johari window with the most potential as it includes those features that neither you nor anyone else knows. Leaving the comfort zone can help us probe it and know ourselves better.
Application of the Johari window
Once the quadrants are completed, we can know the image that we have of ourselves and the one that others have. It’s essential to use both positive and negative characteristics. In this way, we will know our strengths, but also our weaknesses. Your closest circle can respond anonymously.
Without a doubt, the blind area is one of the most interesting points of the Johari window. Other people will specify features depending on how you express yourself, be it verbally or non-verbally. Your reaction to certain situations also plays a crucial role.
The hidden area is also interesting to analyze. You can give the image of being an open and liberal person, but in reality, adopt conservative behaviors. An inconsistency that could turn against us in certain situations. Why don’t we show ourselves as we really are?
The feedback and the Johari window
As we stated at the beginning, the Johari window is an excellent resource for generating and analyzing feedback in the workplace. It provides a more complete view of the employee, and it can also help us grow professionally. To achieve this, we would look at the traits of each window quadrant.
Firstly, we will look at what image we give off and what we would like to change. For this, we have the first two quadrants, the part that others see. The public area and the blind area. Are these the professional traits you truly want to show? How can you improve?
The other key question we will ask ourselves is what would we like to show the rest that they are not perceiving. In other words, our most outstanding features from the hidden area. Be careful – you may also have a mistaken perception of yourself. You wouldn’t be the first to believe you have a certain skill when you don’t.
Finally, we will ask ourselves how to change the image that the rest have of us. What can you do to highlight those characteristics hidden in the hidden area, or even in the unknown area. You can always turn to the help of experts for this.
The Johari window in the workplace
Beyond the feedbacks that we may obtain, the Johari window has other applications in the working world. We mentioned that it can help us reinforce communication or chemistry among employees and teams. Benefits like these can’t be overlooked:
- Communication among team members: When coordinating ourselves, the Johari window helps us communicate better. If you want teams to lead projects successfully, this can’t fail.
- Job interviews: We can apply the Johari window to the personnel selection process. You can research the candidate, see their ability to relate to a group, find out if they are transparent, and so on.
- Strengthening the brand image: We can also resort to the Johari window to improve the brand image. Knowing how clients or suppliers see us will allow us to design the branding strategy and project an image aligned with our interests. Thus, we improve the perception about ourselves.
It may not be the most known technique, but as we have seen, the Johari window has many applications in the daily working life. Do you want to know more about how to give feedback and strengthen your brand image? You’ll find more on the topic on the Sesame HR blog, don’t miss it!
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